Management when it works is a reciprocal process. Bosses set direction, set objectives, and follow up to ensure that work is completed on time and on budget. Employees must ensure that they do what their boss asks them to do. But managers and employees work best when they both understand that good ideas can come from anywhere in the organization, and that those companies that capitalize on them are those that will succeed. Success depends upon those can not only think creatively, but have the skills to put their ideas into action.
Once upon a time, organizations functioned just fine when orders flowed down from on high. But as the global business environment has evolved, the need for decentralized rapid decision-making has become critical. We need creative men and women to step up and lead from the middle. So what do you do if your boss wants you to keep your place?
First and foremost, do your job: make certain that you do everything you are asked to do. (It is your job, after all.) Once you have established yourself as a credible performer, there are three things you can to do to present would idea to your boss. This goes in following way:
1. Align your initiative with corporate objectives. Whatever you propose for your company must complement its strategic direction. For example, if you work in human resources and there’s a head-count reduction in place, it may not be the ideal time to propose a new recruitment strategy. On the other hand, it may be the perfect time to do so, since your company will need to be prepared for the eventual upturn in business. Build the business case for your idea by showing how your idea does not conflict with current priorities, but in fact supports them by planning for the future.
2. Work through your boss. Once your business case is well along in development, you are ready to pitch it up through the organization. But do not go around your boss tempting as that might be in some cases go through him. Walk him through your plan and get his feedback. Incorporate his ideas if they are viable. Find ways to make sure your boss gets some credit for the idea, too. These steps will help you win his backing.
3. Build coalitions. Things get done in organizations because people pull together to get the work done. The same goes for driving initiatives. Enlist the support of peers to help you get your idea off the ground. Leverage your customers; these are the people who will benefit from your idea. (Going back to our recruitment example, the customers would be managers who will need fresh talent  the kind that your program is designed to attract.) Frame your idea around serving their needs more comprehensively.
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