Status quo is a powerful beast. No matter the organization, once people are in powerful roles they tend to want to change as little as possible out of fear of losing that power. Despite all of their rhetoric about progress and change, most bosses are hard to convince to try new things.

It’s human nature to hold tightly to the traditions learned early in our careers, regardless of their irrelevance. Many of you read books and attend events with the hope of helping the company you work for. However, when you bring up a new idea you want to try, it’s hard to make it happen.

Here’s a quick guide on how to convince your boss to try new things:

1. Perform well at your job. The best leverage you have with any boss is your work performance. They are far more likely to consider suggestions from the highest performing person on the team than the least performing. Before you launch into tirades about the grand revolutions you want them to lead, make sure you’re in good standing. Be patient. Match the size of your suggestion to the quality of your reputation.

2. Consider the problems your boss needs to solve. Don’t start with your problems or what things you want to try. Instead think about the world from your boss’s perspective. What are his goals? And what do all of your bosses need to do to succeed? What achievements are they striving for? What will get them promoted?

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