You work all week perfecting a pitch, but as soon as you go in it seems like everyone just wants to shoot your idea down. What happens next? Just let it go, try again later? Fight on! Don't let your ideas die!

1. Getting your ideas approved when
people just want to shut it down.

2. It doesn’t matter what you do,
you’re always going to come across
road blocks.

3. People want to avoid risk.
The want to play it safe.

4. But when you’re passionate about
something, you can’t just stand still.

5. So when people question your idea,
what are you going to do?

6. Flight or Fight?

7. Here are some common problems
you’ll probably encounter.

8. Here are some common problems
you’ll probably encounter.
And some example solutions.

9. “We’ve been successful in the past.
We don’t need to change.”

10. True.
But we have all seen that those
who fail to adapt eventually
become extinct.

11. True.
But we have all seen that those
who fail to adapt eventually
become extinct.
If we’re not moving forwards,
where are we going?

12. “Are you implying we’re failing?!”

13. No, you’re doing a good job right
now with the tools you have.
But with my proposal, things will
improve and benefit everyone.

14. No, you’re doing a good job right
now with the tools you have.
But with my proposal, things will
improve and benefit everyone.
Sometimes good enough, just
isn’t good enough.

15. “You’re abandoning our core values.”

16. This plan is essential to
uphold your core values.

17. This plan is essential to
uphold your core values.
Will you still be able to hold
onto your core values when
you’re playing catch up?

18. “We’re not like everyone else, we’re
different!”

19. Yes, it’s true, you’re
different, but you are also
very much the same.

20. Yes, it’s true, you’re
different, but you are also
very much the same.
Is non-innovation the way
you want to stand out
from the crowd?

21. “How come nobody else is doing this?”

22. There really is a first time for
everything, and here you have
a unique opportunity

23. There really is a first time for
everything, and here you have
a unique opportunity
Are we followers or
leaders?

24. “You’re exaggerating the problem.”

25. To the good people who suffer
because of this problem, it
certainly doesn’t look small.

26. To the good people who suffer
because of this problem, it
certainly doesn’t look small.
Are you willing to
make a difference?

27. “It’s too simple to work.”

28. No, it’s the combination of
your good work and some new
things that, together, can
make a great advance.

29. No, it’s the combination of
your good work and some new
things that, together, can
make a great advance.
It’s not just the idea, it’s the
people and the execution.

30. “What about this, and that, and this,
and that...?”

31. All good ideas, especially if
they are new, raise dozens of
questions that cannot be
answered with certainty.

32. All good ideas, especially if
they are new, raise dozens of
questions that cannot be
answered with certainty.
The first step may be the
hardest, but it’s one
worth taking.

33. “Your proposal goes too far.”

34. Maybe, but my idea will get
us started moving in the right
direction and will do so
without further delay.

35. Maybe, but my idea will get
us started moving in the right
direction and will do so
without further delay.
Along the way we’ll learn
more, adapt and even
improve the idea.

36. “You have a chicken-and-egg problem.”

37. Well, actually, you can do a little
bit of A, which allows a little bit
of B, which allows more A, which
allows more B, and so on.

38. Well, actually, you can do a little
bit of A, which allows a little bit
of B, which allows more A, which
allows more B, and so on.
Small steps. You’ll become more
comfortable along the way.

39. “We’ve tried something similar before -
it didn’t work!”

40. That was then. Conditions
inevitably change and what is
being proposed isn’t exactly
what was tried before.

41. That was then. Conditions
inevitably change and what is
being proposed isn’t exactly
what was tried before.
Why not give it a try?

42. “Good idea, but the timing just
isn’t right.”

43. The best time is almost
always when you have people
excited and committed to
make something happen.

44. The best time is almost
always when you have people
excited and committed to
make something happen.
That’s right NOW!

45. “We just can’t take this on at
the moment.”

46. Hard can be good.
A genuinely good new idea, facing time
constraints can both raise energy level
and eliminate wasted time.

47. Hard can be good.
A genuinely good new idea, facing time
constraints can both raise energy level
and eliminate wasted time.
Let’s see what we’re
made of.

48. “It puts us on a slippery slope.”

49. Good groups of people - all the time -
use common sense as a guard rail to
keep them from sliding into disaster.

50. Good groups of people - all the time -
use common sense as a guard rail to
keep them from sliding into disaster.
We have some very
good people in place.

51. “It’s too difficult, I don’t think I can
convince people to buy-in.”

52. Not a problem.
I will make the required effort
to convince you. It’s worth the
effort to do so.

53. Not a problem.
I will make the required effort
to convince you. It’s worth the
effort to do so.
How can I make it easier?

54. “To generate so many questions and
concerns, the idea has to be flawed.”

55. More questions, means that people
are engaged and interested.

56. More questions, means that people
are engaged and interested.
There’s something here
worth exploring.

57. “We really can’t afford this.”

58. Actually, most important
changes are achieved without
new sources of money.

59. Actually, most important
changes are achieved without
new sources of money.
Maybe we can move some
budget from elsewhere.

60. “You’ll never convince enough people.”

61. You are absolutely right.
That’s almost never possible,
and that’s okay.

62. You are absolutely right.
That’s almost never possible,
and that’s okay.
If we can get the majority, we’ll
move forward from there.

63. “We’re not equipped to handle this.”

64. We have much of what
we need, and we can and
will get the rest.

65. We have much of what
we need, and we can and
will get the rest.
Greater restraints bring
greater creativity.

66. “Money is the real issue here.”

67. Extra money is rarely what
builds truly great ventures
or organizations.

68. Extra money is rarely what
builds truly great ventures
or organizations.
Is this something we can
afford NOT to do?

69. Slide Source
1 http://www-static.weddingbee.com/wp-content/uploads/2009/07/23/road-block.jpg
10-11 http://www.flickr.com/photos/sethoscope/2203968745/
13-14 http://www.flickr.com/photos/beforethecoffee/2404849371/
16-17 http://www.flickr.com/photos/brookeshaden/3449376076/
19-20 http://www.flickr.com/photos/28286225@N02/4059809583/
22-23 http://img456.imageshack.us/i/wheel3at.png/
25-26 http://www.flickr.com/photos/cdevers/4602805654/
28-29 http://www.flickr.com/photos/28738277@N03/4372856083/
31-32 http://www.ianbell.com/wp-content/uploads/2007/06/iphone_inhandhome_c.jpg
34-35 http://www.flickr.com/photos/xploded/141295823/
37-38 http://static.desktopnexus.com/thumbnails/22452-bigthumbnail.jpg
40-41 http://www.flickr.com/photos/rorro/176977778/
43-44 http://www.flickr.com/photos/steven_sites/5006223049/
46-47 http://www.flickr.com/photos/insotelprestigehotelsandresorts/4118152062/
49-50 http://www.flickr.com/photos/jonask/2311309574/
52-53 http://www.flickr.com/photos/jesahel_layli/2868492442/
55-56 http://www.flickr.com/photos/markantonyphotos/2463150661/
58-59 http://gadgetsin.com/usb-clip-by-emami-design.htm
61-62 http://images.businessweek.com/ss/08/03/0313_btw/image/bp113587.jpg
64-65 http://www.flickr.com/photos/metarenato/609110719/
67-68 http://www.lifthill.com/images/2007/12/DSC_0052.jpg
Photo Credits

70. Ernest Fung
ernest.fung1@gmail.com
(852) 9130-8185
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