{"id":37761,"date":"2023-05-23T15:37:13","date_gmt":"2023-05-23T19:37:13","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/ourpublicservice.org\/?p=37761"},"modified":"2023-05-23T15:37:18","modified_gmt":"2023-05-23T19:37:18","slug":"pitch-your-ideas","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/ourpublicservice.org\/blog\/pitch-your-ideas\/","title":{"rendered":"Stop playing it safe and pitch your ideas"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

We need more change agents in government\u2014people who feel empowered to make suggestions, pitch ideas and push for change. Leaders often encourage innovation, but innovation doesn\u2019t just happen because we want it to. The prerequisites for innovation\u2014an important part of our Public Service Leadership Model<\/a>\u2014are cultivating the right mindset that lets go of fear and judgment, along with developing the skills to make an effective pitch.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The importance of mindset<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n

First, let\u2019s discuss the mindset required to feel confident to pitch your ideas. Effective change agents are not caught up in worry about themselves, their image or what\u2019s in it for them. They embrace humility, defined by an anonymous author as \u201cnot thinking less of yourself, [but] thinking of yourself less<\/em>.\u201d<\/a> That means focusing on how your idea will help achieve your agency\u2019s mission\u2014in other words, focusing on the purpose and the outcome of your idea, not the promotion it will earn you.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Letting go of the fear of failure frees up your brain to get creative and curious about your idea and the good it can do. When we are caught up in \u201csurvival brain,\u201d we\u2019re worried about fighting for our life and avoiding threats.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

This normal, evolutionary reaction saved us in the early days of the human species. But these days, this instinct panics us about an \u201call caps\u201d email or heightens our stress when the boss gives negative feedback. None of these normal stress reactions help us to pitch ideas and take risks. Instead, they keep us playing it safe.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

To shift out of survival brain, we need to tap into a different part of our brain, the prefrontal cortex. This \u201clearning brain\u201d activates curiosity, openness and growth, enables higher-level thinking and enables us to perceive things less as threats and more as opportunities.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

This process, of course, takes practice. Books on mindfulness and neuroscience explain how being present, by focusing on the five senses, enables you to quiet your inner judge or your modern-day \u201csurvival brain.\u201d Once you\u2019re focused and present, you can work on cultivating a feeling of empowerment so you\u2019re ready to make the pitch.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Making the pitch<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Even with the right mindset in place, you still need some skills and best practices to make your pitch effective. Here are some tips and questions for consideration:<\/p>\n\n\n\n