Most managers are always looking for good ideas. They also often have experience, know more, and are in a good position to evaluate the merits of an idea. When they reject your idea, chances are, your idea may not have been as good as you thought, or maybe you didn’t do a good job pitching it.

　　大多数管理者都希望下属提出有趣的点子。他们本人通常也是经验丰富，知识丰富，以及总能很好地鉴别点子的可行度。当他们否定了你的点子的时候，有可能是因为你的点子并没有你想象得那么好，或者你没有做好推荐它的工作。

　　Another reality is that most ideas are never implemented.

　　还有一个真实情况是，大多数的点子都不会被真正实施起来。

　　What can you do to ensure your ideas are heard? Managers are as different as people are different, so there’s no one way that will work for all. Knowing your manager’s style will help, so you can adapt your approach. For example, using a social styles model, a “Driver” will want you to get to the point and present the facts. With an “Amiable”, you’ll have a better chance if you’ve built a good relationship first. Analytics need to see the data, and expressives can be swayed with pizazz.

　　那么你该怎么做才能保证点子得到关注?管理者的区别如同人与人的区别，所以没有万能的方法。但是了解管理者的行事风格会大有好处，这样你就可以调整自己的计划。例如，利用社交风格模型来说，一个“驱使者”就会希望你直击重点、展示证据。而跟“和蔼可亲”的人共事，如果你首先建立良好的人际关系，就会有更大的机会。分析者们需要看到数据，而表达者就可能被活力所动摇。

　　For most managers, consider the following tips:

　　对于大多数管理者来说，您不妨考虑以下的小提示：

　　1. Develop an inspiring vision of your idea.

　　1. 构建鼓舞人心的愿景。

　　Describe it in a way that brings out your enthusiasm, your passion, and commitment.

　　以一种能够表现个人热情、激情和忠诚的方法来展示你的观点。

　　Most people have a hard time not listening to someone that’s genuinely fired up about something.

　　大多数人没有听取别人可能真正点燃某件事情的观点，因此吃了不少苦头。

　　And if you’re not excited about it, how can you expect someone else to be interested?

　　那么如果你并不为之激动，你怎么能期待他人感兴趣呢?

　　2. Do your homework.

　　2. 做好功课。

　　Take the time to think it over, list the pros and cons, and come up with a plan. Check to see if it’s been thought out or tried before, and what were the results. In other words, don’t waste your manager’s time thinking out loud – do your thinking on your own time, then present a well-developed idea.

　　花时间好好考虑，列出优点与缺点，然后制定相应的计划。检查看看是否已经有人提出过或者尝试过了，以及之前的结果如何。换而言之，不要浪费管理者的时间自言自语，而是花自己的时间去考虑，然后展示一个考虑周全的点子。

　　3. Test your idea with a few trusted co-workers.

　　3. 与几位信任的同事测试点子的可行度。

　　See if it makes sense to them, ask them to be critical, and provide feedback. Listen, check for their understanding to see how well you’re explaining it. While you shouldn’t let resistance squash your enthusiasm, be prepared to accept that if five people tell you it’s ugly, it just might be ugly.

　　检验这个点子是否被同事们赞同，请他们以批判的观点去评价，然后给予反馈。懂得倾听，了解他们的理解程度如何，从而得知自己的表达程度如何。虽然你不该让负面的评论摧毁你的热情，但是也要做好心理准备，如果有5个人都给你差评，那么这个点子就真的可能很糟糕。

　　4. Benefits.

　　4. 收益好处。

　　Here are some ideas are more likely to get your manager’s attention:

　　以下这些点子可能会更吸引管理者的注意：

　　- A way to reduce expenses

　　——减少费用的方法

　　- A way to increase revenue

　　——提高收益的方法

　　- A way to get more done with less people (improve efficiency)

　　——更少人完成更多事情的方法(提高效率的方法)

　　- A solution to a problem your manager has been trying to solve

　　——一个解决管理者目前尝试解决的问题的方法

　　- An idea that will help your department achieve one or more of its goals

　　——有助部门达成一个或多个目标的点子

　　- An idea that will help one of your co-workers be more successful (rarely do we come up with these kind of ideas, that is, being an advocate for your peers, and not just yourself or your manager)

　　——助力某位同事的点子(我们很少能够想到这样的点子，因为这意味着充当同事的拥护者，而不仅仅是你自己或管理者的拥护者)

　　5. Avoid these kinds of ideas:

　　5. 避免以下这些点子：

　　Here are a few ideas that are more likely to lose your manager’s interest in the first three minutes:

　　以下这些点子，可能一开始就失去了管理者的兴趣：

　　- Something obviously self-promoting, or blatant empire building

　　——明显的自我推广或公然建立个人王国的言论

　　- A way to make your job easier, but at other people’s expense

　　——对自己工作有利、却造成他人损失的想法

　　- Something that has a great potential to embarrass your manager (and you)

　　——很有可能使得管理者(还有你本人)难堪的想法

　　- Something that’s going to cost a lot of money in a tight economy

　　——在拮据的经济状况中还会造成大量经济损失的举措

　　- An idea built on the assumption that 2+2=5

　　——以2+2=5臆想为基础的想法

　　- Fluff

　　——毫无价值的想法

　　6. Respond appropriately.

　　6. 得体地给予答复。

　　When you present your idea, answer your manager’s questions patiently and with respect.

　　在你展示点子的时候，要有耐心以及保持尊重的态度回答管理者的问题。

　　If you don’t know the answer, admit it, and commit to getting the answer.

　　如果你不知道如何回答，那么要保证去找到答案。

　　7. Be flexible.

　　7. 保持灵活性。

　　If your manager starts making suggestions, then you’re there! That means he/she is starting to buy in, and taking some shared ownership. Don’t be rigid about the details – give a little, if anything just to get buy-in, and who knows, your manager’s suggestions just might improve your chances for success.

　　如果你的管理者开始提出个人建议，那么你的机会就到了!那就意味着他/她开始被你说服，并想以此分享自己对这个点子的想法。不要拘泥于细节，展示一点点，如果你所说的内容有任何一点说服了管理者，并且也没有人知道，你的管理者的建议刚好提高了点子的成功率呢。

　　8. Be willing to let go of the notion that the idea is “yours.”

　　8. 懂得舍弃“点子是你的”的想法。

　　The best ideas are the ones where multiple stakeholders have had a hand in shaping, and you’ve been able to build a broad base of ownership and support. Insisting that you get “credit” for “your” idea will be seen as immature and selfish. Don’t worry; enough people will become aware of your involvement, especially if you keep coming up with good ideas.

　　最佳的点子都是经过多个利益相关人对其加以塑造而成的，你也具备了建立广阔的所有权和支持基础的能力。如果你坚持自己获得“你的”点子的“荣誉”，你只会让人觉得不成熟和自私。但请不要担心，有许多人都知道你的付出，特别在当你成为“点子王”的时候。

　　Don’t expect your name and picture to be inscribed on the idea.

　　千万别期待你的名字和照片会被记录在点子上。

　　9. Decide on who else should be involved.

　　9. 选择其他参与者。

　　Determine who the stakeholders are: who will be impacted the most, whose support do you need, and who else could contribute to refining the idea. Agree on who should talk to whom and by when.

　　决定利益共同者有哪些人：谁会最受影响，你最需要谁的支持，以及谁会提出完善点子的建议。确认谁应该与何人、在何时前进行交谈。

　　10. If needed, follow-up with a more detailed, formal business case.

　　10. 如有需要，后续提出一个更详细，更正式的商业案例。

　　Stay on it. Ideas are a dime a dozen, but execution is what separates the great from the average. This is not a “drop and run.” That is, drop your proposal or business case on your manager’s desk and sit back and wait. Step up and take personal responsibility for making sure the idea gets implemented. That’s a good way to get yourself heard the next time.

　　继续为这个点子下功夫。点子多得很，但是实施行动就是把最好的点子区别于平庸点子的筛子。这并不是一个“丢了就跑”的游戏，而是，丢出你的策划书或商业案例在管理者的桌面，然后坐在后面等待。向前迈出一步，负起个人责任以确保点子得到实施。那是一个能够让你在下次展示点子得到关注的好方法。