You may have encountered this. You have a presentation to the top guys about this brilliant idea! An idea that you think it will change and alter the way you do business or the way you create a product or the manner you provide a service or perhaps a new totally unique mechanism of doing a particular job that will dramatically cut costs. You are so optimistic.
You got Disappointed
You start the presentation and by the end of it you realized that it didn't make the impact you have imagined.
OK, currently we have limited resources, we cannot apply the idea sorry. But thanks for bringing it up! keep up the good work.
Why they didn't like you?
You have worked hard.
You have done it right.
You thought it was the ultimate idea.
But they didn't like it
When you have an interesting idea. The idea is playing in your brain like a Beethoven Sonata. You see it crystal-clear, but your Boss doesn't!
Yes people don't know why it is important. They don't know what tune is playing in your head. They want to get your idea (in a limited amount of time). They are busy, they are getting calls, emails, text messages and other meetings.
This is what you can do.
1. Make them care
You have to make them care. First you have to put them in a serious and critical situation. Describe a problem and show them statistics and charts that keep on empowering the problem. So they live in a temporary moment of fear.
2. Don't gun-shoot your idea FIRST
Don't talk about your idea in the beginning. Leave it till the end. Let them be convinced that they are in a need to change.
3. Fire the idea when they are Vulnerable
Now hammer them with your fantastic idea. OK you want to solve that problem? Here is my idea. The urgent need for a solution will leave them no choice but to pick you.
I convince my Management this way (I hope they are not reading this).
Made to Stick is one of the greatest book I've ever read. One factor of making an idea stick is to tap into peoples emotions. There are other 5 factors in the book. Get it. It gave me the power to write this post.
I completely agree. I have a proposal for the change of architecture in our development environment with the big guys tomorrow.
ReplyDeleteI've created a temporary powerpoint presentation listing all the existing problems with a 'teaser' for the solution. I now have the full attention of everyone, and the meeting room should definitely be full.
Daniel,
ReplyDeleteI thank you for your great comment
I liked the teaser idea, I should add it to the post :)
I wish you all the best friend ;)
Go got'em