Suggest New Ideas With a ‘pilot Program’ for Risk Reduction
It is always a little nerve-racking to promote a new idea, but in Harvard Business Review they suggest suggesting a “pilot program” to minimize the risk your boss might worry about.
Pilot programs are pretty common in the entertainment industry, but there is no reason why they can’t work with any project you are promoting, because this is essentially just a trial run. The Harvard Business Review explains:
It could be along the lines of, “Let’s not worry about this change in bulk – let’s try a pilot,” she says. “It reduces the perceived risk” of introducing something big and new. Pilots “give people the opportunity to test” an idea. “And they can also create mind-changing data.” If you don’t have the authority to allocate a budget for the pilot, you need to sell harder to those who do it. “Organizations have limited time, attention and money,” Ashford says. Do not lose sight of the fact that you are constantly “competing with other people’s ideas” and their stubbornness. “If you and your allies are really interested in something, you need to sell it”; piloting is often a cost effective way to do this.
This is a fairly simple idea, but it will help differentiate your presentation from another.
Guide to Getting Support for Your New Idea or Project | Harvard Business Review