People Judge You First, Then Your Idea
Your boss doesn’t need life complicating. He’s under pressure. She’s busy. He’sgot deadlines. She has objectives. Your manager has a family. A schedule. Yourboss has a boss. Head honchos who are stressed, busy, hit by deadlines, andunder pressure to meet objectives. You want them to say ‘yes’ to your idea. But,it’s always going to be easier to say ‘no’.
Only about 1% of proposed ideas are ever accepted. Strangers make most of thedecisions about whether to develop your insight. People who don’t know you canreject your genius concept. They don’t know the way you think. They don’t carewhat your idea has cost you in blood, sweat and tears.They will judge you
first.
It’s a mistake to assume otherwise. There are severalreasons people judge the messenger before the message. Innovative proposalsare uncertain. They are unproven and trying them in the market is the only way of testing them out. Often, the component parts of a breakthrough idea useknowledge at the cutting edge. The person assessing your idea doesn’t have thenecessary expertise to judge the future because no one does. If they can trust themessenger, they can trust the message.
Workable Ideas
– Potential backers want to know whether you can come upwith workable ideas. Take the time to think through the obvious weaknesses inyour concept and get tough-but-fair reviewers to look at the idea before youpitch. Just as important, they want to know that you are the
kind of person
that they think can come up with workable ideas – and implement them. Isthis idea actionable? What can we
do
with this idea? Can this person make thisidea work? Your potential supporter may not even understand the details of the idea but if they believe in your ability to deliver the promised benefits thenthey can proceed. The more radical the idea is the more backers will want theidea proposer to know how to deliver.
Desirable Stereotypes
– People make assumptions about “good ideas” people.Are you a professional who combines creativity with production knowhow?Are you quirky and unpolished preferring creativity to reality? Or do youappear young, inexperienced and naïve? Each of these stereotypes canconvince people to back an idea - they all bring something that is necessary tosuccessful innovation
and
they all encourage the backer to get involved. Aprofessional needs cash and a partner. Quirky people need steady teams. The
naïve need experience.
Undesirable Stereotypes
– People also make assumptions about “bad ideas”people. Are you a lazy dreamer who hasn’t grasped the detail or the vision of what the idea needs? Are you a pushover who abandons an idea rather thandefend it? Are you a robot who memorizes the proposal and cannot answerquestions without PowerPoint guidance? Are you an obnoxious,argumentative user-car salesperson who just keeps trying to sell the idearepeatedly without listening or adapting? Are you the charity case who pleadsand begs but wants the money that comes from a job
not
support for afantastic new idea? Each of these stereotypes gives backers easy ways to sayno to taking a risk on a new idea.
Likeable Collaboration
– Everyone likes to be part of an idea’s development. If you want someone to support your idea, share the idea. You need to involvethe audience in the creative process.You can use your knowledge about the idea and the potential backer to get onthe same level. Bring the audience into the concept with a mixture of preparation and improvisation, one question and answer at a time. You canpresent an idea as a story in which the backer is able to imagine the differenceyour idea will make and start to naturally picture involvement. You can admit alack of experience and put forward ideas in a way that invites reconsiderationof long held assumptions. Each approach should be sincere, it’s about figuringout how you fit into the world of idea pitchers: If you have expertise, don’t tryto bully people into accepting your concept. If you don’t have any experience,don’t try to pretend that you do, just share your insight and solution – let themfill in the gaps.
Passion
gets you a long way. Not all the way perhaps but many idea backershave initially supported an idea because of a passionate pitch. If you don’tbelieve in your idea then how do you expect us to believe in your idea? If youdon’t have passion for your idea then how do we know you will stick with ituntil it is successful? If you don’t feel passionate then ask yourself why. Is youridea good enough? Are you the right person to deliver your ideaI.
The way you present your pitch is important but the way you present yourself isvital. Your audience will judge you first, then your idea.
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