How to Pitch / Sell your Idea to your Manager

How to Pitch / Sell your Idea to your Manager

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You have a good idea...

Say you've thought of a brilliant idea which could benefit your organization. You would be absolutely delighted if others liked your idea, and chose to implement it. To accomplish that, you first need to speak with your manager or superior to get their attention and receive inputs on your idea. But many of us get a little anxious or hesitant at the thought of that...

Pitching to your boss

So how does one effectively pitch an idea to a superior? The key to this firstly lies in having the self-confidence to make the pitch, and secondly in knowing how to frame the pitch such that you get the best-possible response from your manager/superior. For achieving the latter, it's important to understand the psychology behind your manager's potential resistance to your idea.

Tips and ideas on effectively pitching your ideas up the organizational hierarchy

PITCH TO THE RELEVANT SUPERIOR
Check beforehand if the person you are pitching to has the authority to act on it; this would ensure that your idea can be executed. Alternatively, you could take the help of a superior in pitching the idea to the correct person in the organization.
BUILD TRUST AND CREDIBILITY WITH YOUR MANAGER / SUPERIOR
- Some managers may feel threatened by subordinates who reach out with ideas (one which they couldn't think of themselves). Hence it is important to convey the good intentions behind your actions. This is especially true when you are expecting negative feedback.
- Your manager is more likely to accept your ideas if they have a sense of trust or goodwill towards you. This can be built over time by showing genuine appreciation for the continued help and support provided by your manager.
- For discussing your idea, try approaching your manager in private rather than talking about it in public (with other people present). Studies show that managers felt 30% less threatened by a suggestion given in private than in public.
START IN A SIMPLE AND STRUCTURED WAY
- Start your pitch simple and short. You might ask for 5-minutes initially. If so, stick to the agreed timeframe. You can add more details later on. This allows your manager to gradually grasp the idea, instead of outright rejecting it in an impulsive way.
- Lay out the background/context while pitching the idea. This helps to bring out the thought process behind the idea.
DEMONSTRATE ALIGNMENT TO COMPANY'S MISSION, GOALS, AND VALUES
- Show how your ideas align with the organization's vision and purpose/goals. This may help garner more positive responses.
- Demonstrate how your ideas align with the organizational values (such as equality, transparency, fairness, etc.)
ESTABLISH AND ADDRESS THE PROS AND CONS
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Pitch / Sell your Idea to your Manager
- While presenting your idea, highlight the costs (time, money, and people) and potential benefits of executing the idea. Before approving of an idea, your manager would like to know if the idea is actually worth pursuing (refer to Cost Benefit Analysis).
- An idea or suggestion comprises of two integral components – the problem which it attempts to solve ('threat'), and the benefits which it could bring ('opportunity). Studies have shown that while pitching an idea you should only highlight one of them.
- Think of possible challenges and risks you might face during the execution of your idea. It will be worthwhile to highlight them during your pitch along with possible solutions and mitigations.
CUSTOMIZE THE PITCH TO YOUR AUDIENCE
Tailor your suggestions to your superior's personality. Is he/she prevention or promotion-focused? A prevention-focused manager 'plays to not lose' (avoids risks or losses) - so then focus on the 'threat' during your pitch. A promotion-focused manager 'plays to win' (always looking out for new opportunities and the expected rewards) - so then focus on the 'opportunity' during your pitch.
AMPLIFY YOUR CO-WORKERS' VOICE
Before speaking with your manager, seek the opinions of your colleagues about your idea. Studies show that a pitch will be more impactful if it amplifies the opinions of multiple employees rather than just yours.
ACTIVELY SEEK INVOLVEMENT AND CONSTRUCTIVE FEEDBACK
- When a person feels that they have contributed towards an idea by giving feedback, they are more likely to accept it. During your pitch, actively seek and receive feedback from your superior as the may have expertise to improve the idea. This way, they may also perceive it as their own, are more likely to accept it, and help push it up the chain of command.
- After you have presented your idea, cross check if there are any gaps in understanding of the idea between you and your superior.

With the above principles in mind, don't be afraid of approaching your manager with an idea, the next time. Remember to keep your initial pitch simple, think of the execution approach and challenges beforehand, keep adding details as you go, and actively seek their expertise and feedback on your idea.

⇒ What other tips and tricks exist to pitch your idea up the organizational chain of command?

Sources:
Westfall, C (2019) "Pitch Your Ideas To Your Boss Using These 7 Proven Strategies For Success", Forbes
Burris, E. (2022) "How to Sell Your Ideas up the Chain of Command", Harvard Business Review