Yes. The time frame is important and your current purpose. How long is this internship and how will it conjoin your next move, if at all? If this is merely prescribed sequence that you honestly do have a leg up on, give it the attention it warrants and concentrate on the bigger picture you are headed for. (keep your mouth shut for a few months and make notes of what you want to address when you get beyond I know we don’t do well with faking dumb or kissing up. )

If there is going to be a close working future with these people and the situation in the next few years, you may want to take a different tact. Again, if you have some insights that may help now and in the future, the presentation seems to be what decides if you’ll be accepted or ‘shown’ that it WON’T work. Even testing the water with “here’s something that’s worked well for me …..”, will let you know if they are open and willing to look at something different, only give courteous lips service or WON’T have some snippy smartass showing them how to do it.

An opening phrases, as mentioned by Osuchem, can get attention in a negative or positive way. A few that have served me well, depending on the subject…

“Help the new kid out here. How do we…?” or “Why do we…?”
“Does that work for you or would ………….. help if we …….?”
“This is a problem. How can we…..?”
Is there a reason we can’t……….?”

While I normally am not keen on all the subtleties of group psychology, the words “we”, “us” instead of “you”, “me” versus “it”, “them” can make a difference. If your question is to get your proper acknowledgment from these established co-workers, just shut up. Your seat at ‘their’ table can ONLY be given. It can never be taken.

Don’t close your bag of tricks to a few pearls being added. There is nobody I can’t learn something from.

I KNOW the fantastic diplomacy you exercise here at Pixies is easier to execute in your soundproof room as you scream and slam your face into the monitor and fists on the keyboard, than face-to-face dealings, but keeping your objective ahead of the people in mind will not fail you.

:cents:

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