BOSTON - Before preparing to ask your boss for a new project or assignment it pays to do extensive preparation and to think through what it would mean to not get the nod, says Harvard Business Review.

 

The Management Tip of the Day offers quick, practical management tips and ideas from Harvard Business Review and HBR.org. Any opinions expressed are not endorsed by Reuters.

 

"If you hope to take on new project, don't walk into your boss's office and just ask for it. Prepare for the conversation by doing the following:

 

1. Anticipate concerns. If you're doing well with your current assignments, your manager may be reluctant to change things. Or he may feel you're not the right person for the job. Try to predict these concerns beforehand so you can address them directly.

 

2. Make a plan. How will your current responsibilities be handled if you take on the new assignment? Don't promise you can do it all. Point out which of your tasks can be passed on.

 

3. Be patient. This may not be a one-conversation decision. Give your boss time to think about it." - Reuters

 

- This management tip was adapted from the "Harvard ManageMentor Online Module: Career Management."