Most managers are always looking for good ideas. They also often have experience, know more, and are in a good position to evaluate the merits of an idea. When they reject your idea, chances are, your idea may not have been as good as you thought, or maybe you didn’t do a good job pitching it.
大多數(shù)管理者都希望下屬提出有趣的點(diǎn)子。他們本人通常也是經(jīng)驗(yàn)豐富,知識(shí)豐富,以及總能很好地鑒別點(diǎn)子的可行度。當(dāng)他們否定了你的點(diǎn)子的時(shí)候,有可能是因?yàn)槟愕狞c(diǎn)子并沒有你想象得那么好,或者你沒有做好推薦它的工作。
Another reality is that most ideas are never implemented.
還有一個(gè)真實(shí)情況是,大多數(shù)的點(diǎn)子都不會(huì)被真正實(shí)施起來。
What can you do to ensure your ideas are heard? Managers are as different as people are different, so there’s no one way that will work for all. Knowing your manager’s style will help, so you can adapt your approach. For example, using a social styles model, a “Driver” will want you to get to the point and present the facts. With an “Amiable”, you’ll have a better chance if you’ve built a good relationship first. Analytics need to see the data, and expressives can be swayed with pizazz.
那么你該怎么做才能保證點(diǎn)子得到關(guān)注?管理者的區(qū)別如同人與人的區(qū)別,所以沒有萬能的方法。但是了解管理者的行事風(fēng)格會(huì)大有好處,這樣你就可以調(diào)整自己的計(jì)劃。例如,利用社交風(fēng)格模型來說,一個(gè)“驅(qū)使者”就會(huì)希望你直擊重點(diǎn)、展示證據(jù)。而跟“和藹可親”的人共事,如果你首先建立良好的人際關(guān)系,就會(huì)有更大的機(jī)會(huì)。分析者們需要看到數(shù)據(jù),而表達(dá)者就可能被活力所動(dòng)搖。
For most managers, consider the following tips:
對(duì)于大多數(shù)管理者來說,您不妨考慮以下的小提示:
1. Develop an inspiring vision of your idea.
1. 構(gòu)建鼓舞人心的愿景。
Describe it in a way that brings out your enthusiasm, your passion, and commitment.
以一種能夠表現(xiàn)個(gè)人熱情、激情和忠誠的方法來展示你的觀點(diǎn)。
Most people have a hard time not listening to someone that’s genuinely fired up about something.
大多數(shù)人沒有聽取別人可能真正點(diǎn)燃某件事情的觀點(diǎn),因此吃了不少苦頭。
And if you’re not excited about it, how can you expect someone else to be interested?
那么如果你并不為之激動(dòng),你怎么能期待他人感興趣呢?
2. Do your homework.
2. 做好功課。
Take the time to think it over, list the pros and cons, and come up with a plan. Check to see if it’s been thought out or tried before, and what were the results. In other words, don’t waste your manager’s time thinking out loud – do your thinking on your own time, then present a well-developed idea.
花時(shí)間好好考慮,列出優(yōu)點(diǎn)與缺點(diǎn),然后制定相應(yīng)的計(jì)劃。檢查看看是否已經(jīng)有人提出過或者嘗試過了,以及之前的結(jié)果如何。換而言之,不要浪費(fèi)管理者的時(shí)間自言自語,而是花自己的時(shí)間去考慮,然后展示一個(gè)考慮周全的點(diǎn)子。
3. Test your idea with a few trusted co-workers.
3. 與幾位信任的同事測試點(diǎn)子的可行度。
See if it makes sense to them, ask them to be critical, and provide feedback. Listen, check for their understanding to see how well you’re explaining it. While you shouldn’t let resistance squash your enthusiasm, be prepared to accept that if five people tell you it’s ugly, it just might be ugly.
檢驗(yàn)這個(gè)點(diǎn)子是否被同事們贊同,請(qǐng)他們以批判的觀點(diǎn)去評(píng)價(jià),然后給予反饋。懂得傾聽,了解他們的理解程度如何,從而得知自己的表達(dá)程度如何。雖然你不該讓負(fù)面的評(píng)論摧毀你的熱情,但是也要做好心理準(zhǔn)備,如果有5個(gè)人都給你差評(píng),那么這個(gè)點(diǎn)子就真的可能很糟糕。
4. Benefits.
4. 收益好處。
Here are some ideas are more likely to get your manager’s attention:
以下這些點(diǎn)子可能會(huì)更吸引管理者的注意:
- A way to reduce expenses
——減少費(fèi)用的方法
- A way to increase revenue
——提高收益的方法
- A way to get more done with less people (improve efficiency)
——更少人完成更多事情的方法(提高效率的方法)
- A solution to a problem your manager has been trying to solve
——一個(gè)解決管理者目前嘗試解決的問題的方法
- An idea that will help your department achieve one or more of its goals
?
——有助部門達(dá)成一個(gè)或多個(gè)目標(biāo)的點(diǎn)子
- An idea that will help one of your co-workers be more successful (rarely do we come up with these kind of ideas, that is, being an advocate for your peers, and not just yourself or your manager)
——助力某位同事的點(diǎn)子(我們很少能夠想到這樣的點(diǎn)子,因?yàn)檫@意味著充當(dāng)同事的擁護(hù)者,而不僅僅是你自己或管理者的擁護(hù)者)
5. Avoid these kinds of ideas:
5. 避免以下這些點(diǎn)子:
Here are a few ideas that are more likely to lose your manager’s interest in the first three minutes:
以下這些點(diǎn)子,可能一開始就失去了管理者的興趣:
- Something obviously self-promoting, or blatant empire building
——明顯的自我推廣或公然建立個(gè)人王國的言論
- A way to make your job easier, but at other people’s expense
——對(duì)自己工作有利、卻造成他人損失的想法
- Something that has a great potential to embarrass your manager (and you)
——很有可能使得管理者(還有你本人)難堪的想法
- Something that’s going to cost a lot of money in a tight economy
——在拮據(jù)的經(jīng)濟(jì)狀況中還會(huì)造成大量經(jīng)濟(jì)損失的舉措
- An idea built on the assumption that 2+2=5
——以2+2=5臆想為基礎(chǔ)的想法
- Fluff
——毫無價(jià)值的想法
6. Respond appropriately.
6. 得體地給予答復(fù)。
When you present your idea, answer your manager’s questions patiently and with respect.
在你展示點(diǎn)子的時(shí)候,要有耐心以及保持尊重的態(tài)度回答管理者的問題。
If you don’t know the answer, admit it, and commit to getting the answer.
如果你不知道如何回答,那么要保證去找到答案。
7. Be flexible.
7. 保持靈活性。
If your manager starts making suggestions, then you’re there! That means he/she is starting to buy in, and taking some shared ownership. Don’t be rigid about the details – give a little, if anything just to get buy-in, and who knows, your manager’s suggestions just might improve your chances for success.
如果你的管理者開始提出個(gè)人建議,那么你的機(jī)會(huì)就到了!那就意味著他/她開始被你說服,并想以此分享自己對(duì)這個(gè)點(diǎn)子的想法。不要拘泥于細(xì)節(jié),展示一點(diǎn)點(diǎn),如果你所說的內(nèi)容有任何一點(diǎn)說服了管理者,并且也沒有人知道,你的管理者的建議剛好提高了點(diǎn)子的成功率呢。
8. Be willing to let go of the notion that the idea is “yours.”
8. 懂得舍棄“點(diǎn)子是你的”的想法。
The best ideas are the ones where multiple stakeholders have had a hand in shaping, and you’ve been able to build a broad base of ownership and support. Insisting that you get “credit” for “your” idea will be seen as immature and selfish. Don’t worry; enough people will become aware of your involvement, especially if you keep coming up with good ideas.
最佳的點(diǎn)子都是經(jīng)過多個(gè)利益相關(guān)人對(duì)其加以塑造而成的,你也具備了建立廣闊的所有權(quán)和支持基礎(chǔ)的能力。如果你堅(jiān)持自己獲得“你的”點(diǎn)子的“榮譽(yù)”,你只會(huì)讓人覺得不成熟和自私。但請(qǐng)不要擔(dān)心,有許多人都知道你的付出,特別在當(dāng)你成為“點(diǎn)子王”的時(shí)候。
Don’t expect your name and picture to be inscribed on the idea.
千萬別期待你的名字和照片會(huì)被記錄在點(diǎn)子上。
9. Decide on who else should be involved.
9. 選擇其他參與者。
Determine who the stakeholders are: who will be impacted the most, whose support do you need, and who else could contribute to refining the idea. Agree on who should talk to whom and by when.
決定利益共同者有哪些人:誰會(huì)最受影響,你最需要誰的支持,以及誰會(huì)提出完善點(diǎn)子的建議。確認(rèn)誰應(yīng)該與何人、在何時(shí)前進(jìn)行交談。
10. If needed, follow-up with a more detailed, formal business case.
10. 如有需要,后續(xù)提出一個(gè)更詳細(xì),更正式的商業(yè)案例。
Stay on it. Ideas are a dime a dozen, but execution is what separates the great from the average. This is not a “drop and run.” That is, drop your proposal or business case on your manager’s desk and sit back and wait. Step up and take personal responsibility for making sure the idea gets implemented. That’s a good way to get yourself heard the next time.
繼續(xù)為這個(gè)點(diǎn)子下功夫。點(diǎn)子多得很,但是實(shí)施行動(dòng)就是把最好的點(diǎn)子區(qū)別于平庸點(diǎn)子的篩子。這并不是一個(gè)“丟了就跑”的游戲,而是,丟出你的策劃書或商業(yè)案例在管理者的桌面,然后坐在后面等待。向前邁出一步,負(fù)起個(gè)人責(zé)任以確保點(diǎn)子得到實(shí)施。那是一個(gè)能夠讓你在下次展示點(diǎn)子得到關(guān)注的好方法。
聲明:本雙語文章的中文翻譯系滬江英語原創(chuàng)內(nèi)容,轉(zhuǎn)載請(qǐng)注明出處。中文翻譯僅代表譯者個(gè)人觀點(diǎn),僅供參考。如有不妥之處,歡迎指正。