Better Internal Proposals

A colleague of mine has a problem. We belong to the same association and he's been trying for quite some time, without success, to get support for one of his proposals.

His lack of results came to mind when a reader asked for ideas about making internal proposals more effective. As she noted in her message, it's necessary to make a business case for proposals, including costs and returns.

She's right, and I agree wholeheartedly. In fact I just finished a proposal to an organization I work with and had it accepted on that sort of basis.

But, I think all good proposals start where my colleague has trouble. They start with a clear and concise statement about the project: "This is what I recommend, this is the issue (problem or opportunity) it addresses, and these are the consequences (benefits) of doing what I recommend."

I frequently come across situations where ideas don't fly because the person making the proposal hasn't prepared that kind of analysis and statement. While the virtue of the ideas seems apparent to him or to her, it's not at all apparent to others. I've referred to it elsewhere as the 'Everybody knows' syndrome.

To do the analysis, and later write the statement, start with a description of the action that you want taken. In just a few words, write down the what you want to see happen, and how it changes the status quo. For example, I recently went to a meeting with a proposal that went like this: Change the duration of our event to four weeks from the current duration of six weeks, to reduce our costs during a slow period.

Next, name or list the people or functions involved. Who will take the action? Do you want just one person to act, or several, or many? And, if it involves a multi-stage action, set out the stages. For example, "I would like this committee to formulate a recommendation we can put to a vote at the annual meeting."

Follow that with a list of people and organizations affected by the action. Be thorough in this consideration; it's all to easy to forget the peripheral players. And very often peripheral players make a critical difference to our plans.

Now, is there a timeline or sequence of events that needs consideration before a decision can be made or implemented? Almost everything we do in large modern organizations is interconnected to other people and resources. And, what about contingencies? Does your proposal depend on something else happening?

Having thoroughly explored the proposal and its implications, we now turn to costs and benefits, the business case. What are the tangible and intangible costs? In the intangibles column, make at least a mental note of the emotional costs that key stakeholders will pay. The same is generally true of benefits, or the returns if we're talking about financial components. Remember the important role emotions often play in decisions.

In summary, then, take a strategic approach to internal proposals, an approach that identifies the issues, the players, and the consequences. This exercise allows you to be clear and concise because you have thought your way through the proposal carefully, and you know the key issues.

Robert F. Abbott writes and publishes Abbott's Communication Letter. Learn how you can use communication to help achieve your goals, by reading articles or subscribing to this ad-supported newsletter. An excellent resource for leaders and managers, at: http://www.communication-newsletter.com

---

Google News Updated : Wed, 23 Jul 2008 18:51:38 GMT Viagra helpful to women on antidepressants, study finds - Los Angeles Times Viagra helpful to women on antidepressants, study finds Los Angeles Times - 11 hours ago In a small study, 72% of those on SSRIs -- which can have debilitating sexual side effects -- reported improvement when taking the male impotence drug. Viagra offers help to some women Minneapolis Star Tribune Viagra May Boost Female Libido in Some Cases U.S. News & World Report Wall Street Journal - Chicago Sun-Times - WebMD - Reuters all 433 news articles Publ.Date : Wed, 23 Jul 2008 07:39:02 GMT Many conomists see McCain better for stocks: poll - Reuters New York Daily News Many conomists see McCain better for stocks: poll Reuters - 3 hours ago By Emily Kaiser WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The US stock market would fare better in the first year after a victory by Republican presidential candidate John McCain than by his Democratic rival Barack Obama, according to a majority of economists at US banks ... Video: Obama Campaign: McCain Flubs on Iraq Timeline AssociatedPress McCain: 'Obama would rather lose a war in order to win a political ... Wake Up America Wall Street Journal - FOXNews - Los Angeles Times all 301 news articles Publ.Date : Wed, 23 Jul 2008 15:37:23 GMT San Francisco Network Admin Gives Password To Mayor - CRN eFluxMedia San Francisco Network Admin Gives Password To Mayor CRN - 1 hour ago Disgruntled San Francisco system administrator Terry Childs has finally relented and turned over the password to the FiberWAN network he has been holding hostage. IT Career Advice: Passwords Make Bad Hostages eWeek SF Admin Gives Up Keys To Hijacked City Network Slashdot ZDNet - eFluxMedia - SFist - PC World all 101 news articles Publ.Date : Wed, 23 Jul 2008 17:16:36 GMT Estelle Getty was a true 'Golden Girl' - Los Angeles Times Telegraph.co.uk Estelle Getty was a true 'Golden Girl' Los Angeles Times - 1 hour ago Estelle Getty, who died Tuesday three days before her 85th brithday, may have won her only Emmy Award in the supporting race but she was really one of the leading lights of "The Golden Girls. Video: Estelle Getty of 'Golden Girls' Dies at 84 AssociatedPress The Golden Girls: Estelle Getty Dies at 84 BuddyTV Washington Post - E! Online - CollegeOTR - Reuters all 968 news articles Publ.Date : Wed, 23 Jul 2008 17:47:51 GMT Grocers stop selling jalapeno peppers after salmonella discovery - Los Angeles Times CTV.ca Grocers stop selling jalapeno peppers after salmonella discovery Los Angeles Times - 11 hours ago By Jerry Hirsch, Los Angeles Times Staff Writer Southern California grocery stores reversed themselves Tuesday and started pulling jalapeno peppers from their shelves. Salmonella Outbreak Exposes Food-Safety Flaws Wall Street Journal Found: Smoking Jalapeno Washington Post Food Consumer - WRAL.com - KTAR.com - San Francisco Chronicle all 1,315 news articles Publ.Date : Wed, 23 Jul 2008 07:00:46 GMT ESPN begins Sprint Cup telecasts with momentum - SportingNews.com Bleacher Report ESPN begins Sprint Cup telecasts with momentum SportingNews.com - 52 minutes ago By Michael Smith With ratings up for its Nationwide Series broadcasts and NASCAR shoulder programming, ABC/ESPN enters the Sprint Cup portion of its schedule feeling considerable momentum. Menard ready for return to famed Indianapolis Rotoworld.com Indianapolis Motor Speedway is Jeff Gordon's personal playground ... ESPN Howell Times and Transcript - Clutch and Chrome - WTHI - Clanton Advertiser all 151 news articles Publ.Date : Wed, 23 Jul 2008 17:59:22 GMT Report: Christian Bale Confronted Mother After She Insulted Wife - FOXNews ABC News Report: Christian Bale Confronted Mother After She Insulted Wife FOXNews - 4 hours ago AP July 21: British actor Christian Bale arrives for the European Premiere of 'The Dark Knight', in central London. July 21: British actor Christian Bale arrives for the European Premiere of 'The Dark Knight', in central London. Christian Bale's alleged blow-up came after mom bad-mouthed his wife New York Daily News Kin claim they were roughed up by Batman Boston Herald San Francisco Chronicle - New York Times - Los Angeles Times - The Associated Press all 2,153 news articles Publ.Date : Wed, 23 Jul 2008 14:42:07 GMT Make Money Online afdf

PARLOT::Ebooks, Scripts, Websites, and more...

Adsense websites

Negotiating Skills: Ask For More Than You Expect To Get

It creates some negotiating room, and you might just get... Read More

Can a Corporate Executive Really Use The Beautiful Mind; To guide decision making?

I would like to comment on the "A Beautiful Mind"... Read More

Managing the Sales Negotiation Process

How many times have you heard:"You've got to drop your... Read More

Where to FIND the BEST Employees --

Obviously, you might logically say, "that is good!" You would... Read More

Barter and Its Benefits

What is Barter? Barter involves 2 parties. Each party wants... Read More

Negotiating: Forcing vs Compromising

Forcing is a hard-nosed approach that makes heavy demands from... Read More

Barter: Its Not Just for Doctors Anymore

Time was, in the country, the local "doc" was as... Read More

So Whats Your Argument?

Arguments aren't always bad things. Sometimes They're used to convince... Read More

Determine Your Rate And Negotiate Carefully With Unreasonable Clients

Consultants who offer executive assistant or computer services on a... Read More

The Art of Haggling

Did you know that at one time in this country... Read More

Resolve Conflict In 6 Easy Steps - The BEDROL Method

The principles of Negotiation can work for you in any... Read More

How to Negotiate Effectively

You may be thinking, "Gary, I am a mom, housewife,... Read More

Negotiation: A Compromising Position

Negotiating is a hot topic these days for a good... Read More

How Barter Can Help Your Business Online or Offline

How Barter Can Help Your BusinessBarter trade is a powerful... Read More

Games are a Reflection of Behavior

You are standing on a small stage yelling, "What's the... Read More

Better Internal Proposals

A colleague of mine has a problem. We belong to... Read More

Guidelines for Ambassador Appointments

Ambassadors to other countries are a vital part of international... Read More

Business: Keys To Negotiating Well

Whether it's buying a car, asking for a pay rise,... Read More

A One Stop Financial Solution

Amy Wright, 34, was extatic when her realtor showed her... Read More

Dont Be Afraid Of Silence

In any conversation with two or more people, there is... Read More

Do You Want a Paycheck or a Passion? 10 Qualities Managers are Looking for in Hiring You

Based upon my research of over 300 managers in the... Read More

Managing Conflict, in Life & Work: Using Ancient and Modern Approaches

"Conflict" is a word that can have varying degrees of... Read More

While Youre Waiting

Not long ago, I made a partnership pitch, on behalf... Read More

Communicating Across Time Horizons

There was a time in my life when I sold... Read More

Writing an RFP (Request for Proposal)

A while back, a potential client provided me... Read More