GET YOUR BOSS TO LISTEN!

One of my trainers was delivering a leadership
course only last Thursday when one of the
delegates asked her the following question:

"Roz, my line manager is not very receptive to
new ideas and new ways of working. He is very
negative towards anything I bring to the table
and basically rips it to shreds. Me and my fellow
managers want to make things better but he is just
so negative towards change. What can I do to change
this and make him listen?"

What a great question I thought!

Here are my thoughts on this:

Rule # 1 is that you can NEVER, EVER make anyone listen
to you.

Always remember that!

Instead, you've got to make it worth their while to
listen to you.

WHAT'S IN IT FOR THEM?

Chances are, that if you are not being listened to,
then you are not selling your ideas in the right way.

And whether we like it or not we all have to sell.

Whether it's cars, mobile phones or ideas to the boss,
we all sell something!

Next time, before approaching your line manager with
an idea, do some prep beforehand.

Think through the reasons why the boss will want to listen
to you. What problems will your idea solve for your
boss? Will it make them look good? Will it reduce his/her
frustration? Will it improve the productivity of the
team?

Think through the PLEASURE benefits and also think of
the PAIN that he/she will avoid by implementing your
idea.

Here's an example of an opening that you could use:

"James, you mentioned in last weeks team meeting that
you were unhappy with the level of output from the team
and that you were being put under pressure by the Directors
to improve it. I think I have a solution that will help you.
[explain what it is]. I have completed a lot of research into
this and we can improve productivity by an additional 17%
over the next two weeks and it will only cost us an additional
£350. I do anticipate one small problem [explain what that
small problem is!] but we can get around that by doing XYZ.
What do you think? Shall we run with it?"

With example above we have:

- Linked the idea with a current problem that the boss is facing

- Demonstrated that we have done our homework. i.e 17% increase
and cost £350

- Demonstrated that we have thought things through

- Demonstrated that we have anticipated problems in advance
and how to overcome them

Use this type of model next time you need to get your boss
listen!

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