How To Get People To Be Open To A Diverse Idea

June 11, 2012

You walk in to the meeting room knowing you need to get people to STOP doing things the old way and be receptive to a new way of doing things. You look around the room and you see leery eyes, set mouths and people ready to defend why you need to keep doing things the way you have always done them.

So how do you get them out of that mode?

First realize that they are not fighting you, they are fighting the idea that they have to let go of things as they know and understand them and move in to the unknown. The more chaos and change your organization is in the more people will fight to hold on to things they feel some comfort in.

So don’t try to shower them with how wonderful it will be as they will feel you are just trying to sell them an idea and they will dig their heels in even further.

Don’t try to steamroller them as they will feel they are losing even more voice and will try to push back.

Instead share something that shatters their traditional thinking and gets them to let go of how they see things. Saying something like, “So what does a soft commercial real estate market and aging sports athletes have in common? Well both are taking advantage of a new opportunity to take unused industrial space and convert it in to sports centers for gymnastic, volleyball, and basketball programs. It helps the commercial real estate business stay strong in a down turn and it helps athletes start a business in a market that has temperamental weather conditions.

Both sides win by using new innovative thinking. I am here to talk to you about how we too, can use innovative thinking, to do something in a whole new way. It will require us to let go of how we used to do things and look to setting a new standard. Here is what I propose…”

Can you feel how that shifts your thinking?

When you are looking to shift the thinking you need to expand the mind and help it let go of the past.

Learn more about the Outcome Focus® Leadership Development Training by calling 952-921-9421.