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Don't Be Afraid To Fly
A Small Star
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Stage Fright
Have you ever tried to introduce a new concept to someone, only to be told, "Hey, that's a great idea, but because of our [budget, market, systems, employees - insert most recent excuse HERE!], we just can't do it."
These excuses have been around FOREVER, yet people continually think up new "spins" on old excuses that stop them dead when trying to progress forward. Hence, every time a great new idea bursts onto the scene, an army of great new excuses is at the ready to stop them!
Keep in mind that every new idea goes through three different stages:
"That will never work."
"Well, you can try it if you want to, but it probably won't work."
"I always said that would work!"
We must not be frightened or intimidated by these stages. In fact, we can choose to be amused by the predictability with which all new ideas progress through them. If we fully anticipate and prepare for them, it will be a lot tougher to de-motivate us and deter us from our appointed mission... should we choose to accept it (OK, so now I'm going back a long way... how many of you remember that opening line to "Mission Impossible"?)!
With this in mind, let's look at a few principles that allow us to take the risk to suggest something new... and also encourage us to persist with the suggestion until it gets through all three stages and is finally accepted and working:
- Allow others ample time to adjust to a new idea or concept.
Remember that the first time someone hears any new suggestion, they need time to adjust to it. Oftentimes, we've put so much thought, energy and effort into presenting our idea that we've forgotten how long we've been thinking about it and adjusting to it ourselves.
- If someone shoots down your idea, don't take it personally.
Many times when people
shoot down new ideas, it's more about their risk tolerance level than it is about anything else, including anything personal against you. Help them increase their risk tolerance level by suggesting small changes at a time and then allowing ample time for them to think about it before making a decision.
- If you can't suggest small changes at a time, make a big one!
...but be prepared to set a new date to discuss it again in the near future in order to give the person a little time to think about it, as well as giving yourself frequent and quick opportunities to re-visit the issue and present opportunities for brainstorming and discussion.
- Don't blind-side anyone.
Whenever possible, preface your conversation with statements that prepare the listener for a new idea. When you return for future discussions (remember that it usually takes more than one attempt to get a new idea accepted), preface your return conversations as well. For example, the preface to the first conversation could be, "I know we tried this a few years ago, but I'd like to suggest a little twist on it because of what happened last week at the office." The preface to the second conversation must be based on the result of the first, but if the idea hasn't been accepted after the first conversation, ask permission to do a little more research and come back on a specified date (don't leave the date open or it may never happen!) to discuss it again. When you return, you can preface the new conversation with, "As promised, I looked into this a little more and I discovered something very interesting that can help us with this project."
- Update the person often.
The more often you return to the suggestion, the more the idea cements itself in the person's mind. If it's a good idea, and you begin gaining buy-in from others, go back to that person and "report" on the progress of "OUR" project or idea. Keeping them involved in this way keeps the idea in the forefront of their mind, as well as creating a personal connection to it. In addition, it helps them take ownership of it - and when people take ownership of something, it usually proceeds to the third stage listed above... where they then take pride - and often CREDIT - for at least part of its success once implemented!
So, the next time you have a fantastic new idea, don't be discouraged by the resistance you receive when it's first introduced. In fact, rejoice in it - because the quicker you get past stages one and two, the quicker you'll get to stage three!
Sandy Geroux
It is amazing how much you can accomplish if you do not care who gets the credit!
- Harry S. Truman
BONUS - FUN QUOTE!
Below are some made-up words created by altering one letter in a real word - enjoy!
Bozone (n.): The substance surrounding stupid people that stops bright ideas from penetrating. The bozone layer, unfortunately, shows little sign of breaking down in the near future.
Decafalon (n.): The grueling event of getting through the day consuming only things that are good for you.
Dopeler effect: The tendency of stupid ideas to seem smarter when they come at you rapidly.
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