Telling your boss what you think - and why - can sometimes make or break your progress up the career ladder. So why do it?

"Providing insightful feedback and ideas to senior leadership allows up- and-coming managers to position themselves as thought leaders, increasing their value to the organization and opening the door to career advancement," says Sharon Daniels, CEO of AchieveGlobal (www.achieveglobal.com), an international training and consulting firm with a leadership development practice.

If you ask Stefanie Phillips, an account supervisor with RFB Communications Group, a Tampa, Fla.-based public relations agency, voicing her opinions to the boss is all about presentation. "I start by saying something positive about her idea, then switch gears to explain my viewpoint and make a case for it. I might say, 'that's one idea, but what if we tried this, and here's why.'"

Certainly, standing up to those who can control your corporate future is tricky. But the payoff is undeniable.

"In such a fast-paced business environment with so much at stake, top leaders depend on collaborative relationships and candid discussions about what will help the business succeed and grow," says Daniels. "The best managers understand the value they can bring to the organization and look for appropriate ways to articulate their ideas."

Phillips recalls a time when she convinced her boss to bring junior account executives to client meetings. "She believed that employees at this level lacked the business savvy to contribute productively to meetings, giving clients - who pay for our time - the impression of poor budget management."

Acting on her belief that junior executives develop faster when charged with significant responsibility early on, Phillips used her diplomatic approach to explain her idea to her boss, and offered to prep one of her direct reports before a meeting. As she and the president sat with bated breath, the account executive surprised them both with her professionalism and contributions to the conversation.

The outcome: the junior staff person became a more effective account manager, and the client saw that the agency offered considerable bench strength.

Daniels offers the following tips to help up-and-coming leaders voice dissenting opinions:

  -- Know your role, and get your house in order.  It's critical to show
     respect for those ranked both above and below you. In turn, earn
     respect by acknowledging your mistakes, following through, giving
     others credit and supporting your employees.

  -- Get results. Establish credibility by achieving results through your
     own performance. Build commitment within your work group, win the
     confidence of your team and coach them to produce. "The credible
     supervisor typically finds it easier to convince others of the value of
     new ideas," says Daniels.

  -- Manage up.  All leaders must learn how to communicate productively to
     senior management. Learn your boss's style and how he or she likes to
     be approached. You'll get a more willing audience for your opinions if
     you present them appropriately.

  -- Provide your rationale.  Think the issue through and make your case
     thoroughly, particularly if your approach breaks new ground.  Be
     prepared to defend your rationale, but remain flexible about other
     suggestions.  "We tell our junior staff not to come forward with a
     problem unless they also bring ideas on how to solve it," says
     Phillips.

  -- Follow the chain of command.  In a multi-layered organization, present
     the idea to your immediate supervisor first for her/his input. Then you
     can go together to discuss the idea with your boss - an approach more
     likely to result in a productive discussion.

  -- Keep your eye on the goal.  Remember that your objective is to improve
     organizational performance, not just to get your own ideas accepted.
     Adopting a collaborative approach will position you as an emerging
     leader.

When aspiring managers establish credibility, earn respect and choose appropriate times and ways to communicate, it's far more likely that expressing opinions will boost - not bust - their careers, Daniels says.

Source: AchieveGlobal

Web site: http://www.achieveglobal.com/