A busy professional asked me this question:

What to do if my ideas are always rejected

There are a couple of things to consider:

• Perhaps your presentation style is not benefiting you.
  • Stephen Covey’s Habit 5 (from 7 Habits of Highly Effective People) is to Seek First to Understand and then to be understood.
  • Take the time to fully understand to problem, as well as the stakeholders’ perspective on it
  • Take the time to fully understand and anticipate the stakeholder’s issues with your proposal
  • Take the time to fully understand the stakeholder’s terminology and focus
  • Present your idea using their issues, their concerns and their language/terms. Talk in their language
• What’s in it for them
  • Give people a reason to listen to you.
  • Show people that you truly care about them and their needs.
  • Give people a reason to trust you.
  • Present your ideas in terms of pros and cons that will connect with your audience.
• Try it out on someone first.
  • Pick someone that is constantly shutting down your ideas and that others would follow.
  • Collaborate with this person and get them on your side.
  • Present your proposal to that person, listen to their suggestions and arguments.
  • Find a solution or workaround to their comments
  • Use their feedback to make your proposal better and more acceptable to the stakeholders
  • Be open to collaboration
• Don’t push “YOUR IDEA” – instead make it seem like it’s “THEIR IDEA”
  • If your goal is to improve something, then it doesn’t really matter if it’s your idea or “their idea”. If you make it seem like it’s “their idea” – there is a higher probability that is will be adopted.
  • Offer to Lead – the project, once adopted.

Hope this helps a little.

I realize that you situation will be different.  If you need additional help, please email for a one-on-one consult at LauraRose@RoseCoaching.info

What to do if my ideas are always rejected