Trump: How to Get Rich

Ideas Are Welcome, but Make Sure You Have the Right One

If you run a company, make yourself accessible to your employees. If they feel they can bring ideas to you, they will. If they feel they can’t, they won’t. You might miss out on a lot of good ideas, and pretty soon you might be missing a lot of employees.

I allow people to run their ideas by me. I don’t have a lot of time, so they have to be prepared and succinct. I’m sure that’s the protocol of any busy CEO. So if you’re going to be bold enough to present your idea, make it as clear as possible, and don’t take it casually. Think of it as a presentation that could cost you a lot of money if you were to lose the client. Your boss’s time is important, and you won’t win any points by wasting it.

Learn to recognize the fine line between being pushy and being intelligently assertive. It can be an issue of timing—pay attention to what’s happening around you and pace yourself according to that rhythm. I try to develop a tempo when I’m working. Someone who interrupts it is not going to receive a warm welcome.

Also, remember this: The boss has the big picture; you don’t. So if your idea doesn’t meet with hurrahs, it could very well be that a similar idea is already in development or that your idea is not in step with plans that have already been made. This shouldn’t discourage you, because your initiative will always be noticed. But recognize when not to press an issue, and don’t expect a lengthy explanation of why.

I like people who don’t give up, but merely being a pest is detrimental to everyone. Once again, fine-tune your discernment. Know when to ease up. Keep your antennae up for another idea and a more appropriate opportunity. Sometimes we hesitate with good reason.

There was one former employee who I liked a lot, but he reminded me of a jumping bean. He couldn’t keep still for more than three seconds at a time. Even riding in the car with him became an ordeal, because being in an enclosed space seemed to warm him up even more and then he’d really get going. I finally learned to avoid him as much as possible, and that’s too bad, because he was a great guy. But enough is enough. Too much will cause people to tune you out—or wish that you would move to another state. Last I heard, the jumping bean was living in Montana. I only hope they have enough space there to contain him, and every time I hear about UFO sightings in Montana, I have to laugh. I know who it is.

One last thing: If your boss says no to an idea, pay attention. Most likely, there’s a good reason. No one disregards a terrific idea. It just might not be the right terrific idea for the company you’re with. Maybe you’re meant to go off on your own as an entrepreneur. Let that be an indication to you. It could be the beginning of your career, rather than the end of it.