How To Change Your World

Let's say that you're responsible for developing new or revised compensation programs for your organization.  Perhaps an audit has generated worrisome results, or the latest employee engagement survey showed a large measure of discontent.   Perhaps turnover is rampant, or you’ve just sat through an uncomfortable meeting with a boss upset over a bloated payroll. 

Something has to be done to better utilize payroll dollars, because too much money is dripping out of your company like a leaking faucet - and the rest isn't giving you much bang for the buck.

The challenge, then?  You have to change your world.

Now there are program design considerations, costing models, impact studies, external and internal analyses, even focus groups perhaps, but at the end of the day you can’t simply snap your fingers.  Your ideas, your recommendations need to be approved.  How do you make that sale?

What Not To Do

When facing senior leadership with proposals the quickest way to the exit is to tell them what they don’t want to hear.  Sounds obvious, but basic judgment errors are commonplace when you’re so caught up with the answers that you forget to focus on your audience.

A few examples of how not to sell your ideas:

      Leading with "it’s the right thing to do" is rarely a good idea.  Using an emotional, feel-good rationale is seldom a strong argument and is easily sidelined by the bean counters or anyone playing the “this is a business” card.

     “Surveys tell us . . . “ can be another weak point, because the argument that everyone else is doing something hasn’t worked in a debate since you were a kid.

      Over analysis:  The more you rely on charts, graphs and regressed formula trend lines to make your point, the more vulnerable your proposal becomes as eyes start to glaze over.  

I’ve seen senior executives feel compelled to ask detailed questions about the support calculations, just to show they’re engaged and shouldn't be taken for granted.   Don't let your proposal  rise or fall on the comfort level of decision-makers struggling through the details vs. the concept.

Principles Of The Sell-Job

Here are a few suggestions to consider before walking into that critical proposal review meeting.

     Make a business case where your recommendations illustrate how the company will win. Management’s prime directive is to act in their own self-interest, so once you have them nodding their heads at their own good sense they’ll be more easily moved to support your plans. 

     Tell a story; start with a statement of the problem, then augment with a back story to explain how things got so bad.  Illustrate the impact of inaction, then close out with your recommendation  - highlighting impact, savings, reduced turnover, whatever the goal - that solves the problem.

     Do you know the ROI?  You had better have one, as that could be your strongest argument.  Pros and cons?  Are there potential glitches?  Rarely will you have simple, uncomplicated solutions that can’t fail.  So it would be better for you to address any troublesome possibilities early on, to soften the potential "gotcha's" that could trip you at the worst possible time.

     Always have a backup plan, just in case, as all-or-nothing strategies don't work well outside of the movies.  Better to get half a loaf today and plan for more later, than crash and burn today because of pride and stubbornness.

So don't fall on your sword over concept, and be prepared to compromise.  Proprietary ownership of ideas (I want it my way) should be secondary to achieving the business goal.  Though often pride does get in the way, sometimes derailing sound concepts for the wrong reasons.  It’s not about you.

The numbers rarely speak for themselves; in fact you’re at risk if you rely on statistics as your main argument.  Instead, paint a picture with text.  Then use statistics to support the point you're making.  Strategic thinkers balance technical skills with the art of persuasion, influencing others to undertake the desired action.  They don't throw out a bunch of numbers and say, "see?"

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Even when the task ahead is daunting, go ahead and take that first step.  It’s usually the hardest.  But if you’re prepared to achieve incremental gains vs. sweeping changes, if you keep your eye on the ultimate goal, you'll find the second step is easier, then the third and so forth.

"Rome wasn't built in a day" is a classic phrase, and for good reason.   Because it rings true.  So think steady progress when you try to change your world.  Just don't act like Don Quixote and run off chasing windmills.

 Chuck Csizmar CCP is founder and Principal of CMC Compensation Group, providing global compensation consulting services to a wide variety of industries and non-profit organizations.  He is also associated with several HR Consulting firms as a contributing consultant.  Chuck is a broad based subject matter expert with a specialty in international and expatriate compensation.  He lives in Central Florida (near The Mouse) and enjoys growing fruit and managing (?) a clowder of cats.

Creative Commons image,"Salesman," by Chris Fithall

Comments

[E. James (Jim) Brennan]

Stimulating post on a complex issue, Chuck! Well done.

It seems that becoming an effective change agent is as much art as science. Since insiders always huddle together for security to resist outsiders, any idea not originating with the key decision makers faces a tough battle. Acceptance of a proposal for change will be vastly improved if they agree that the hazard of inaction is undeniably overwhelming, time is of the essence and the change advantages are great. Even, better, if it appears to be THEIR idea which you merely facilitated.

[Jay]

I agree with Jim. The business case is the one and only way to support your reasoning. Three cheers for this piece of work. It is 'So Un-HR' that I love it to death.

[Kevin Schultz]

Chuck,
Thanks for a reminder of approaches that did not work...I had to chuckle about the ”right thing to do"...as if I was at Ben and Jerry's and trying to sell my ideas to a Sander's supporting member of the BOD...and yes, I did try that with a BOD once...but never a second time.