The careerist: Tact for the well paid Senior managers have been at the receiving end of a lot of flak for their pay packets - and their apparent indifference to the widespread anger about them. How do you deal sensitively with being well paid at a time when many are feeling the pinch? Who does this affect? The problem is not confined to chief executives. "This issue goes down pretty far in companies," says Cary Cooper, professor of organisational psychology at Lancaster University. It affects anyone in a managerial role who earns far more than their team. Prof Cooper notes that while most managers" remuneration is not published, it is naive to think that your team won't have an idea of what you earn. These figures usually leak out. How should I deal with the issue? First, acknowledge that you earn more, says Josh Spero, editor of Spear's, a magazine for wealthy individuals. "Don't pretend this issue doesn't exist," he says. "You can't say "I'm just like you" when you're not. Don't do false modesty. Next, you should ensure that your pay is seen as legitimate because people have far more of a problem with undeserved high pay than high pay per se. Much of this, says Prof Cooper, is simply down to being a good manager. If you look at [former Tesco boss] Sir Terry Leahy, nobody felt that he shouldn't be paid a lot. Prof Cooper explains that while this derived in part from Tesco's success, "he also had the common touch and understood staff's concerns. He came from a very humble background and had anchors to that. Remembering your roots goes a long way towards keeping people on side. Stephen Bevan, director of the centre for workforce effectiveness at The Work Foundation, adds that because senior managers often focus on what they could earn externally, they can come across as insensitive internally. Arguments that you could earn £500,000 more elsewhere don't really wash when you're asking people on £20k a year to take a pay freeze. What are some common pitfalls? "Consistency of message is hugely important," says Mr Bevan. Don't talk about belt-tightening then take a private jet. You need to be a little careful about having your message misinterpreted too. If you take a pay cut, and talk too much about it, you may be seen as grandstanding. "Bear in mind too that if people see a distinct shift in your behaviour, it can draw attention to things that may have previously gone unnoticed," says Mr Spero. There are real risks to putting on a sackcloth and ashes. Are there times when it's OK to be less modest? Beware of false economies. Flying coach to China may be "on-message" but it is foolish if you arrive tired and cannot work effectively. Mr Spero says that you should also tailor your message to your audience: "Among your peers you can be a little less restrained as they will expect you to keep up with them and you want to appear as though you're doing well. Similarly, you want to look successful to your clients.