11 Ways to Be More Persuasive When Presenting an Idea to Your Manager

When you have an idea (whether it's a simple tweak to an ongoing project or a major overhaul of an inefficient work process) and want to share it with your manager, Introducing her can be as simple as walking into her office or sending them a message on Slack and explaining the idea. However, if you want to make sure your pitch is successful, you may need to think about your overall strategy first.

As business leaders, the members of the Young Entrepreneur Council have listened to many arguments from their employees. In order to help you succeed, they recommend the following 11 tips for pitching an idea to your manager and why these tips will help you sound much more persuasive.

1. Focus on the big picture

When we pitch an idea, we want it to be about what the overall team mission gains rather than what only we can gain. For example, when asking to earn more, focus on doing good for the team rather than, say, inflation. Your personal needs should be part of the story, but not the only part! - Tyler Bray, TK Trailer Parts

2. Have a story to tell

A good tip for pitching is to have a story. It will make your idea interesting and memorable. Stories are powerful and they are how we learn things. Stories are the essence of books, movies and more. If you want to present something, try to find a story and then tell it. If you just list the pros and cons, you might miss an opportunity to make a point. - Kelly Richardson, Infobrandz

3. Be prepared

Come with the ability to explain what the idea is, why it is important, and how it improves the current procedure. A well-thought-out idea that you're willing to explain and defend will give you the best chance of succeeding in convincing your manager that it's a good idea. - Zane Stevens, Protea Financial

4. Explain how you will manage your responsibilities

Explain how you will help lead the project and how it will not interfere with your primary responsibilities. As an employee, you play a crucial role in your current position. Until hiring has ramped up, it may be hard to justify substituting some of your time away from your primary duties to work on other new projects. Instead, set aside time to make it a no-brainer. -Firas Kittaneh,