When you go to pitch the idea, make sure the conditions are ideal. One-on-one is probably best as people often respond quite differently when in a group. Understand when your boss is usually the most responsive and accepting—first thing Monday morning? Late on Friday afternoon? Over a coffee?

Then take time before a meeting to consider the person you are approaching and what is going to be your best strategy. Some people want to cut straight to the chase, with others the small talk may save your behind, and there could be something on their mind or in their life outside of work that could affect their openness. Be sure there is no superfluous clouding of judgement that could be avoided by waiting a day or two. Figuring out when the conditions are ideal is both respectful to your boss and may improve your chances of being properly heard.

Frame it

As one of the grinders in the firm, you might have a brilliant idea to create a smoother process for something that’s in your day-to-day. But if it’s something that is no longer part of your boss’ world, will they find it important enough for a shakeup?

Use a classic public relations trick and frame the problem—and solution—in a way that will matter to the top dogs. Connect the dots between your process change and their big picture priorities. Will it save time, budget, or attract a bigger or more lucrative client type? If you can make it matter to the firm’s overarching strategic vision, you’ll have an easier time of getting decision makers on your side.

“It’s only an experiment”

Try not to rush in asking for a lifetime commitment to a major system change. No matter how well thought out it is, there could be something you have missed or it might just not work in some way you were unable to foresee. Before the change becomes permanent, treat it, plan it, and present it as a trial, therefore minimizing the sense of risk surrounding it.

Suggest the new process be trialled for a week, a month, one day a week, or whatever unit of time seems appropriate to evaluate if it is likely to be successful. Perhaps it’s the kind of thing that could be trialled in one small area of the firm. If it’s an even remotely complex system, pick the simplest version of it to trial for a start.

You are not powerless

Being in charge of decision-making is not the only way to bring important changes to the way things operate. You can still play a vital role in ensuring your firm is not left behind as the industry moves forward.

To be heard, you’ll benefit from having an understanding of what biases you might be dealing with, and a good plan for incremental adoption of change. Most importantly—put some thought into how these changes are a force for good, in that they relate to the priorities for those at the top—strategy, vision, and the bottom line.

If you’d like to learn how millennials are changing the face of the accounting industry, what this means for your firm, and how you can capitalize on it, download Accounting for the generational shift for free.