You’ve come up with a brilliant plan to save your company money, improve your team’s productivity, or avert a potential disaster. But, there’s one problem: You haven’t been able to get the attention of higher-ups or your employer about it.
Many good ideas, even of top officials, never see the light of day for various factors. As a result, great ideas are frequently overlooked or discarded, but this isn’t always the case. To execute a successful pitch, you need two things. Self-confidence and an understanding of how to present your idea in a way that will be well-received by your superiors.
You may be surprised to learn that most managers are more open to your ideas and suggestions than you think if you approach them the right way. The following article will highlight some of the most effective ways to sell your ideas up the corporate chain.
Understand Your Bosses Insecurities
Before communicating any ideas or inconveniences at work, most employees usually consider their position. Some fear the possibility of their proposals getting rejected while others fear getting perceived as whiners or troublemakers.
On the other hand, few employees pay attention to their boss’s ego and personality issues and react to an idea.
Being in charge comes with a lot of responsibility. Managers are supposed to get updated at all times. This may make them less receptive to subordinates’ ideas due to the fear of being exposed as insecure. However, some leaders can take criticism without flinching as long as their egos are protected and their insecurities neutralized.
It would be best to establish trust and goodwill before presenting ideas to your superiors. Providing your manager with supportive comments and being appreciative can help immensely. In addition, it would be best to engage your supervisor in private instead of in public since employers feel less intimidated when approached in private.
Avoid Sending Mixed Messages
When presenting ideas, most people make the mistake of using contradictory messages. Consequently, you should ascertain whether the bosses you are pitching to have a mindset of promotion or prevention.
A promotion-minded manager will need to know if your idea provides enormous potential for a new and remarkable opportunity. A manager concerned with prevention will want to see how the proposal will assist the team in averting a problem or setback.
Predicting your manager’s focus can be tricky, but most employees have intuitions. For example, suppose your boss has attributes such as being strict about following rules, being cautious in planning and execution, and being keen on details while avoiding mistakes, the boss is prevention-minded.
On the other hand, if your boss likes trying new things or is future-oriented and pays less attention to detail while ignoring minor blunders, the boss is promotion-minded. Discerning your manager’s focus can help pitch and turn you into a better leader. Furthermore, consultants like Christian Espinosa can help you deliver better.
Make It Simple to Enact
Given the numerous problems and competing demands that managers must deal with, it is inconceivable to predict whether or not they would support a new initiative. Anticipating and outlining possible hurdles is therefore beneficial.
Your idea gets evaluated on three grounds. These are; the financial and human resources required for its implementation, its difficulty enrolling assistance from others, and its viability in devoting time, effort, and capital.
For a pitch to be successful, it must address these three points of interest.
Conclusion
Most institutions do not have a culture that encourages bottom-up innovation. As such, It’s not always management that’s to blame for wasted opportunities despite its advantages. As a change advocate, you need to understand the psychology of your bosses and reshape your ideas in a way that renders them more receptive.