Despite having a good idea, we might say to ourselves, Whats the point of sharing?
No one seems to pay attention to my ideas anyway.
For example, timing matters.
I used to work for a boss who seemed to disregard nearly every idea I put forward.
I would approach him at the end of the day not wanting to interrupt him.
Then, I started paying attention to his style.
He was more open to ideas early before he had depleted his energy making decisions and solving problems.
Everyone on the team learned that timing played a big part in our ideas getting support.
Your strategy likely needs some fine-tuning.
Think the idea through before sharing it
We all have had a eureka!
moment when we think of something that (to us) is brilliant.
Maybe its a way to save time, solve a problem, or provide better service.
A client told me he recently experienced a moment like this while on the treadmill.
A great idea to restructure a program came to him.
He let excitement take over and blurted the idea out at the next mornings staff meeting.
He said he felt deflated.
When inspiration hits, take at least 24 hours to do some research.
Consider budget and workload, too.
It wasnt because the idea was bad, but rather it invoked long hours.
Do your due diligence and research your ideas before pitching them.
Get the idea out there, get feedback, and other perspectives.
Warm people up without asking for any commitment to it.
This step can also remove blind spots in your thinking.
New ideas always need tweaks, and its impossible to catch all the implications on your own.
Socialize it with a few to get perspective and build buy-in.
Find out what is important to them and what else is competing for their attention.
Also consider how they make decisions.
For instance, I know leaders who wont decide unless they feel like the team has consensus.
This means, they wont make a decision if there are hold-outs.
Others will make the call even when some disagree to it.
The current work environment embraces teams and collaboration.
If you want your ideas supported, show that youre a team player.
Bring in people who support your idea and also those who dont; be open to their critiques.
It is good experience to work with people who disagree with your ideas.
Productive disagreement remains focused on the work and not the person.
So when someone disagrees, its not personal rejection; the idea needs refinement.
This dissent paves the way for more creativity and innovation.
The outcome of an idea will make a greater impact if its being viewed by multiple perspectives.
No doubt, its harder and takes more time.
