Life Lessons in How to Get Your Big Idea Heard at Work

I know a lot of you have skills, talents, and expertise that you want to be heard at work. You have better ways to do things. Ways that are faster, more efficient, and cost less. Ideas that would be better for your customer, your client, the students you serve, and the community, but you feel like no one's listening at work. You feel like your ideas aren't valued in your industry. 

I'm here to tell you that it may be your approach or your positioning, and there are ways to get your big ideas heard, implemented, and funded at work using these four strategies. To use existing equity in your organization, Show alignment with existing priorities, show what would happen if they don't implement your big idea, and ask for a pilot.

I think that a lot of times, we undervalue our skill sets. We have degrees, credentials, certifications, knowledge, and expertise. But oftentimes, we undervalue that expertise. I'm here to tell you that employers are much less caring about your degree, your certificate, and your training. They care much more about your commitment to applying the strategy, knowledge, and expertise you have to improve their organization.

Strategy number one to get your big ideas heard at work is to use your existing equity. To use the equity, your good name, your good reputation, and the good work you've done up to this point to build and amass a following around your big idea strategy number two is to show alignment with existing priorities.

Strategy number two is to show alignment with existing priorities. What this means is that every organization has a mission, vision, values, purpose, and goals. So, whatever your big idea is, it should align with those goals, that vision, and that mission.

Strategy number three is a game changer, and this is the one that they don't teach you in school. When it comes to asking for something at work, whether you're asking for more money, asking for more staff, or asking to transition a process. To get your big idea heard at work, you need to help the organization see what would happen if they don't implement your big idea.

Strategy number four is to request to fund the pilot. So, of course, no organized nation is trying to sink 100, 200, $300,000 into a project they aren't sure will work. 

You can do all the prep work, use your existing equity to show alignment, and show them what they're missing. But, if you're still asking for staff time, money to partner with, or start a new relationship. Whatever it is, it might cost something, right? So ask them to fund the pilot by having a beginning and end time and making this pilot shorter than what you know you would need. But show some outcomes, values, and people in the pilot so you can request ongoing funding.

If you need support in applying these strategies, then that's a sign that you need mentorship.

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