Desperation is detected immediately by anyone who has spent any length of time doing anything of substance (how’s that for a far-reaching opener?) You do your reputation a disservice by not operating from a position of power and abundance. I realize you may not always have this luxury, but you do have control over the signal you communicate.

And that’s what this is about: the subtext of your request or message. The subtle indicators to prospective employers and vendors that you’re not prone to making bad choices, or waiting until the last minutes to ask for help, or that they’ll regret being generous.

I think the power posture™ here is sending the message that you have options, you have a discerning eye for value, you know your worth, and you’ve come to the purposeful conclusion that partnering with a business or person of a particular type is likely to result in a mutually beneficial arrangement for all parties involved.

“Need X ASAP, plz get in touch!” isn’t going to cut it.