When Your Ideas are Rejected at Work

In this Career Exploits series on selling your ideas at work, I have tried my best to show you how to sell your ideas at work effectively. However, if your ideas get eventually rejected by your boss or company board, it’s either that the time hasn’t come, it’s a bad idea or that your boss is too blind to see how brilliant your idea is.  My focus in this post is to show you what to do when your ideas get rejected at work.

First, it’s important to keep it somewhere at the back of your mind that your idea may get rejected or accepted; depending on the judgment of the authorities you are selling it to. This understanding gives you a shock absorber in the event that your ideas are turned down. So, keep an open mind about your ideas.

Now, concerning your rejected idea, please know it’s possible that your idea is good but the time for it hasn’t come. You will notice this in the fact that there is no funding for the idea or there are immovable limitations like company or government policies that won’t allow for the execution of the idea. In this case, a good response is to file your idea and wait for when it’s time will come or when you can or another company can execute it.

Similarly, there is a possibility that your idea was rejected for lack of merit. I mean the fact that the idea looks good in your sight or sound good in your head doesn’t mean it will really fly. You may have thought it a brilliant idea because you have limited knowledge about the situation.

In this case, you should tweak it until it glitters and can stand the test of the scrutiny by your senior colleagues, your boss or even the board of the company. Even if you don’t get a chance to sell it to them again, you should still tweak it based on their critique and suggestion you have gotten so that you may sell it to another person or even use it in your capacity.

It’s equally possible that your ideas were rejected because your boss or board can’t see good when it comes either because it’s coming from someone whom they consider junior or for some selfish reasons. If that’s the case, you don’t have a reason to worry.

Rejoice in the fact that you have aired your view and the experiences you have gnarred in the process of your presentation and the critique. Again, don’t discard your ideas because one day, you will find people who are more open to ideas irrespective of where it coming and are not blind to brilliant ideas.

Meanwhile, another thing I think you would bear in mind is that the reason for their blindness may be because they don’t like you, don’t want you to get accolades when your ideas start producing results. If you ever find out that that’s the reason your idea was turned down, and the people who are involved, the temptation is to get angry and start hating them; but I implore you not to fall for it. Just take pity on them!

Pity on them? Yes! Let me tell you why.

It’s only a pathetically blind and almost brainless boss that will reject a brilliant idea simply because they don’t like the source of the idea. I mean good ideas can come from anywhere; irrespective of gender, level or origin.  Show he or she as much pity you can, he needs every bit of it; and if you can pray, don’t hesitate to pray for sense for him.

Now, if you feel anger towards this fellow, I understand that you may have valid reason. But before you act on your anger, I’d like to share a word or two for you about anger.

One of the reasons why you may be feeling bad and anger towards your boss or board for rejecting your ideas could be that you know how much you can increase and rise in your organization if your idea was allowed to see the light of the day.

Believe me, I feel you! But the truth of life is that no human, organization or even country with all their might can stop you when God has chosen to elevate you. None!

I don’t know what you believe, but I believe in God the father of our Lord Jesus Christ. That helps me understand that no human being, no matter how powerful, determines my rise or downfall. God is the judge of all mankind; by His mighty power, He brings down person to lift up another.

I believe that promotion does not come from the board or from my supervisor; it comes from the Lord most might. All the company executives are at best instrument for my elevation when He decides to lift me.  It’s from God that my promotion is coming from. It’s in his hands that my elevation lies; not any boss or board. So, no hard feelings towards them!

Those who try to stand on the way God wants to do in my life or the life of anyone who believes in Him suffer one thing – the wrath of God. King Pharaoh with all his military might couldn’t stop the Israelites on their way out of Egypt. That gives credence to the scriptures that says nobody says a thing and it comes to pass unless it is approved by God.

Ahh, this is turning to the sermon; so I stop here. But I am sure you got my point.

So, please don’t hate your boss or anyone who you perceive may have worked against the acceptance or materialization of your ideas. If you are of faith in God and believe in Him as One who holds your success, you should know that when He decides to elevate you, nobody can stop you. Those who try to stop His work in the lives of people perish in the process.

My point?

If your idea was rejected for lack of merit, go and tweak it. If the time or resources for its execution is not available, file it while waiting for the appropriate time for its execution and if it was rejected because someone doesn’t like you or want to deny you the accolade that could come from it, don’t get angry; you can sell it to more sensible people or use it in your own place. God rewards your labour of love for your company in due season!