It’s confession time. Have you ever felt the rules in bidding are designed to be both mandatory and impossible? Welcome to the world of Catch-22, where sometimes the only way to win is to play the game of “so wrong, it’s right”!
I can’t take full credit, as I invited some fantastic bid, pursuit and BD experts to share their confessions. Some may be a little ethically ambiguous, but all are tried, tested, and when used carefully, surprisingly effective.
Confessions:
“I may have “tweaked” the deadline a few times.”
Providing fake deadlines: Let’s be honest, dealing with missed deadlines is almost always a factor in bid management. By building in a little contingency with an alternative deadline here and there, you can be ready when key milestones are missed – ultimately keeping your bid plan on track.
“Oh, I thought you were on the distribution list.”
Forwarding to someone you “shouldn’t”: Navigating internal politics can be a minefield. When a key stakeholder is “accidentally” left out, sometimes it’s best to send them the draft anyway, feigning ignorance. It keeps the peace and ensures the right voices are heard, without getting caught in the crossfire.
“Did you know another team is…”
Leveraging competing teams to get yourself heard: Humans are naturally competitive, so if they think someone else is doing a better job than them, they can’t help but be intrigued. By suggesting another person or team is already implementing your idea, you’ll see their interest piqued.
“I once saw someone slip a celebrity headshot into a slide!”
Intentional ‘wildcards’ in a draft: A common way to test whether a document has actually been read is by placing a small, deliberate ‘error’. This reveals whether your key stakeholder is invested, giving you an opportunity to escalate, prepare for last-minute comments, or find another reviewer.
“I like your thinking; what if we develop this further…”
Let them think it’s their idea: Sometimes, the only way to get buy-in is to let others believe they came up with your idea. Rather than disagreeing, a gentle nudge or a well-placed pivot can do the trick. This natural redirection prevents egos from being bruised, and ensures teams are fully on board with your approach.
“I’m assuming you no longer need my help”
Lightly suggesting you won’t be helping anymore to elicit a reply: There’s nothing quite like the sound of silence. This is a go-to for dealing with a stakeholder who’s gone radio silent. It’s a polite, non-confrontational way to encourage a response, and it subtly puts the ball back in their court.
It’s proven that with creativity and a willingness to embrace the paradox, your “so wrong, it’s right”s can make a world of difference!
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