You can have a major influence on people, even if you don’t have direct authority. Decision-makers can often use your proposals and rely on your experience, but you have to make small investments into learning how to best sell your ideas to them, claims Marshall Goldsmith, a worldwide expert on management and leadership, in his recent article on the LinkedIn network. He recommends the following steps.
1. Accept reality: Many decisions are not made by the right person or by the smartest person
They are made by people who are in the position that gives them enough power. Once you manage to make peace with this uncomfortable truth, you can become more effective at influencing people's decisions in a favorable direction.
2. You must sell your ideas and proposals
It is necessary to understand that the people you present your proposals to are not obliged to buy it. In order to support them in making the right decision, you have to form their views on the topic. Influencers always need to be skillful teachers. A large portion of people working in corporations blame their superiors for not accepting their ideas, but it is their responsibility to sell the ideas first.
3. Focus on crucial topics
Executives have only a limited amount of time, so do analysis and identify the most important issues beforehand. You can lose small battles, non-business arguments about sports and politics, but strive to win on the big points.
4. Prepare a persuasive cost-benefit analysis
You will be much more credible when you present them with some estimates of costs, and not only the anticipated benefits. Do not whine about the past, focus on the future.
5. Help, don’t judge
Even decision-makers are only human. They must be competent, but even the best of them make mistakes. Focus on how to help them, rather than judge them.
6. Stay respectful
Before you say something, ask yourself how your comment will: 1) help your company, 2) its customers, 3) the person you are about to talk to and 4) what the consequences will be for the person or persons you are going to talk about. Treat people with courtesy.
-jk-