Tweet

Getting a Reluctant Boss to Agree

Guest post by: Robert Whipple

Article Overview: We have all been in situations where we want to propose something, but we know the boss is not going to be inclined to go along with it. This article outlines a method of helping you get a warmer response to a proposal.

Getting a Reluctant Boss to Agree

When trying to get a reluctant boss to agree with something you are proposing, it is often better to ask questions than to advocate a specific course of action. This is called the Socratic Method, and it is very powerful if used correctly. It can also be a trap if used poorly. Let's picture a situation where you are trying to convince your reluctant boss to approve a new computer system for the office.

The straightforward approach is to: explain the benefits of the system, advocate why this will be helpful to the organization, and ask for permission to purchase it. However, based on your knowledge of the boss in previous encounters, you suspect that he is going to turn you down flat regardless of the promised benefits. In this case, advocating a course of action and arguing your case will likely produce a negative response. Furthermore, once the boss has said no, subsequent attempts to change his mind will only be an annoyance. You are likely to hear "What part of NO didn't you understand?"

Using the Socratic Method means asking the boss questions about his satisfaction with how things currently are. You now stand a better chance of getting a reaction you can then build, with additional questions, into a stream of thought. Continuing to ask leading questions rather than advocating a position allows the boss to discover some of his own thought patterns that can be consistent with what you would have advocated in the first place.

Perhaps your final question in the series might sound like this. "I wonder how, we might be able to get the benefits you're suggesting"? After a few seconds of thought, The boss might reply, "Well, you could look into a new computer system - one that is not too expensive." You might then reply, "That's a great idea! I will see what options are available"? Note that you are now in a position to praise the intelligent boss for suggesting something you wanted to do all along. You get what you want, and the boss is your hero rather than a tightwad.

Now the boss has mentally committed to the new equipment because the idea was generated by his brain rather than yours. When you come back the next day with a specific proposal, you're far more likely to have the boss agree to the expenditure than if you had simply advocated the benefits of doing it yourself.

There is a huge caveat to applying the Socratic Method. It is because the technique is fundamentally manipulative in nature. Use the technique sparingly and with skill to avoid annoying your superior. If the boss is not responding well to the questions you are asking, then back off and try a different approach.

Related Articles
  Managers Build Trust And Respect By Letting Go
  Fear of The "Boss" - The Biggest Obstacle To Career Progression
  Sue Your Boss
  Overcome Call Reluctance - Get Your Salespeople to Prospect
  Bad Bosses
  Be Your Own Boss! ~FOR SERIOUS ENTREPRENEURS...SECRETS TO WEALTH
  iPad Gives Everyone Reason to Love You
  Manage Up As Well As Down
  Cold Calling Winning Attitude
  Socratic Struggles
  Open Mind, Close Mouth
  Can the Bully Become a Leader?
  Work From Home Online Versus Having A Second Job
  Be the new kind of Boss!!
  Sales Reluctance In Any Part of Selling
  How To Start Your Own Bookkeeping Business
  Better Business-Writing Results: Plan More, Write Less
  WHAT KIND OF BOSS ARE YOU?
  Getting Lucky, with Your Boss or with a Lady of the Evening: Speaking of Communication
  Use Assertiveness Skills Training To Respond Better When Confronted With Aggressive People

Article Tags: We have all been in situations where we want to propose something



Related Forum Posts
Re: Search Engine choices and SEO - Agree with Asefati! Though I focus on getting top in Google but as a marketer one must work for all top search engines.
Re: How do you monitor what people say about you in the web? - Agree, set up Google Alerts, but if you set up multiple alerts be sure to set them up as unique alerts, not one alert which includes multiple keywords. I also use Hootsuite where you can save custom searches for Twitter mentions.
Re: Why Rebrand Your Business? - Agree, agree. haven't been happy with AlertPay for some time, problems such as credit cards, more than 1 lost deposit Assumed an ownership change but I find it a big change to change the name. It will now have to compete with other startup payment gateways. To do so means they will retain a name link to AlertPay, so why rebrand?
Re: Service Or Product? - Thanks GT, been there and done that as is said in an overused cliche just as hauling around 18/8 stainless steel pots and panes, Kirby vacuums, Tupperware, Bibles, etc. Notice my load got lighter Now I just to Service online, information, ebooks, articles etc. Works for me Agree with Michelle, however any niche remains a niche unless you can break it out of the niche and make a market for it
Re: Blogger Vs Wordpress? - I use Wordpress and Blogger. Agree Blogger is much more limiting, but both free blog platforms are great for building a network of blogs as feeder sites. They also serve the purpose of being hosted externally and on different IPs which is also good for SEO. .Blog is another good free platform, also based on WP.


Share this article with your friends. Fund someone's dream.

Leave a comment below or share on the left and you'll help support entrepreneurs in Africa through our partnership with Kiva. Over $50,000 raised and counting - Please keep sharing! Learn more.

Newsletter

Get advice & tips from famous business
owners, new articles by entrepreneur
experts, my latest website updates, &
special sneak peaks at what's to come!

Name:
Email:

Popular Articles

Clues to Increase Sales -- Listen to the Buyer

3 Pointers to Recruiting and Retaining Good Staff

Self Employed Business Ideas

Suggestions

Email us your ideas on how to make our
website more valuable! Thank you Sharon
from Toronto Salsa Lessons / Classes for
your suggestions to make the newsletter
look like the website and profile younger
entrepreneurs like Jennifer Lopez.