HBR Guides to Building Your Strategic Skills Collection (3 Books)

CHAPTER 3

You’ve Pitched Your Initiative—What’s Next?

by Raymond Sheen with Amy Gallo

After you’ve presented the business case for your initiative, you may be 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.

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

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 ...