My CEO Needs to Understand My Input

As a leader, it is important to have insight and the ability to understand what you and your team need to achieve in the long run. However, effectively communicating this insight to higher-ups without making them feel threatened can be challenging.

The key is to remember that they will need time to accept your innovative ideas. It’s essential to remain patient and realize that they need to recognize the value of your idea before giving it the green light.

For example, a client needed to persuade his CEO to attend an important board meeting. Rather than insisting on their attendance, I recommended that he approach the CEO and focus on the primary benefit of their presence: providing essential insight into the company’s pioneering efforts. By emphasizing the value of his attendance, the CEO quickly recognized its importance.

The lesson here is to highlight the biggest benefit of your idea to them first and ensure that it aligns with their desires. Only after obtaining their agreement should you present your solution.