Have you ever had an idea for progress but feel like it’s not being heard when you present it to your boss? It can be incredibly frustrating and disheartening, especially when the same ideas are proposed by another person and suddenly get the green light. In an article Influencing Upward: The Skill You Need to Get Ahead, it provides invaluable advice on how managers, business owners, and supervisors can better influence decision makers in their workplace.

It outlines three key strategies for achieving this goal and getting ideas across effectively. Firstly, encourage readers to create a positive relationship with their boss by gaining intel on any goals or challenges they may have. Secondly, readers ‘earn the right’ to discuss their idea with their boss; this involves coming armed with data and facts that support the proposed solution. Thirdly, every idea should be presented in terms of value delivery – showing how the proposed solution would benefit everyone involved in the project. Linking ideas back to core objectives encourages understanding from decision makers and makes them more likely to agree with suggestions.

The article also mentions the need to develop a sense of empathy in order to gain trust and build a better relationship with decision makers. Knowing how they think and understanding their individual preferences helps readers create an approach that resonates with them, which could prove essential in getting ideas accepted.

Having a good understanding of your immediate superiors’ needs helps create a level of trust between both parties which is crucial for getting ideas across effectively. Showing that you have done research into the problem and developed a feasible solution demonstrates that you’re capable of innovative thinking; this also shows ambition and respect for your employer which will further increase your chance of success. Being able to clearly explain how an idea can help achieve objectives is essential for conveying its merits – if there isn’t any evidence of tangible benefits from an idea then decision makers won’t take it seriously.

This article provides sound advice for anyone looking for ways to get ahead in business. By forming strong relationships with superiors, taking initiative through research and offering creative solutions underlined by value delivery – managers, business owners, and supervisors alike can learn how to better influence decision makers at work.

Find out more in the original article here: https://www.themuse.com/advice/influencing-upward-the-skill-you-need-to-get-ahead

This article summary was created by Eleanor Shakiba

Eleanor is a leadership trainer, success coach and people skills expert. She helps managers and business owners build thriving teams and organisations, using tools from Positive Psychology. She's trained more than 60,000 people during her career as a corporate trainer and professional development consultant. Her mission is inspiring talented people to become leaders who make a difference.