The Best Handful of Tips 89 – Promoting Your Good  Idea:

Recommending a change is not easy. The idea must be worthwhile and have economic advantages. The timing of your promotion can be critical.  The time must be right for making changes.

          Workers who are comfortable with their working conditions and who have done well under the old regime often resent and oppose changes. But if they recognise the need for change they are more likely to support it.

Here are some tips to improve your chances of success when trying to introduce a new idea.

Five of the best tips to help you promote your next good idea

1. Prepare your case well and seek support early

Do your homework! Test the water. Discuss your idea with selected friends and colleagues.          Consider all the pros and cons of the changes you are recommending. Try to predict problems in advance and prepare your response.

          Prepare a draft outline plan.

2. Keep your idea simple

Write down your recommendation in one sentence. What are you trying to achieve?

          Focus on no more than three points in your proposed message. Edit it heavily and remove clutter from your draft.

3. Seek support from influential people

Discuss the subject with people who will be involved. Explain your concept.

          Before presenting your ideas formally seek allies from people of influence.

4. Make a strong presentation

Use good clear, simple visual aids. They can save you much talking. (Keep your colour combinations strong.) But before you start your presentation make sure all the audience can see your message.  Detail figures are best given as a handout.

5. Emphasise the benefits

Be enthusiastic with your presentation.

Explain why the change is needed.

Emphasise the benefits and tell the stakeholders and the workers how they will be better off.

          Give them the opportunity to ask questions and give their opinions of the change.

          Changes are seldom smooth. Powerful forces are at work to avoid changes. Nothing is permanent except change.

          Aim to make all changes improve the organisation, the products, the services, the staff morale and the profits – nobody said it’s easy.

– Geoffrey Moss

Source: For change management details see our book “Managing for Tomorrow” also published by the Singapore Institute of Management and published in India, Korea and in Indonesia. For details visit mossassociates.co.nz

“Nothing ventured, nothing gained!