5 Ways to Communicate Your Ideas

In large companies, great ideas can fall by the wayside, especially when there are several other priorities taking up a lot of time and effort. If you want your proposal heard, it's not always wise to resort to aggressive tactics. Instead, make sure you are prepared, and be firm. Here are some suggestions, as told in the Harvard Business Review.

Figure out what your colleagues care about.
Read their blogs, follow them on Twitter, keep up with them on LinkedIn. Find out what makes them tick, and shape your ideas to the receiver's perpective.

Have a perspective.
Come to meetings reaady and with a point of view. If you have not formed a perspective, sometimes it helps to know what questions you want to ask.

Choose Your Medium.
If these are people who value numbers, use an Excel spreadsheet. If they appreciate good graphics, use it to your advantage.

Answer the question of "why not."
When we can understand the risks, flaws and options more fully, we go from being just an advocate of one idea to being an advocate for the organization. Complex issues are worth thinking about robustly.

Be passionate.
Be clear about why you think you have a good idea. But don't insist you're right. Persuade others by sharing your enthusiasm.