Alternatively, can you
recall someone giving you a pitch and after their first sentence you decided
that the idea was a crock?
It is important to create a good flow when pitching
ideas to others, for example:
·
Start with something that
catches their attention – something you saw or heard.
·
Before stating what you want,
explain the problem.
·
Only after explaining the
problem, tell them what you are suggesting (this order is important, because
once people begin to argue your chances of persuading them diminish rapidly,
and they are more likely to argue if they do not understand the problem you are
trying to solve).
·
Be sure to explain the benefits
of what you are proposing.
·
Be proactive about
communicating the possible downsides of what you are proposing, and what you
think can be done to mitigate them. If you don’t do this don’t be surprised if the
other side starts to pick your idea apart for you!
·
If you want them do something
differently, make it explicit and don’t assume that they will magically know
what you expect of them.
This concludes my tip series on influencing
without authority. Feel free to check back to see the other tips in this
series. Details on our workshop are hereRussel
