Presenting Ideas Well
Find the right hook for your audience. A "hook" is what draws your audience in. That means you need to know your audience well. You have to figure out what drives them to create a successful hook. For example, maybe you're telling your friend about a great idea for a group vacation, and your friend loves adventure. Your hook might be a short description of all the fun outside sports available in the area.
Practice explaining your idea ahead of time. If you expect others to listen, you need to be able to explain yourself well. Before you bring your idea to others, make sure you are able to describe it accurately in a couple of sentences. Sometimes, that's harder than you think, and doing poorly can make a good idea sink before it gets a chance to float. Tell a story about your idea. You don't have to start with an anecdote, but you do need to present your idea in a coherent way, with a beginning, middle, and end. For instance, if you're trying to convince your friend to go on vacation, bring up the idea in a broad sense, and then launch into why you've picked a great vacation place. Finish with an appeal to your friend to come with you. Try talking it over with a friend you're not trying to convince first. See if they understand what you're wanting to say.
Tailor your speech to the audience's way of thinking. Think about who you're talking to ahead of time. Do they tend to make emotional choices? Do they like statistics and numbers? Maybe they just like you to get the point. Use that information to edit what you say to them. For instance, maybe you're trying to get your brother to help you with an animal rescue. If your brother tends to make emotional choices, play up the poor, sad animals who need love and a home. On the other hand, if your brother relies on statistics and logic, discuss how much of a difference rescues make using numbers; talk about how many animals they keep off the street and how they prevent overpopulation by spaying and neutering animals.
Prepare ahead for possible questions and concerns. When you're presenting a new idea, you can already see how to implement it. However, the audience may see it as challenging to execute, even if they like the idea. That can kill the idea before it gets off the ground. Think about what concerns people may have about implementing it, and come up with solutions ahead of time. For example, if you're trying to get a recycling program off the ground at your kids' school, discuss how the city will provide recycling bins and how you already have volunteers to help do the work. Keep in mind, this will require that you do some groundwork first, such as researching online what the city will provide or calling to see if they'll give you bins.
Bringing up New Ideas at Work
Present a positive idea instead of a negative one. That is, instead of complaining about something that's wrong at your office, bring up a way that it could be done better. That way, you're offering an alternative instead of just being a negative influence. People generally respond poorly to negative criticisms, so having a positive alternative will ensure they will be more receptive. For instance, instead of complaining about never being able to go to the gym, suggest setting up a gym at your office.
Bring up the crazy ideas, too, especially when brainstorming. If an idea seems too crazy to share, don't be afraid to share it, even if you're worried your boss will think it's silly. While some ideas might initially be thrown out, others can spark creative thinking in a group and lead to more realistic ideas. The more realistic but creative ideas would never come about without getting a little crazy first. For instance, if you're in a meeting and your boss is asking you to brainstorm, try not to censor yourself too much. Throw the idea out there, even if it seems a little weird. It might get a discussion going that gets you someplace much more interesting. You just have to be brave enough to open your mouth. Your boss may ask for creative meeting places for the next brainstorming suggestions. You might think saying "at the water park" sounds a little crazy, and perhaps it is. However, maybe it will get someone else to think of someplace fun, like having an outdoor meeting at a regular park near the office.
Discuss how the idea would help the company or the team. If you want your boss to hear you, you need to be able to articulate how your idea will make things better in the workplace. That means you need to establish concrete ways your idea will help people be more productive or efficient For instance, maybe you want to suggest having a small gym at work. Your boss may just see this as an unneeded expense. However, you might note that it would make for a healthier workforce, meaning fewer sick days.
Prepare for some negativity and rejection at work. Sometimes, when you share an idea, the response will not be what you hoped. You might get a lackluster response, or you may get a simple, "No." That doesn't mean you should stop sharing your ideas! Rather, it just means that this one wasn't quite what your boss or the team was looking for. If you still think your idea is good and you got a lackluster response from your boss, try bringing it up again later. It may be that your boss's response actually had nothing to do with your idea. Maybe they were just having a bad week. Alternatively, if they seem to like the idea but were hesitant about certain aspects, try altering it a bit before bringing it up again. However, don't suggest it too many times. If you try a couple of times and don't get anywhere, it's probably time to stop.
Sharing Ideas with the World
Discuss new business or creative ideas with your friends and family. You may feel the need to keep your great business or creative idea secret. After all, you don't want anyone to steal it. However, sharing your idea is a great way to get feedback from other people, making your idea even better. Plus, most people don't have enough energy to steal other people's ideas. They're too busy pursuing their own ideas. If you're still feeling nervous, just stick to telling people you know are trustworthy. Avoid people who have tried to steal credit in the past.
Start a blog featuring your ideas. With a blog, you can be as focused or as encompassing as you want in how you share your ideas. You can have a blog just about decorating cupcakes, for instance, or your blog could be all the weird and wonderful facts you come across as a librarian. It could be just a way to share your random ideas from day to day. Blogs are great way to share your ideas with other people. You can reach people you know through your writing, as well as a wider audience. You can also try other types of social media, such as networking sites, micro-blogging sites, or video sites.
Take your idea to the appropriate authority. If your idea is something that could improve your city, state, or country, don't be afraid to reach out to the proper authority. Sometimes, it just takes 1 person to get the ball rolling. For instance, if you have an idea about how to help traffic flow in your neighborhood, contact your local representatives or traffic department. You can email, write a letter, call, or show up in person. Most government websites have contact information for officials. If you have an idea about how to make voting easier, contact your national representatives. Find their contact information on the government website, and call, write, or visit to present your idea. Some government websites even have areas specifically for sharing your ideas. For instance, the U.S. Department of Transportation asks for feedback at https://www.transportation.gov/BeyondTraffic/ShareYourIdeas/Submission.
Contact companies with feedback when you have an idea. If you have an idea for a company you use, share it with them. Most will welcome feedback from customers, as companies are always trying to improve the customer experience. Check the company's website to see if they have a feedback form. Some will also have feedback forms in the store. You can also call the company's customer service to offer a suggestion.
Comments
0 comment