What to Ask When Your Ideas at Work Get Shot Down - The Muse

What to Ask When Your Ideas at Work Get Shot Down - The MuseWhat to Ask When Your Ideas at Work Get Shot Down I wish I could tell you that your manager will always love your ideas. But unfortunately, as you probably already know, thats not the case. And whenever she shoots something down, youll want to deliver a monologue along the lines of, Youre missing the brilliance behind my thinking and should be taken to a hospital. Or, you might let yourself believe that youre a failure and that you should just quit now. Or you might even lash out and holler about how they never listen to you. As cathartic as those reactions might feel, none of them are actually productive. To help you move on and learn from every rejection, make these phrases a regular part of your vocabulary.1. What Would Make You Say Yes to This Idea?Your idea is toast when your manager shuts it down, right? Well, it doesnt have to be. Your original thinking mightve been off the mark, but that doesnt mean there isnt anythi ng worth salvaging from it. And chances are, your anfhrer would agree with with that.So instead of accepting defeat, ask questions like What would make you say yes? and Is there any part of the idea that did resonate? Those answers will help you understand what worked and what didnt. Then, use that feedback to come up with something else thats more impactful and even more difficult for your boss to shake her head at.2. Thanks for Your Feedback, Would it Make Sense for Me to Bring it Up Again in a Few Weeks/Months?Its worth saying this again, so I will Youre smart, you bring a lot to the table, and you have a lot of good ideas. But nobody on the face of the planet has ever had 100% of their ideas implemented. At the same time, it doesnt necessarily mean that theyre bad. Ive lost count of the number of times my manager has said to me, This is interesting, but we have bigger fish to fry. Lets revisit this in the future.But why not now, right? After all, you havent presented something r idiculous. Why cant your manager move things around to accommodate you? Re-read those questions and think about how they sound. Would you respond in kind to someone who made this much of a push?Instead, simply thank your manager for the feedback and ask if theres a specific time period during which she feels you could explore it further. Youll be able to gauge from her response whether shes genuinely into the idea or just avoiding shutting you down altogether.3. What Should I Focus on Instead?You could very easily shut down after you, well, get shut down. It might even feel like you dont have anything else worth working on, especially now that your idea is off the table. But its also important to remember that you mucksmuschenstill have plenty of other things to do at work. And even though your manager said no thanks, Im willing to bet that she has bigger priorities on her plate that she could use your help with. So, instead of pouting, find out what you can be working on instead. T his response will show her that youre truly a team player, even when youve been shut down. And if and when there is a fit for one of your brilliant ideas, your boss will remember just how helpful you are and make sure you get the resources needed to accomplish it.So far, weve talked about what to do when your idea gets shot down. And thats a great start. But are you still feeling like you should keep your big mouth shut? Does it seem easier to keep your thoughts to yourself, especially if your boss always says no to your ideas? I hope you dont buy into that idea.Raising your hand (either literally or metaphorically) takes guts. And every time you do it, it gets a little easier and a little less scary. So dont stop speaking up. Instead, push yourself to turn every single rejection into a lesson. Eventually, youll get so good at pitching your ideas that theyll be (almost) impossible to turn down.