turn on its investment in only six months because of your design, you've got a fighting chance! If instead you sulk and whine about how the company is mismanaged and only cares about money, and how the VP doesn't understand the technology, he will likely think you don't understand reality and are incapable of working within real constraints. You may both be wrong, but either way, you won't get your funding. This happens every day all around the world. Here's a news flash: if you're going to present ideas to VPs and expect to gain their respect and backing, you need to learn to play on their field. Like it or not, they have the money, the power, and the influence. If you don't know what ROI is or how to talk about depreciation of equipment, don't expect VPs to give you more money. Money Money is what we all want. As I've already said, you need to understand politics to get the money you want or need. There is no way around it. If you're getting money and you' not involved in the politics, someone must be rooting for you behind the scenes. If there is not enough money, chances are you will not be able to do what you want (i.e., do it "the right way"). The Right Way to Do It This is the goal engineers pursue. "It" is whatever they happen to be working on at the time. Engineers know what "the right way" is, and they are often frustrated because they're "not allowed" to do "it" the right way. If you're not willing to play the game, my advice here is, "Get over it." You simply cannot do anything "the right way" without money, and you will not get the money you need without politics. Maxim #1 If your company is short on cash, you're out of luck. If your company is in the middle of political turmoil that is preventing you from getting money or approval, you are out of luck. If you want to change things, learn politics. It's that simple. Some of the best advice I ever received on the subject of politics came from the book How to Win Friends and Influence People, by Dale Car- negie (Simon & Schuster). I recommend this book