It can be really exciting when you come up with a great idea at work and realize that your brilliant plan will not only save your employer time, but money.
But wait a minute. Will anyone listen to your idea? Will they grasp how terrific the idea is, or just shoot it down?
The answer may depend on you. Because not only will you have to have the facts and figures to back up your idea, but you’re going to have to use something else – your powers of persuasion.
Unlike negotiating, where you usually have to give something up, or commanding, which no one really likes, persuasion is more non-adversarial. It leaves others liking what you have convinced them to do.
Still, it’s important to remember that just because you are smart, hardworking, and have innovative ideas, that doesn’t mean others will automatically listen to you. You’ve got to map out a plan to get your idea through the decision-making process at your company.
Some tips:
- Ask questions. Find out what is needed at your employer. It’s amazing what you will hear when you begin listening to others. Once you grasp the areas of need, then you can tailor any project around it. Quiz your boss about company needs and attend events that put you in a position to ask questions of other top brass.
- Do your homework. You’ve got to make your idea timely, one that can be acted on soon. Develop costs, time, number of people required, quality, quantity, earnings, payback, etc. Know your subject inside and out and be able to answer who, what, when, where, why, and how.
- Define your objective in 50 words or less. State exactly what you want to accomplish as a result of the proposal.
- Be flexible. You will have to tailor each phase of your project to meet individual needs as it moves through management. Make sure you follow the rules of hierarchy. No jumping over your boss to get to the person higher up. As you gain success with each step, make sure you reassess the needs of each person.
- Don’t fall in love with your proposal. That’s a recipe for disaster because it keeps you from thinking objectively and prevents you from considering the other person’s needs.
- Practice makes perfect. Persuasion is not an easy task, and it might take several tries before you are successful. If the project fails, it probably is because you missed a need, or perhaps you were given some false information. Just keep in mind that each attempt refines your process and makes you smarter and better at achieving your goal.
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