Great Idea…Not so great a Delivery
That headline caught my eye. The story was about a new product, but it reminded me of communication in general. I deal with people who are very smart and are filled with great ideas. But their ideas are not understood, accepted, or turned into reality because they are delivered poorly.
Ideas are heard and acted on when they are delivered well. Have you ever seen someone else get credit for one of your ideas? In a conference call or meeting when ideas get tossed out, we usually buy the ones that are “tossed” best. Alexander Fleming invented penicillin, didn’t “sell” it well, and delayed its acceptance and use for years! Want that to be the fate of your ideas…?
Make your delivery match your ideas. Here’s a goal for you…if you are the messenger and you have a message, make sure that the message is BETTER because of the way you deliver it. Of course you must work on your content…prepare information, check your facts and numbers, organize the flow…But then rehearse and practice your delivery.
The ladder of success gets narrower as you head to the top. In every business there is usually one CEO and a smaller number of corner offices. A major factor in how you climb that ladder and stay there will be your communication skills. A friend of mine gave me an excellent quote, “Success is measured as much by communication as by competence.” So work on your competence AND sharpen your communication skills. Then when you “deliver” well, you’ll be known as someone with great ideas!
Mike Jousan
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