Situation 3: Selling Your Ideas
Did you ever raise what you felt was a terrific new idea, only to have it ignored? Do you sometimes not even bother to mention your ideas because you assume you’ll never get to put them into action? You’re far from alone. Resistance to new ideas is a fact of organizational life. Many a fresh idea has been quickly trampled under the rush of business as usual. You might easily decide that raising new ideas is a waste of time. Don’t give up! Appearances to the contrary, most companies need and value creative thinkers and people who can make new ideas work.

Influence strategy: Don’t just express your idea. Champion it. First, take a little time to assess your idea as objectively as you can. Pretend that someone else thought of it, and then constructively critique it. Can the idea be improved? Answer that question before you start sharing your idea with others.

Next, identify stakeholders. Who would have to support your idea for it to be implemented? Put yourself in their shoes. What will they find most appealing about your idea? What might concern them or cause them to resist what you propose? How might you avoid triggering concerns or resistance? Prepare to present your idea in the most favorable light to each stakeholder you identify.

Then, line up some allies. Who could best help you to persuade stakeholders to back your idea? (Note: Some individuals – your boss, for example – might be both an ally and a stakeholder for your idea.) Go first to people whose thinking you respect and whom you trust to hear your idea with a favorable ear, or at least an open mind. Test your idea with your friends and confidants. If they like it, ask them to help you advance it.

Becoming an idea champion is harder than simply blurting ideas out as they come to you. But if your idea is as good as you think it is, doesn’t it deserve your best effort? Remember this: The most successful people in any organization do more than think up great ideas. They find ways to put ideas into action.