WEBVTT 1 00:00:18.585 --> 00:00:20.725 Hey, it's Rachel Cook, your modern mentor. 2 00:00:21.265 --> 00:00:23.605 I'm the founder of Lead Above Noise, where we help leaders 3 00:00:24.165 --> 00:00:26.725 activate performance and engagement without burnout. 4 00:00:27.235 --> 00:00:29.045 Whether it's a bootcamp, a keynote, 5 00:00:29.225 --> 00:00:32.445 or a pulse check, we help teams achieve meaningful change. 6 00:00:32.945 --> 00:00:34.685 If that's something your organization could 7 00:00:34.705 --> 00:00:35.805 use, reach on out. 8 00:00:36.555 --> 00:00:38.805 Okay, so today's episode is going 9 00:00:38.805 --> 00:00:41.405 to be about getting your ideas really heard 10 00:00:41.405 --> 00:00:45.925 by the right people, but it's gonna start with Ruth, my dog. 11 00:00:46.545 --> 00:00:48.085 She is the love of my life 12 00:00:48.425 --> 00:00:50.685 and a little bit the bane of my existence 13 00:00:51.035 --> 00:00:53.685 because here's the thing, I'm not a dog person 14 00:00:54.585 --> 00:00:58.725 or I wasn't until my children managed to crack my soul open. 15 00:00:59.425 --> 00:01:00.445 Here's what happened. 16 00:01:01.185 --> 00:01:04.885 My kiddos always wanted a dog, and I was a hard no on this. 17 00:01:05.725 --> 00:01:09.285 I held my position for years until one day out of nowhere. 18 00:01:09.825 --> 00:01:11.525 My girls got together and hit me 19 00:01:11.525 --> 00:01:14.445 with a literal slideshow presenting their case. 20 00:01:15.505 --> 00:01:17.325 It touched on the power of teamwork, 21 00:01:17.595 --> 00:01:19.925 like they would work together to care for a dog 22 00:01:20.625 --> 00:01:24.205 of responsibility, of physical activity from walking a dog. 23 00:01:24.755 --> 00:01:27.325 They had researched local vets and dog walkers. 24 00:01:27.905 --> 00:01:30.445 In other words, they made it kind of a no-brainer for me. 25 00:01:30.955 --> 00:01:32.605 They found my motivation. 26 00:01:32.835 --> 00:01:34.085 They got ahead of some 27 00:01:34.085 --> 00:01:36.765 of the questions they knew I'd have, and they answered them. 28 00:01:37.765 --> 00:01:38.905 Did they manipulate me? 29 00:01:39.455 --> 00:01:43.865 Well, yes, yes they did, but ultimately, I give them credit. 30 00:01:44.135 --> 00:01:47.465 They were smart. Just don't ask me who actually takes care 31 00:01:47.465 --> 00:01:50.065 of the dog today because, well, we can't win 'em all 32 00:01:50.845 --> 00:01:52.505 my kids stumbled onto the right formula 33 00:01:52.685 --> 00:01:55.465 for getting their idea heard truly by me. 34 00:01:56.125 --> 00:01:59.385 How often at work do we just throw out ideas expecting them 35 00:01:59.385 --> 00:02:01.785 to land without really thinking about how 36 00:02:01.785 --> 00:02:03.025 to position them for a yes? 37 00:02:03.685 --> 00:02:05.745 That's what we're talking about today, how 38 00:02:05.745 --> 00:02:08.425 to make sure your ideas actually get heard and acted on. 39 00:02:09.205 --> 00:02:13.115 So let's jump in. It starts with knowing your audience. 40 00:02:13.775 --> 00:02:16.155 My kids were in love with the idea of getting a dog. 41 00:02:16.415 --> 00:02:19.675 For them, it was about something to snuggle, to boss around, 42 00:02:19.935 --> 00:02:21.115 to show off to their friends, 43 00:02:21.815 --> 00:02:23.275 and yet, if you'd watched the 44 00:02:23.275 --> 00:02:24.595 slideshow, they'd prepared for me. 45 00:02:24.845 --> 00:02:27.435 You'd have heard all about teamwork and responsibility 46 00:02:27.735 --> 00:02:30.515 and exercise because they know that these are values 47 00:02:30.545 --> 00:02:33.915 that I hold and I was the one who needed convincing. 48 00:02:34.575 --> 00:02:38.155 So for you and your idea, know what you love about it 49 00:02:38.215 --> 00:02:40.795 and stay true to that, but also think long 50 00:02:40.795 --> 00:02:44.155 and hard in advance about whose support or endorsement 51 00:02:44.155 --> 00:02:45.155 or permission you need. 52 00:02:45.695 --> 00:02:47.115 What's top of mind for them? 53 00:02:47.865 --> 00:02:50.635 What problems or challenges are keeping them up at night? 54 00:02:51.105 --> 00:02:53.635 What opportunities are they striving to capitalize on? 55 00:02:54.225 --> 00:02:56.355 What are they frustrated by or bored with, 56 00:02:56.815 --> 00:02:58.315 and what have you seen captivate them 57 00:02:58.455 --> 00:02:59.460 or hold their attention? 58 00:03:00.445 --> 00:03:02.095 This isn't about manipulation, 59 00:03:02.325 --> 00:03:04.375 it's about choosing your positioning wisely. 60 00:03:05.265 --> 00:03:06.815 Often our ideas get overlooked 61 00:03:06.885 --> 00:03:09.855 because the key decision makers just haven't been convinced. 62 00:03:10.465 --> 00:03:12.375 Maybe you're imagining a new product feature. 63 00:03:12.685 --> 00:03:13.695 It's cool, it's digital. 64 00:03:13.805 --> 00:03:16.095 It's something you know your friends would respond well to. 65 00:03:17.235 --> 00:03:19.095 Before you make the pitch pause 66 00:03:19.115 --> 00:03:21.695 and ask yourself, how does this address something 67 00:03:21.695 --> 00:03:24.015 that's been on the minds of senior executives at work? 68 00:03:24.755 --> 00:03:26.375 Are they looking to close a profit gap 69 00:03:26.595 --> 00:03:27.895 to attract a younger market? 70 00:03:28.815 --> 00:03:31.535 Consider how to build this into your pitch before you start. 71 00:03:32.755 --> 00:03:34.325 Next, strip out the risk. 72 00:03:34.665 --> 00:03:37.325 People don't resist new ideas because they're bad. 73 00:03:37.675 --> 00:03:40.485 They resist them because they sound risky or complicated 74 00:03:40.545 --> 00:03:41.725 or like extra work. 75 00:03:42.385 --> 00:03:44.885 The trick, it's make your idea feel easy 76 00:03:45.145 --> 00:03:46.445 and relatively low risk. 77 00:03:47.185 --> 00:03:48.285 For my kids, it was some 78 00:03:48.285 --> 00:03:51.325 of the upfront homework they did finding care and vets 79 00:03:51.325 --> 00:03:53.645 and food because they know the last thing I'm looking 80 00:03:53.745 --> 00:03:55.485 for is more work on my plate. 81 00:03:56.245 --> 00:03:58.955 Maybe for you, you use pilot language. 82 00:03:59.305 --> 00:04:01.715 Instead of saying, let's change this whole process, 83 00:04:02.055 --> 00:04:03.475 you start with, what if we tested 84 00:04:03.715 --> 00:04:04.835 a small version of this first? 85 00:04:05.445 --> 00:04:07.715 Maybe you tie it to something that's already working. 86 00:04:08.145 --> 00:04:10.075 Instead of making it sound brand new, 87 00:04:10.075 --> 00:04:12.915 which can trigger some anxiety, connect it 88 00:04:12.915 --> 00:04:14.715 to something the team is already doing. 89 00:04:14.715 --> 00:04:17.235 Well, you know how we're already doing X 90 00:04:17.295 --> 00:04:18.555 and customers are loving it. 91 00:04:18.905 --> 00:04:20.075 What if we applied that approach 92 00:04:20.105 --> 00:04:22.335 here and make it about them? 93 00:04:22.835 --> 00:04:26.095 People engage with ideas that solve their problems instead 94 00:04:26.095 --> 00:04:28.575 of pitching your idea as an abstract improvement, 95 00:04:28.845 --> 00:04:32.655 this could save us time or money, or just make life easier. 96 00:04:36.675 --> 00:04:38.725 Next, make sure you tell a story. 97 00:04:39.465 --> 00:04:41.925 My kids knew that my resistance was largely about the 98 00:04:41.925 --> 00:04:44.445 inconvenience of having a dog, of not being able 99 00:04:44.445 --> 00:04:45.925 to spontaneously leave all day 100 00:04:46.145 --> 00:04:47.685 and having to manage vet appointments, 101 00:04:48.105 --> 00:04:50.845 and yet they'd done some research to address those points, 102 00:04:51.505 --> 00:04:54.925 but also they showed me some absurdly amazing 103 00:04:55.225 --> 00:04:56.645 and no, I was not crying. 104 00:04:57.225 --> 00:04:59.925 Videos of dogs being reunited with their owners 105 00:04:59.975 --> 00:05:02.765 after being lost because they knew they needed 106 00:05:02.765 --> 00:05:04.485 to hook me on an emotional level. 107 00:05:05.185 --> 00:05:07.845 People need data, but that's not what they remember, 108 00:05:07.845 --> 00:05:09.365 and that's not what persuades them. 109 00:05:09.825 --> 00:05:12.165 If you want your idea to land, attach it 110 00:05:12.165 --> 00:05:14.525 to a compelling story that resonates with your audience. 111 00:05:15.275 --> 00:05:17.525 Make it personal. Instead of jumping straight 112 00:05:17.525 --> 00:05:20.045 to your solution, start with a real life scenario 113 00:05:20.175 --> 00:05:22.805 where you could see your idea having an impact. 114 00:05:23.555 --> 00:05:26.205 Make it visual people process stories better when 115 00:05:26.205 --> 00:05:27.325 they can picture them. 116 00:05:27.985 --> 00:05:30.965 Use an analogy or an image or share a quick video 117 00:05:31.825 --> 00:05:33.685 and tie it to a shared experience. 118 00:05:34.305 --> 00:05:36.645 If everyone in the room has struggled at some point 119 00:05:36.645 --> 00:05:38.565 with this thing, talk about 120 00:05:38.705 --> 00:05:40.765 how it is addressing a collective 121 00:05:40.765 --> 00:05:42.885 and common pain point that we all know 122 00:05:43.635 --> 00:05:46.495 and finally, close with action. 123 00:05:47.165 --> 00:05:50.615 Even if people love your idea in the moment, they are likely 124 00:05:50.675 --> 00:05:52.695 to forget about it as soon as the meeting ends. 125 00:05:53.045 --> 00:05:54.655 This is why follow up is key. 126 00:05:55.635 --> 00:05:58.125 Did I mention my kids had found the breed they wanted 127 00:05:58.185 --> 00:06:00.725 and presented me with contact information of a breeder? 128 00:06:01.425 --> 00:06:03.965 Ugh, it was awful. Anyway, here's how 129 00:06:03.965 --> 00:06:06.205 to keep your idea moving without feeling pushy, 130 00:06:06.885 --> 00:06:09.005 casually reference it in future conversations. 131 00:06:09.345 --> 00:06:10.365 Hey, I've been thinking more 132 00:06:10.365 --> 00:06:11.445 about that idea we talked about. 133 00:06:11.545 --> 00:06:12.965 Here's one way we could test it. 134 00:06:14.115 --> 00:06:17.025 Maybe find an early champion before a big meeting. 135 00:06:17.165 --> 00:06:19.225 Run your idea by someone who can back you up 136 00:06:19.235 --> 00:06:22.625 after the conversation and offer to take the first step. 137 00:06:23.165 --> 00:06:25.425 If people hesitate, say, Hey, 138 00:06:25.585 --> 00:06:27.585 I can put together a quick draft of an action plan 139 00:06:27.585 --> 00:06:30.145 to get us started, because once momentum starts, 140 00:06:30.375 --> 00:06:31.505 they'll be more engaged. 141 00:06:32.565 --> 00:06:34.145 If you've been feeling frustrated 142 00:06:34.405 --> 00:06:36.425 by your ideas feeling overlooked at work, 143 00:06:36.735 --> 00:06:37.865 give this approach a try. 144 00:06:38.205 --> 00:06:40.825 You'll be surprised how much more traction you might land 145 00:06:41.015 --> 00:06:42.705 when you frame things a little differently, 146 00:06:43.685 --> 00:06:46.625 and if your team could use support in communicating ideas 147 00:06:46.625 --> 00:06:48.785 effectively, engaging in real problem solving, 148 00:06:48.845 --> 00:06:51.385 or driving meaningful change, reach out to me, 149 00:06:51.565 --> 00:06:53.785 rachel@leadabovenoise.com. 150 00:06:53.895 --> 00:06:55.585 Whether it's a bootcamp, a keynote, 151 00:06:55.725 --> 00:06:57.385 or a pulse check, I'd love to help. 152 00:06:58.285 --> 00:07:00.255 Join me next week for another great episode. 153 00:07:00.625 --> 00:07:03.615 Until then, visit my website@leadabovenoise.com. 154 00:07:04.335 --> 00:07:06.955 You can follow Modern Mentor on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, 155 00:07:07.135 --> 00:07:08.715 or wherever you listen to podcasts. 156 00:07:09.135 --> 00:07:12.195 Thanks so much for listening and have a successful week. 157 00:07:12.695 --> 00:07:14.955 Modern Mentor is a quick and Dirty Tips podcast. 158 00:07:15.505 --> 00:07:17.395 It's audio engineered by Dan Rebend. 159 00:07:17.775 --> 00:07:20.075 Our Director of podcasts is Brandon Getches. 160 00:07:20.335 --> 00:07:22.635 Our podcast and advertising operations specialist 161 00:07:22.655 --> 00:07:23.835 is Morgan Christensen. 162 00:07:24.215 --> 00:07:26.475 Our digital operations specialist is Holly Hutchin. 163 00:07:26.855 --> 00:07:29.355 Our marketing and publicity associate is Dina Tomlin, 164 00:07:29.655 --> 00:07:31.915 and our marketing contractor is Nathaniel Hoops.