As vice-president of research experience at Google and the co-founder of some of its most popular products, Rajan Patel knows something or two about Pitch ideas.
Patel was one of the creators of Google Lens, a tool launched in 2017 which has become a popular way for people to find answers to what they look at by taking a photo of it. It now has 25 billion research requests each month and has just undergone its latest update called “AI” in Google Labs, allowing users to obtain AI answers with links to their photos.
Patel also directed the development of other major tools, including Google podcasts and Google influenza trends. Now he heads the engineering teams in Google Search, including Discover, image Search, the objective and semi-automatic entry.
But before these products could see the light of day, there was the task of presenting them. And although not everyone presents technological products, obtaining ideas for management is a task that many of us have to do at a given time in our career, if not regularly.
In an interview with Business Insider, Patel shared five things that employees should do when managing management.
1. Understand the problems around you
Patel said that those who push the needle on what is possible within Google Search has “a deep link with problem solving”. In order to understand what problems around us need have solved, you have to be connected to what’s going on around you, he said.
“You must be able to absorb information from the whole situation, not just your business, but what is happening in the industry,” said Bi Patel, adding that you should “deeply understand” the types of problems that your product field and your team are trying to solve.
Patel said it was important to always learn, listen and understand. These observations should then be incorporated into the ideas you develop.
The possibility of searching using your natural voice while using your phone, for example, is a feature that many people would find useful.
2. Know your manager’s priorities
Once you are exploited in what people and the industries surround you are careful, it is worth thinking about the problems that align with your manager, said Patel. When you give them an idea, Patel said you should make sure that your idea tackles one of their priorities.
“Understand what problems your manager seeks to solve. What matters most to them,” said Patel.
This means to know if your manager focuses on growth, cost reduction, innovation or something else. Patel also suggested using the language that your manager uses when presenting the idea.
3. Do your research
Patel said you wanted your idea to be an easy “yes”.
To do this, you will want to show your manager that you have thought about the cost and the practices of what it would take to move forward. This may include investment in resources, priority of other projects or something else. The main thing is that you want your manager to know that you have thought about the idea, said VP Google.
“Convince them that compromises are worth it,” said Patel.
You must also present your idea with data that supports your idea, he added, as from a “little test you have executed”. The data must be new information that your manager was not already aware of.
4. Get the comments of others
Patel suggested obtaining comments from people to whom the people of your manager trust before presenting an idea. Patel said that a manager’s first instinct may be to ask you to get comments from others, so having already done so can help provide credibility.
Patel added that one of the advantages of creating a product within the company in which you work is to be able to take advantage of the network around you, said Patel.
“One of the interesting things to go to work at Google is that there are so many brilliant people here who do incredible things,” said Patel. “It turns out that I have colleagues who have won Nobel Prize winners.”
Taking all learning that comes from your idea of your idea of your network and the application of comments can make your pitch stronger.
5. Chase your passions
Many entrepreneurs who are passionate about an idea start to start their own business, but Patel said he was interested in developing products within Google. In his case, he said it was logical to stay within the technology giant to carry out his vision.
Patel said that he did not recommend the same path for everyone, but he suggests working in an area that fascinates you.
“You will really do a great job if you work in an area that you are passionate about,” said Patel, adding that “you are only going if you are really devoted and if you like it.”
Patel, which has received a doctorate in biostatistics and neuroimaging before working at Google, said that the advice also applies to what you decide to study at university or higher education. He said that if you are working on something that you are passionate about, you will be “very likely to succeed”.
businessinsider