4 strategies for presenting new ideas at work
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Never before in history has there been a period so suited to people with new ideas. In March 2015, Kickstarter raised over $ 1 billion for creative projects. SharkTank, going to ABC, made the world of venture capital mainstream (investment amounted to $ 44 million). And what is the best way to present a new idea in a template and complex corporate environment ?
And the New York-based startup Quirky makes a splash by crowdsourcing product ideas and quickly putting them into practice. In 2014, his income exceeded $ 100 million.
This is how innovators working outside the mainstream can break into the huge corporate world.
These services are great paths that open up new opportunities for introducing innovations that bypass traditional corporate channels. But what happens if you still have to stay within the familiar framework? What is the best way to present a new idea in a template and complex corporate environment? Here are a few key strategies that have helped people launch innovative concepts in an extremely sluggish environment.
1. Meet the priorities of key decision makers
No matter how wonderful, in your opinion, you have an idea, you need to keep in touch with the intentions and goals of leaders. If in a competitive environment they need a product with hundreds of calories, and your idea involves 110, you're out of luck. Your product concept can be absolutely delightful and innovative. But if it does not coincide with their priorities, it is better to find a way to fit it under them.
2. Keep flexible
Introducing a new idea, you bring change. In his theory of “roughness,” the mathematician Benoit Mandelbrot pointed out that from a great distance the coastline may look smooth. But the closer you find yourself, the clearer you begin to understand that in fact it is rugged. Similarly: although new ideas may seem folding at first glance, in real life they can be quite “torn”.
Therefore, to move along the winding path to creative change , you need to be flexible. As when swimming against the wind, you must adjust the course depending on the direction of the air flow - the resulting reaction. Each outburst is like regression or criticism from leaders. But you must continue to set sail and move towards your goal.
3. Use the image
Part of the difficulty in presenting a new idea is to ensure that the audience understands what you are trying to describe in detail. Considering how much effort you put into the idea, you may be upset if someone else is not keen on it, appreciates it, or even does not understand what you had in mind.
One way to influence people is to create an interesting image . By presenting the change as an attractive illustration, you help the audience understand and appreciate the concept.
Here is an example of this action, taken from the real life of the author.
In the early 80s, I was hired by a Ford quality team to help them clarify a new idea at all levels of the organization. They wanted to demonstrate how important the company’s transition from disparate and rigid rules to a culture of interaction and flexibility is.
I invited them to show shots from the history of Ford - paintings that emphasize that change has traditionally been part of the greatness of the company. Greatness, the source of which was the change in the car market with the advent of ModelT; greatness dictated by the change in American industry with the introduction of an assembly line; and the grandeur created by the introduction of a wage of $ 5 per day, which allowed workers to purchase their cars. The image was interesting, a new idea took root, and transformations were launched.
4. No need to worry too much
In corporate culture, the larger the idea, the thinner the line between inspiration and anxiety. A little excitement does not hurt: you want to show that you are passionate about your idea and really believe in it. But if you are too excited, then go over the line and start the alarm.
Where you see an amazing opportunity, some people may see a risky proposition.
For example, the author of the article was hired by a fast-growing chain of grocery stores to help them review the approval process for building new outlets. Network executives were concerned that their project committee was missing out on the crucial details of the proposals due to over-presentation enthusiasm. In their opinion, too much excitementamounted to extremely high risk. Therefore, the author helped the company create a calm process for considering proposals, which minimized the emotional factor and expanded the analytical base, which increased their confidence in the feasibility of betting on new stores.
Remember: Big ideas equate to high risk. Present your concepts convincingly, not passionately.
Creating innovative ideas is a great way to make a huge contribution to your company. And monitoring the implementation of their own proposals can bring great internal satisfaction. But to maximize your chances of success, you need to be consistent. Following these strategies, you will not only achieve the desired result by introducing innovations in front of your company, but also demonstrate that you are a progressive leader - a bright talent that awaits a long way.
PS We recommend another article on the topic - Lessons of success and thoughtful solutions from Mozart, Picasso and Kobe Bryant .
The author of the translation is Vyacheslav Davidenko, founder of MBA Consult .
