Harvard Business Review Guides Ultimate Boxed Set (16 Books)

Chapter 17

What Next?

Whether you’re popping a bottle of bubbly, walking despondently back to your desk, or pulling your hair out because you have to create and present a case all over again, remember that you’ve done your job—you’ve helped the company make a wise decision.

But the work is not over. If you got a yes, it’s time to begin implementing your project. And even if the decision makers said no, there are steps you can and should take.

If You Heard “No, the Project Isn’t a Priority.”

First off, don’t despair if your project isn’t approved. Although it may feel like failure to hear “no,” keep in mind that you’ve contributed to the success of the company by helping it identify that the project wasn’t a worthwhile investment. The real purpose ...