[RBM+E] “I” - What people are saying about your proposal behind the scenes.

In this post (partially free), I'll reveal the hidden dynamics of how your proposals are discussed when you're not in the room—and how to use these conversations to your advantage. After years of navigating corporate politics, I've developed strategies to transform behind-the-scenes chatter into proposal success.

The reality is that all proposals generate discussion. When you hear these conversations, it's actually a positive sign of engagement. But silence? That's where the danger lies, and it typically falls into two categories:

• Your proposal lacks credibility

• People actively dislike your idea and are organizing against it

I'll share today my complete framework for managing proposal perception across five critical areas:

• Leveraging informal conversations

• Reviving stalled discussions

• 🔐 Neutralizing hidden opposition

• 🔐 Creating effective proposal PR

• 🔐 Addressing the talent shortage objection

What's been your experience with these kinds of discussions? How have you managed them effectively? Drop a comment below—I'd love to hear your thoughts.

Let's start with what I've learned about informal discussions.

The Power of Informal Conversations

I've noticed something fascinating over the years: your proposal starts living a life of its own the moment you share it. It becomes the topic of conversation in hallway chats, quick Slack messages, and those five minutes before meetings officially start. And here's the truth – these casual conversations often matter more than the formal meeting where your proposal is supposedly evaluated.

Think about it – have you ever walked into a meeting feeling the decision was already made? That's because it probably was, through dozens of informal exchanges you weren't part of.

Photo by Adi Goldstein on Unsplash

I remember watching a brilliant technical proposal crash and burn despite ticking all the right boxes. The creator made a classic mistake: they focused exclusively on the formal process and completely ignored the informal influence network. Meanwhile, I've seen fairly basic ideas sail through approval because their champions spent weeks having coffee chats with key players, addressing concerns before they became objections.

What I've learned is that by the time your proposal hits the conference table, most people have already formed their opinions through these casual interactions. The smart play? Don't wait for the big meeting to make your case.

Instead, think about who the real influencers are in your organization. They're not always who you'd expect – sometimes it's the long-time executive assistant who has everyone's ear, or the quiet engineer whose technical opinion carries special weight. Have you mapped out who these people are in your context?

I've found success by intentionally planting seeds in these informal spaces – grabbing coffee with a key stakeholder, sending a thoughtful message addressing a potential concern, or chatting briefly after another meeting. These moments create allies who will speak up for you when you're not in the room.

The beauty of this approach is that it not only improves your proposal through early feedback but creates a sense of shared ownership. People who feel they've contributed to shaping an idea are naturally more invested in seeing it succeed. Have you experienced this effect in your own work?

What informal conversations could you be leveraging right now to build momentum for your next big idea?

Reviving Stalled Discussions

I can't tell you how many times I've seen this happen—you put your heart into crafting what feels like the perfect proposal, only to watch it fall into what we can name the "organizational black hole." No clear rejection, no green light, just deafening silence. It's proposal condemnation, and honestly, I find it way more frustrating than someone just telling me "no."

Through years of navigating these situations, I've noticed stalled discussions usually come down to one of three things: your timing conflicts with other priorities (which nobody bothers to tell you about), there are concerns people don't feel comfortable expressing directly, or it's simply organizational inertia at work.

Photo by Nick Hillier on Unsplash

When your proposal hits this wall of silence, you need tactical approaches to breathe life back into it. I've developed several strategies that consistently work.

First, consider strategic reframing. I once worked with a client whose cost-saving initiative had been ignored for months. Rather than pushing harder with the same pitch, we repositioned it as a solution to the leadership team's current priority. Suddenly, the identical proposal became urgent and necessary.

The "pilot approach" is another powerful tool. By scaling your big idea into a low-risk test, you create a path of least resistance. It's much harder for stakeholders to reject a small experiment than a major initiative, and it gets your foot in the door to prove your concept.

I've also found that bringing fresh voices into the conversation can reignite interest. Identify a respected colleague who hasn't weighed in yet and personally invite their perspective. Their involvement often creates a ripple effect, pulling back people who had mentally checked out.

Don't underestimate the power of direct questions: "What specifically would need to change for this to move forward?" or "Are there concerns we haven't addressed yet?" These questions cut through ambiguity and give you something concrete to work with.

Finally, recognize that timing truly matters. The proposal that's ignored today might be exactly what everyone needs tomorrow when circumstances shift. The art is knowing when to push forward and when to strategically wait for the right moment.

What's been your experience with stalled proposals? Have you found effective ways to revive them when they seem to have lost momentum?