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Follow that with a list of people and organizations affected by
action. Be thorough in this consideration; it's all to easy to forget
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
proposal and its implications, we now turn to costs and benefits,
business case. What are
tangible and intangible costs? In
intangibles column, make at least a mental note of
emotional costs that key stakeholders will pay. The same is generally true of benefits, or
returns if we're talking about financial components. Remember
important role emotions often play in decisions.
In summary, then, take a strategic approach to internal proposals, an approach that identifies
issues,
players, and
consequences. This exercise allows you to be clear and concise because you have thought your way through
proposal carefully, and you know
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

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