As VP of search experience at Google and the cofounder of some of its most popular products, Rajan Patel knows a thing or two about pitching ideas to the higher-ups.
Patel was one of the creators of Google Lens, a tool launched in 2017 that’s become a popular way for people to find answers to what they’re looking at by snapping a photo of it. It now has 25 billion search queries every month and just underwent its latest update called “AI Mode” in Google Labs, allowing users to get AI responses with links to their photo searches.
Patel also led the development of other major tools, including Google Podcasts and Google Flu Trends. Now, he leads the engineering teams in Google Search, including Discover, Image Search, Lens, and Autocomplete.
But before those products could see the light of day, there was the task of pitching them. And while not everyone is pitching tech products, getting ideas in front of management is a task many of us have to do at some point in our careers, if not regularly.
In an interview with Business Insider, Patel shared five things that employees should do when pitching management.
1. Understand the problems around you
Patel said those who push the needle on what’s possible within Google Search have a “deep connection to solving problems.” In order to figure out what problems the people around us need solved, you need to be plugged in to what’s going on around you, he said.
“You have to be able to absorb information from all around, not just your company, but from what’s going on in the industry,” Patel told BI, adding that you need to “deeply understand” the types of problems your product area and team are trying to solve.
Patel said it’s important to always be learning, listening, and understanding. Those observations should then be incorporated into the ideas you develop.
The ability to search using your natural voice while using your phone, for example, is a feature that lots of people would find helpful.
2. Know your manager’s priorities
Once you’re tapped into what the people and industries around you care about, it’s worth thinking about the problems that align with your manager, Patel said. When pitching an idea to them, Patel said you should make sure your idea addresses one of their priorities.
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“Understand what problems your manager is looking to solve. What matters most to them,” Patel said.
That means knowing whether your manager is focused on growth, cost reduction, innovation, or something else. Patel also suggested using the language that your manager uses when pitching the idea.
3. Do your research
Patel said you want your idea to be an easy “yes.”
To do so, you’ll want to show your manager that you’ve thought through the cost and practicalities of what it would take to move forward. That may include investing in resources, deprioritizing other projects, or something else. The bottom line is you want your manager to know you’ve thought through the idea, the Google VP said.
“Convince them that tradeoffs are worthwhile,” Patel said.
You should also present your idea with data that backs up your idea, he added, such as from a “small test you ran.” The data should be new information that your manager wasn’t already aware of.
4. Get feedback from others
Patel suggested getting feedback from people your manager trusts before presenting an idea. Patel said that a manager’s first instinct may be to ask you to get feedback from others, so having that done already can help provide credibility.
Patel added that one of the benefits of creating a product within the company you work at is being able to leverage the network around you, Patel said.
“One of the cool things about getting to work at Google is there’s so many brilliant people here doing incredible things,” Patel said. “It turns out I have colleagues that have won Nobel Prizes.”
Taking any learnings that come from soundboarding your idea off your network and applying the feedback can make your pitch stronger.
5. Chase your passions
Many entrepreneurs who are passionate about an idea go off to start their own business, but Patel said he was interested in developing products within Google. In his case, he said it made sense to stay within the tech giant to carry out his vision.
Patel said he doesn’t recommend the same path for everybody, but he does suggest working in an area that you feel passionate about.
“You will do really great work if you do work in an area that you’re super passionate about,” Patel said, adding that “you’re only going to put in the work if you’re really dedicated to it and if you love it.”
Patel, who received a Ph.D in biostatistics and neuroimaging prior to working at Google, said that advice also applies to what you decide to study in college or grad school. He said if you work on something you’re passionate about, you’ll be “very likely to succeed.”
