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As leaders, we may believe that our big concepts will succeed, but pushing those ideas across the finish line requires not only commitment, but also the willingness to persevere despite challenges and resistance. Getting stakeholder support before ideas can be realized is an art, and once leaders learn the right mindset and techniques, they often get the resources and help they need. First, though, anyone with a great idea must overcome any anxiety about sharing it.
Because fear kills great ideas
Every good idea in this world would die if leaders did not have the courage to share it. However, no idea is perfect from the start and trust is not a panacea. When people share concepts that go beyond what they already know or have experienced, a little fear is normal. Others do not want to share their ideas because they fear the humiliation and insecurity of resources that may result from the failure of those ideas. The easiest way is to close instead of branching out. But a strong backbone of personal beliefs must prevail.
The truth is that perception is often reality, and few people can persuade well when they are suffocated by fear. Sometimes it is not the quality of the idea, nor even the certainty behind it, that causes it to be overlooked, but only the circumstances. There is often a time constraint involved. Instead of fearing disapproval, ask how many people can support your idea and think about how you would implement it if you weren’t bound by contracts or approval requirements.
This approach helps remove some of the bias-based limitations that leaders may place on themselves, allowing them to see the full potential of the idea. It also offers a confidence boost that stakeholders will notice during a presentation, which they will then associate with the reliability of the concept itself.
Related: From customers to investors to employees, here’s how to connect with every business stakeholder
Get others on board
Once leaders have addressed the fears that hold them back from expressing their ideas, they have some tangible ways to persuade stakeholders:
1. Take responsibility using your passion
The expectation of what others will do or provide blocks the power of persuasion. Some leaders expect someone else to develop an idea for them or seek out a team to plan its execution, but this isn’t always feasible when a budget is available. It helps to look inside first. It’s also common for leaders to want to hire other companies or third parties to cover some of the work, which is a problem if the budget for a concept is limited.
People who are passionate about their ideas don’t wait for someone else to give them direction. Instead, they pave their own path. They are driven enough by the concept to take responsibility for it and not allow others to determine whether it lives or dies.
That’s why I tell leaders to do their own due diligence. They need to create a plan using real data that shows they know exactly how they will win. When stakeholders see someone who is self-accountable and has a clear, well-formulated path to profit, it’s much easier for them to buy in.
2. Be scrappy
If a leader has a lot of money, time, and other resources, great. But this is often not the case. I once worked with a woman in marketing who wanted to hire a company to make a training video for a new product feature. Our budget wouldn’t allow it. So I encouraged her to create something on her own. The immediate result? She abandoned the project.
To truly push an idea forward, people need to understand how to execute it with limited resources. In the latter case, I reacted and asked my colleague what she would do if I wasn’t around, and she just needed to get something out the door. A week later, she had drawn a complete storyboard. I told her to film it. She made cutouts out of popsicle sticks, cardboard and paper and filmed the entire educational video with stick figures.
Now, obviously, stick figure videos don’t work for everything. However, leaders will not always get the low-level direction they desire; part of what stakeholders look for in any venture is resourcefulness. Stakeholders view this quality as a sign that the leader is a skilled problem solver, and in the long run, the ability to solve problems on the run reduces risk, which is attractive to those who might offer support.
3. Persevere and seek new paths
Historically, each generation has pioneered new ways of working, but today the younger group tends to seek approval. This group often relies on external validation to evaluate their performance, decide next steps, and choose their direction—small interactions with superiors carry a lot of weight for them. Rather than setting a clear plan and asking for feedback, they tend to ask for permission to proceed.
In these scenarios, young innovators often see “no” as the end of the road for their concept. However, aspiring leaders are willing to persist. They will find a way to move the idea forward, such as pitching it to a different director. When a leader perseveres despite rejection, he demonstrates the grit necessary to ensure a long-term return on investment.
Related: If you want to grow your startup and your value, cultivate these 3 relationships with stakeholders
When you are fully convinced, others can be too
When presenting an idea to a stakeholder, attitude is key to gaining support. If an innovator can eliminate fear and demonstrate that they will take responsibility through their passion and due diligence, solve problems, and move forward no matter what, then they have a solid recipe for buy-in. Believe firmly in your idea, otherwise someone else might share it with the confidence you lacked. The art of persuasion starts from within, and the most important person you need to convince of your idea is you.