It's not managers. The board sets a budget, the budget gets subdivided, and by the time low-level managers have an opportunity to chime in, an Overton window ha

It's not managers. The board sets a budget, the budget gets subdivided, and by the time low-level managers have an opportunity to chime in, an Overton window has been established and I have the power to give a 0-9% raise. Upper management doesn't have the visibility or the introspection to know one single individual contributor is truly worth 30% more to their business. I coach my reports to sell themselves. Tell the directors how they individually are adding value to the company. They are completely allowed to speak with higher ups, and usually they're more than willing to take 15 minutes and listen to ICs on virtually any topic they wish to speak about. Then, the directors will remember you when it comes time to making pay decisions. Most engineers are modest, but nobody gets penalized for communicating and highlighting the great work they do.