No matter where you work you’re likely looking at problems and issues that make life just plain miserable. It can be broken systems, outdated methods or even just bad situations.  You can see the problem, maybe even the solution, but you just don’t know how to get it addressed.

If you want to take action yet don’t know how to push your agenda, then read on. Whether you’re a senior executive or individual contributor you’ll need to consider these pointers.

Why might you need to report a problem or present an idea? Issues and concerns can stem from a variety of sources:

• Well-known Problem. Everyone knows about this and yet it remains.
• Observed Issue. You noticed it yourself.
• Reported Issue. This was told to you by someone else.

Be really certain anything you want to flag is worth fixing. Its correction should have a real return-on-investment (ROI) and/or benefits to morale.

Who you are will affect your entire plan-of-attack. Are you senior or junior in the organization? Also, what do you wield in terms of:

• Personal Power. The measure of your established credibility and influence in the organization by virtue of the skills you have and value you bring.
• Positional Power. Your influence in the organization by virtue of your title.

Be realistic about your influence around the organization. If in doubt, check with a trusted colleague. Who you are directly affects your choices on all the following pointers.

When things are flagged can often be important. Not everything has to be flagged immediately. In fact, sometimes problems are better highlighted later because:

• There are Bigger Issues In-Play right now. You don’t want either yourself or your idea to be an untimely and inconvenient distraction
• It may be Too early to Address the matter. Some things just become more important, later.

Although it’s often better to get problems lined-up and visible ASAP for future action, sometimes it’s wiser to wait for important events that make your issue more obviously compelling (yet still timely!). Carefully assess when issues should be brought forward. If in doubt, work privately and early-on with a relevant, trusted colleague or mentor to make that assessment.

Mentors are often great guides to help you with all these pointers.

What type of idea or concern you have will affect how you proceed. What is your intention and what do you want to happen? Perhaps you want to:

• Highlight. Maybe you only need to point out there is a problem?
• Make a General Recommendation. Here you might want to make less comprehensive suggestions, recommendations and/or observations
• Present a Proposal. In this case you have a specific and more detailed proposal or plan about what should be done and how.

In some cases pointing out a problem is all the involvement and value you need to have. At other times you might be wiser to go all-in with a plan and hands-on activity.

To Who you present your ideas can determine the interest level that follows. A heavy-hand and too elevated an approach can be a turnoff in some situations, yet at other times this is exactly what is required to establish support and attention. Your approach might begin through:

• Informal channels. Perhaps you open up your campaign using a casual discussion with a relevant colleague or another manager having useful influence.
• The formal chain of command. Maybe you should just tell your boss?
• A group/team/committee. Your entrée here might be through discussion or entail a more formal recommendation and/or proposal.

Even though you might open your campaign at a low level and with simple discussion, it’s likely to move to more organized presentations and senior forums as acceptance gains momentum or is secured.

How you present your ideas can also impact the interest level that follows. It’s important to choose the medium most likely to increase acceptance and support beyond whatever level you have already established. Your approach might be:

• Verbal. Promotion of your ideas will often begin with a discussion between yourself and a relevant colleague/manager. Even as acceptance and support grows there may be need for new or on-going discussions to further the cause.
• Email. Often a good opening to present your case. Be sure not to overwhelm the reader with too much content, nor be so brief as to omit critical points and information. Get the right balance for the situation.
• Presentation. Often a useful ice-breaker. And sometimes the deal-closer. As with the email, don’t either over or underwhelm the recipients relative to their current level of acceptance and your goal(s) for the meeting.
• A Report (informal). A written outline not containing a full plan-of-action or recommendations.
• A Report (formal). The whole enchilada describing the issue, what to do, why and recommendations. Best not to deliver this until folks are primed to buy-in and take action.

So, these are the critical things to consider. Balance and approach are your keys to success.

Do you have ideas or concerns you want to put forward? Need to get people to listen and act? Have you hesitated to move and ignored problems because you were unsure what to do? If so, consider the pointers above and plan how to proceed. When you take action to improve the workplace, you also elevate your own value and reputation!

Ian R. Mackintosh is the author of Empower Your Inner Manager Twitter @ianrmackintosh