Selling Your Ideas to Management

by Paul Kostek

Many of us have had what we thought was a great idea, only to have it turned down by management. We've left meetings disappointed and annoyed that our managers "didn't get it." In a number of these cases, though, the problem isn't that management doesn't get it; rather, we don't always understand or don't communicate how our idea fits into a project plan or the company's strategic goals.

Did it fit the budget and schedule constraints of the project or totally ignore them? What was the risk associated with this idea against the budget and schedule? Did it expand the product area the company is already in or lead to entry into a new area?

Successfully selling any technical idea to management involves more than simply explaining the technology. It requires engineers to demonstrate how the idea will fit in a specific project's budget and schedule or to explain why it will expand a company's present product line. In addition to developing a technical case, therefore, engineers also need to develop a business case for the ideas. That business case must answer these questions:

• What project or projects will it help?
• Will we be able to expand our market?
• Will we get our product to market faster?
• Will it offer new capabilities?
• Will it be better than what the competition is offering?
• What is the cost impact?
• What kinds of additional financial and staff resources will it take to implement?
• What are the risks and the trade-offs?

For anyone in management these become bigger drivers than the technology. And in most cases, if even the best idea — the coolest solution — cannot be implemented within a given budget and schedule, management will not likely assume the risk.

Selling Your Idea — Developing the Proposal

When you can answer all of the business-related questions, you will need to develop a proposal that carefully lays out both the technical and business aspects of the idea. This proposal should include diagrams or schematics as well as design analyses, and might include performance improvements and such other benefits as power, weight and space savings.

Discuss the obvious and not-so-obvious risks. The most obvious will likely relate to implementing the new design or technology. And in addition to pointing out the risks, be sure you can address ways to overcome them. Finally, if your idea is for a new product in a new area, identify the competition, demonstrate why it would make sense for the company, and explain why your idea will succeed.

Be Prepared to Give a Short Presentation

Once you have developed a polished and professional proposal, create a presentation that highlights the critical points. Then schedule a short meeting with your manager to review the idea. Keep in mind that if you can't tell someone about the idea in less than a few minutes, you won't likely be able to sell it.

Your proposal and subsequent presentation shouldn't come out of the blue. You should have already discussed your idea with your manager and others and solicited their input on how to proceed. Even if they weren't receptive during initial talks, they will at least know what you want to talk about when you request the meeting.

The Ability to Sell is Critical for All Engineers

While selling may be unfamiliar territory for some engineers, the ability to sell your ideas is key to a successful career. Many engineers envision sales as being a skill only needed by self-employed engineers. Nothing could be further from the truth. Even engineers employed by companies need to be able to sell; if they can't, they'll spend their careers implementing other engineers' ideas instead of their own.

Persistence and Risk-Taking Are Key

Selling your idea is about persistence. And when you stop to think about it, persistence is what engineering is all about. Develop the artful skill of selling your ideas. At the same time, develop an ability to not give up. Learn to take some risks. Together, these characteristics are critical for engineering career success.

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Paul Kostek is a principal at Air Direct Solutions, a provider of systems engineering services. He has served as IEEE-USA President and as Region 6 PACE Coordinator.