Making the Case for Resources (Without Sounding Needy)

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Ronja, a senior sales manager at a software-as-a-service company, recently made a shift from traditional sales to sales enablement. This change would require more resources to build out tools and assets, but Ronja found herself stuck in a mental trap keeping her from asking for what she needs.

Like many smart leaders, Ronja convinced herself that needing help is a sign of weakness. She's internalized the belief that "good managers make do with what they have" – a form of self-sabotage that masquerades as resourcefulness. This mindset keeps her spinning her wheels, trying to accomplish impossible tasks without enough support, all while watching her team and her results suffer.

The irony is that by avoiding the conversation about resources, Ronja is actually proving she's not ready for bigger leadership challenges. She's sabotaging her own advancement by refusing to do one of the most critical parts of her job: advocating strategically for what her team – and the organization – needs to succeed.

Many leaders find themselves in Ronja's situation, caught between needing more resources and their own limiting beliefs about what it means to ask for them. So here's how to make a compelling case to those who control the budget without appearing incompetent or demanding.

How to Make a Strong Case for More Resources

Focus on the dollars and cents

When you're asking for resources, you need to help decision-makers see that what you're requesting isn't an expense. It's an investment with clear returns. This means doing your homework and presenting a data-driven argument that shows exactly how these resources will pay for themselves.

Here's what this looks like in practice:

• Show how new resources will boost efficiency. Maybe that software you want will cut task completion time by 20%, or an additional team member could potentially double your output capacity.
• Demonstrate how investing now saves money later. New training programs might eliminate the need for expensive contractors, or better equipment could drastically reduce costly mistakes.
• Explain how these resources will strengthen your competitive position, improve your company's reputation, or help you capture more market share.

Ronja did exactly this kind of homework. She discovered that each week's delay in launching new features was costing the company $20,000 in lost opportunities. She also noticed that being understaffed was causing their customer satisfaction scores to lag behind their main competitor.

Instead of just complaining about being overwhelmed, she compiled this information into a concise one-page business case that made her argument impossible to ignore.

Connect your request to company priorities

The most successful resource requests contextualize how your needs fit into the bigger picture of what the company is trying to accomplish. If your organization wants to be an industry leader, for example, you might argue that hiring a research analyst will help you stay ahead of trends and develop content that attracts high-profile clients.

You can also tailor your approach to what your specific manager cares about most. Ronja knew her boss was laser-focused on customer experience, so she framed her request around how new software would help them understand and respond to customer needs faster, leading to better satisfaction and loyalty scores.

Propose a plan

Here's where many leaders sabotage themselves without realizing it: they approach executives with an issue and expect those busy decision-makers to figure out the solution. That's backwards thinking that signals you're not ready for bigger responsibilities.

Remember, executives are often pressed for time and don't have the detailed knowledge of your department that you do. As the expert in your area, it's your job to provide informed solutions, not just highlight what's broken. As Steve Jobs put it, "we hire smart people so they can tell us what to do, not the other way around."

Instead of saying "We need more staff," try "Hiring two junior team members at a lower starting salary and investing in their training would be a cost-effective way to increase our capacity by 40% within six months." This kind of specific solution shows you've thought through the details and you're bringing them a plan they can react to.

Stay flexible in your approach

One of the biggest mistakes leaders make when requesting resources is coming across like they're personally invested in a specific solution. The key is demonstrating that your primary concern is organizational success, not getting your way.

Use language that shows you're open to collaboration: "I'm flexible on the approach if you see a better way to achieve this outcome" or "I'm open to alternative solutions that address the core issue." This indicates you're thinking like a business partner, not someone who's just trying to make their own job easier.

Don't undersell what your team actually needs, but show that you're willing to work within organizational constraints. If Ronja's initial request for a major technology upgrade gets pushback due to budget concerns, she might propose a phased implementation or suggest reallocating existing resources more strategically. This approach shows she's thinking about the company's overall well-being, not just her department's wish list.

Use your track record as leverage

When you're making a case for additional resources, your past successes become your most powerful evidence. Showing how you've previously turned resources into measurable results builds confidence that you'll do it again.

That's another area where leader unconsciously sabotage themselves -- they downplay their previous wins or fail to connect them to the current request. Don't make that mistake. Be specific about how past investments in your area paid off.

Ronja had a perfect example: when she secured funding for a CRM system a few years back, her sales increased by 15% in just six months. When she referenced this success story in her current request, her boss immediately understood that Ronja had a proven track record of turning resources into results. That kind of concrete evidence reassures decision-makers that their investment will generate returns.

Highlight the cost of inaction

One of the most effective ways to make your case is to clearly outline what happens if the organization doesn't invest in what you're requesting. This isn't about making threats. It's about ensuring decision-makers understand the full scope and urgency of the situation.

You might say something like: "If we don't upgrade our system by Q3, we're looking at continued delays that will cost us approximately $80,000 in lost revenue and put us further behind our main competitor." This approach taps into loss aversion, the psychological principle that people are more motivated by avoiding losses than achieving equivalent gains.

🗓️ FREE EVENT: 60 Minutes to Defeat Self-Sabotage

Do you ever think to yourself...

"I know I’m smart and capable…so why does work still feel like a battle against myself?"

One minute you’re biting your tongue about the thing your boss did to keep the peace. The next, you’re spiraling because you did speak up and now you’re convinced you overreacted.

You take on extra work, tell yourself it’s “just easier,” then lie awake annoyed at everyone else for not pulling their weight.

You walk away from meetings thinking – did I sound insecure? Did they think I was being difficult?

You wonder why everything feels so intense all the time.

I’ve identified the 6 root traits that cause thoughtful, driven professionals like you to overwork, overthink, and burn out. And when you know which one is driving your patterns, you reclaim time, energy, and space to finally go after the raise, the promotion, or opportunities you’ve been putting off.

--> RSVP for 60 Minutes to Defeat Self-Sabotage happening August 14th at 12pm ET (replay available).

This free live training will help you pinpoint your root cause and give you practical shifts to break the cycle.