Four tips for success in persuading your boss

Four tips for success in persuading your boss

If your boss is obsessed with a thoughtless idea and you're not daring to say what you're saying, you can't be a valuable professional or a strong leader.

The MPW intranet is an online community that invites the most influential business women to answer their career and leadership questions in a timely manner. This week, our question is: What about disagreements with the boss? The following is the answer by Lize Wisman, president of Wiseman Group. First, we have to accept the fact that it is dangerous to disagree with the boss's opinion. It's like telling a baby that he can't get what he wants. Your boss may lose his temper, frown, or insist. Even if you win the argument, you are a loser. But if your boss is obsessed with a thoughtless idea and you don't say what you think, you can't be a valuable professional or a strong leader. So, what should I do? Do not directly oppose the superiors, but help them to consider other points of view-such as looking at the status quo from a new perspective, or achieving the boss's goals in different ways. As long as you don't negate the boss's point of view, you can let the boss put down the resistance, so as to be able to change their ideas in a more secure way. My mother, a good teacher and principal, once told me, "leave the children with a way out--so they can do the right thing." "The same applies to executives," he said. In the following ways, you can rationally and safely help your boss see other ideas: 1. "Yes, but ..."-Philippe Wilson worked as head of human resources at Steve Jobs ' next and Larry Ellison's Oracle (Oracle) company. When these fickle leaders want to slam the throttle, he often has to take responsibility for stepping on the brakes. But he does not say "no", but learns to answer: "Yes, we can, but the result is ..." This will allow the two sides to talk so that the CEO can carefully consider the shortcomings of his ideas and find a better solution. 2. Ask questions -do not raise objections directly, you may question some questions and help your boss to think carefully about the pros and cons of his ideas. Ask her about her fundamental goals. As long as you know exactly what she wants, you can discuss other ways to help her achieve her goals. 3. Take a step back and reorganize your opinion-by taking time to think carefully about the boss's ideas and to ease tensions between the two sides. As an executive coach, one of my duties is to help a senior Apple executive to "prepare for Steve", which is a tricky task to be ready to report to Steve Jobs! I shared with him the experience I learned from other successful leaders in Apple: Don't argue when you're at a standstill with Steve. Tell him you need time to think carefully about his ideas, and then come back with a new proposal. This attitude of listening and learning helps to make a new alternative. 4. Remember: The boss may be right. your disagreement with the boss does not mean that his idea must be wrong. When I was an executive at Oracle, Larry Ellison asked me to reduce my team size by 350 and rebuild a smaller team. This seems to be an arbitrary and demanding decision. So I took a step back and re-organized my comments (with the support of other executives) and then re-negotiated with him in the hope of reducing the number of layoffs. He agreed to my plan. At first, I was seen by other executives as heroes. But then I realized that Larry was right when I found out that the company's organizational structure was making a change. I wish I could have slowed down some objections and quickly understood his position. If you have to oppose your boss ' opinion, keep your mind and avoid arguing with your boss. Help your boss consider new data and draw new conclusions. He or she will soon be able to identify with the new idea as long as it is handled properly. Do not be a person who will only fight others with negative discouragement, but be a more valuable partner of thought. I'm sure no one will oppose it! (Fortune Chinese website) Translator: Liu Jinlong/Wang Hao

MPW Insider is one of the several online communities where the biggest names in business answer timely career and Leadersh IP questions. Today ' s answer for:how do you disagree with your boss? is written by Liz Wiseman, president of Wiseman Group. Let's face it; Disagreeing with your boss is dangerous. And, it's likely to go as well as telling a toddler so he can ' t have something he wants. Your boss would probably throw a adult tantrum, pout, or dig in her heels. Even when you win, you lose. But, you can ' t be a valuable professional or a strong leader yourself without speaking up when your boss was fixated on a h air-brained idea. So what does? Instead of disagreeing with higher ups, help them consider another point of view–perhaps a new-to-the-from looking at the sit Uation or a different path to get what they want. By does outright disagreeing with them, you keep them out of defense mode and provide a safe-to-change their minds. My mother (a brilliant teacher and school principal) once told me, "Always give kids a-to-out–a-to-them- Right thing. " The same is true for senior managers. Here is a few ways you can create intellectual safety and help people see another point of view: 1. "Yes, and ..." –phil Wilson is the head of the HR for both Steve Jobs at NEXT and Larry Ellison at Oracle–a role Where he is often the one hitting the brakes while one of the these mercurial leaders is hitting the gas. Rather than tell them ' no, ' he learned to respond with ' Yes, we can do ', and here is some of the consequences ... " It opened up a dialogue and allowed the CEO to think through the downsides of he own ideas and arrive at better solutions . 2. Ask questions–instead of dissenting, ask questions, help your boss think through both the upsides and do Wnsides of her ideas. Ask about her fundamental objectives. Once you is clear on how she really wants, you can talk through alternative ways to help her get what she needs.      3. Retreat and Regroup –diffuse the tension by taking time to think through the ideas more carefully. One of my assignments as an executive coach is to help a senior leader on Apple get "Steve ready," meaning prepared to PR Esent to Steve Jobs, which was often tricky! I shared a strategy I had learned from other successful leaders at Apple:when and Steve is at an impasse, don ' t Argu E. Indicate. Need time to think through he ideas and come back with a new plan. This demonstration of listening and learning opens up new alternatives.      4. Remember: The boss might is right–just because you don ' t agree with the boss's idea doesn ' t mean it ' s wrong. When I am an executive at Oracle, Larry Ellison asked me-to-reduce my team by-people and then-rebuild with a smaller Team. This seemed arbitrary and harsh. I retreated, regrouped (gaining, executives) and then renegotiated to reduce our workforce by far fewer People. He agreed to my plan. Initially, I was considered a hero by the other executives. But, later if I saw the organization struggle to change, I realized Larry had been right. I wished I had been slower to disagree and faster to learn from the He point of view. When you need the disagree with the your boss, be savvy and avoid a head-to-head competition. Help your boss consider new data and arrive at new conclusions. When you ' ve managed this well, the new point of view is quickly become his or her own. And, instead of being a Debbie downer, you become a thought partner–a far more valuable role. And who can disagree with that?

Ext.: http://www.fortunechina.com/career/c/2014-12/24/content_232155.htm

Four tips for success in persuading your boss