Pitching a new idea is always a bit nerve-racking, but over on Harvard Business Review, they suggest proposing a “pilot program” to minimise the risk your manager might worry about.
Photos by David Burela
Pilot programs are pretty common in the entertainment industry, but there’s no reason why it can’t work with any project you’re pitching because it’s essentially just a trial run. Harvard Business review explains:
It could be in the spirit of, “Let’s not worry about making this change wholesale — let’s try a pilot,” she says. “It reduces the perceived risk” of implementing something big and new. Pilots “give people a chance to test out” the idea. “And they can also create data that changes minds.”
If you don’t have the power to allocate budget to a pilot, you need to sell harder to those who do. “Organisations have limited time, attention, and money,” says Ashford. Don’t lose sight of the fact that you’re constantly “competing against other people’s ideas” and other people’s doggedness. “If you and your allies really care about something, you need to sell it”; a pilot is often a cost effective way to do it.
It’s a pretty simple idea, but one that might help differentiate your pitch from another.
A Guide to Winning Support for Your New Idea or Project [Harvard Business Review]
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