How to Sell Your Ideas up the Chain of Command

You have a great idea--a product tweak that will save your company money, a process change to increase your team's productivity, or a plan for heading off a looming crisis. There's just one snag: You're not sure how to approach your boss about it, or worse, you've tried and failed to get the attention of higher-ups. According to the author's research, two factors are key to a successful pitch: having the confidence to make your suggestion and knowing how to frame it to get the best reception from your boss. The key, the author says, is to understand the psychology of higher-ups--to get inside their heads. Doing so can help you recognize what tips the scales in your favor--and identify the (rare) instances when it's best to try to go around or above them. Here's how.