『如果想讓別人接受你的提議，一定要提前做好充分準備，做到胸有成竹，方能勝券在握。』

　　If You Think You're Prepared, Think Again

　　你真的準備好了嗎？

　　By John Kotter

　　April 19, 2011 | from Harvard Business Review

　　Because achieving buy-in  for new ideas is such an important challenge, I'm often asked to distill  it down to one recommendation. "What's the one best thing to increase the chances of getting buy-in for my proposal at this upcoming meeting?" people ask. That is a difficult question, but Lorne Whitehead, co-author on my new book, Buy-In, has a strong opinion: Don't try to wing it , even if you know all of the facts thoroughly, even if the idea seems bulletproof , and even if you expect a friendly audience. Preparation is key.

　　The problem is, people often misunderstand "preparation" to mean just knowing their own idea forwards and backwards. But that approach will only get you so far. Think of it this way: before a physics exam with one hundred problems, it is less useful to simply re-read your textbook than it is to practice actually solving problems. After all, that's what the exam is.

　　As silly as it sounds, most of us never actually practice achieving buy-in by considering counter-arguments  and planning responses. And this oversight can be fatal . We usually review our proposal and make sure we know the pros and cons  cold . We may even memorize the thought process that led us to the ultimate decision, so we can walk audience members through  the thinking, if necessary. By doing this, we believe we can think on our feet  and answer almost any question that comes our way .

　　But rehashing1 what we already know does not prepare us to avoid sounding defensive, or perhaps even disrespectful when fielding2 question after question on our proposal. And this kind of rehashing also does not prepare us to parry3 attacks of confusion, delay, ridicule, and —the three tactical categories dissenters4 use against us. So we find the discussion easily derailed5 and difficult to get back on track.

　　What helps? Practice—real practice. For your best chance at success, this means grabbing a colleague to role-play, attack the proposal, and practice real-life responses. Try testing your ability to defend your proposal with select4 people who can really listen and provide honest feedback.

　　At the very least6, sit down, and think carefully about the most common attacks you are likely to face. Perhaps make notes on a handful of relevant issues to guide your answers in the moment. As in a game of chess, think a few "moves" ahead, anticipating7 and preparing for what attackers might send your way.

　　Failure to do so—and allowing yourself to merely refocus on your own proposal and not on potential attacks and responses—is just plain complacency8. You need to go beyond this to consider the likely attacks you will face, and how you will handle them. Only then will you be truly prepared to give your idea the best chance at achieving buy-in. (581 words)