Successful people are often rich with new ideas. But what sets them apart is that they’re also brave enough to stand before a room full of people and say: “I can think of a better way of doing things.”
Getting a new idea across the line is no easy feat, whether it’s in politics or business. It takes strong leadership to put change on the table and to then inspire others and take them on a journey to make that change happen.
This is something Raelene Castle, Chief Executive of Canterbury Bulldogs Rugby League Club, Natalie Collard, CEO of Australian Dairy Farmers Limited and Clover Moore, Lord Mayor of Sydney know all too well. They have all had to pitch ideas that have transformed industries and communities. This, in turn, has helped them succeed and attain the positions they hold today. This is their advice to anyone who wants to pitch an idea and execute it.
- Do your homework
“The biggest thing is people need to do their homework,” Raelene Castle says. “They need to have thought through every aspect of what their idea is.” A vital part of that process is thinking through how the idea will impact all other areas of the business or community.
Castle gives the example of when she was at Netball New Zealand and they looked to restructure the whole of the netball community, which had significant implications. “The key to that was having all our facts and figures together,” she says.
Having done thorough homework helped Castle when she held open forums and discussions to get buy in from the wider netball community.
“I stood up there and did a presentation and then I stood there until the very last question was answered,” Castle explains. “So I didn’t leave that environment until everyone felt they had their say and they felt that I had been open and honest, and that I had thought through all the different options and challenges they were going to be facing.”
- Put yourself in their shoes
Natalie Collard, who recently won the Community and Government Award category of the 2013 Telstra Victorian Business Women’s Awards, says you should put yourself in the shoes of who you are pitching to. “Try to address needs or problems they [have] and provide a solution,” Collard says. “You’ve always got to be thinking the ‘what’s in it for them’ argument, because it actually makes people less resistant to your ideas.”
Collard also explains how she appreciates it when people are respectful of her time. “If it’s a really good idea, you should be able to do that elevator spiel and succeed.”
Getting your foot in the door to pitch a new idea can be tough so when the opportunity arises make it worthwhile by having practiced beforehand. “If you’re smart you’ll road test the idea with others before you pitch it,” Collard says. “You always learn something when you do and you get the chance to improve an angle you might not have worked before.”
Collard also recognises that not everyone is in a position to pitch transformational ideas, but that doesn’t mean you can’t pitch a smaller idea to your direct supervisor or a colleague. This will help you become comfortable with the pitching process. “I think the hallmark of someone who is really going to get places in business is someone who is rich with ideas,” Collard adds.
- Stay committed
When explaining how long it took to make some head way when she first got into council, Lord Mayor of Sydney, Clover Moore, says: “Slowly – very slowly!”
She knows better than anyone that change doesn’t always happen overnight. “You have to remain committed,” Moore says. “And keep advocating.”
She shares the experience of her first attempt to allow same sex couples to adopt children in the year 2000. “[It] wasn’t supported by any other member of Parliament,” Moore explains. “[But] when I tabled the Bill again in 2010, MPs of all parties worked to get the bill passed.”
There’s a clear message in that example: if your belief in the idea is strong enough, persist and don’t lose heart. Continue to learn from your setbacks and refine the pitch to make it better.
“Sometimes you may be ahead of your time or ahead of your peers,” Moore says. “[But] you shouldn’t lose heart, you can bring people with you, and in doing so, [you] can help create a strong, new community.”
A visionary leader is someone brave enough to put their hand up to help steer the direction of a company, organisation or community; sometimes into uncharted waters. Having the courage to suggest a new idea and then knowing how to successfully implement it and inspire others on that journey, is the mark of an exceptional leader.
Have you had any luck or setbacks in pitching ideas?