Dear Paul, Couldn't help noticing what appears to be a deafening 8-month silence on your second question ... which I take to mean: (1) Yes, other people have this problem (2) No, none of us entirely know what to do about it ! If it's of any help, I've suffered the same indignity for much of my career. The small amount of wisdom I can offer is: -- Every boss is different, and the "pitch" to help convince them has to be tailored. -- Practice cutting out jargon and keeping it simple. Imagining you are explaining your conclusions to a fourteen-year-old, can help. (So can a good Presentation Skills course.) -- Some actually like to "see your working"; if you can explain to them with the minimum of technicalities how you got your figures, they are more inclined to trust them. -- If you are clearly convinced of your figures, they are more likely to be; I found some merit in Assertiveness and Negotiation training. -- Finally, you will usually outlast any boss who consistently ignores good estimation !!
"Do you see a man who is skilled in his work? He will stand before kings; he will not stand before obscure men." (Book of Proverbs)
Dear Paul, Couldn't help noticing what appears to be a deafening 8-month silence on your second question ... which I take to mean: (1) Yes, other people have this problem (2) No, none of us entirely know what to do about it ! If it's of any help, I've suffered the same indignity for much of my career. The small amount of wisdom I can offer is: -- Every boss is different, and the "pitch" to help convince them has to be tailored. -- Practice cutting out jargon and keeping it simple. Imagining you are explaining your conclusions to a fourteen-year-old, can help. (So can a good Presentation Skills course.) -- Some actually like to "see your working"; if you can explain to them with the minimum of technicalities how you got your figures, they are more inclined to trust them. -- If you are clearly convinced of your figures, they are more likely to be; I found some merit in Assertiveness and Negotiation training. -- Finally, you will usually outlast any boss who consistently ignores good estimation !!
"Do you see a man who is skilled in his work? He will stand before kings; he will not stand before obscure men." (Book of Proverbs)
