Planning for ‘No’ & Getting to ‘Yes’

THE ART OF THE PIVOT

You're in the pitch room, your big idea is out there, and you brace for impact. A 'no' hits. Ouch.

Innovation is peppered with 'no’s’. Picturing yourself unveiling your new idea and getting shut down can be enough to stop you in your tracks. But not only is it not the end—it’s a catalyst propelling you towards a future 'yes’.

GET CURIOUS, NOT DISCOURAGED

Let's flip the script in our minds first. A 'no’ will now pique your curiosity, not deflate it. It's not personal—it's a challenge to refine and rally your idea. And the secret? Every 'no’ gets you closer to 'yes'. It's design thinking 101: iterate, refine, succeed.

MAKE CINICS YOUR BFFs

Make the 'no’ the window to a 'yes'. Run your big idea early on by a few skeptics or naysayers – that’s right, seek out those ‘no’s’! Each time when 'no' surfaces, get to the why. Dissect it. This isn't just about being tenacious; it’s building strategic resilience.

PIVOT TO PERSUASION

Let 'no’ be the whetstone that sharpens your proposal. What are the answers to those nagging doubts? Don’t bury them in your presentation, feature them front and center. Your goal is to craft an argument so persuasive, so engrained in your audience’s psyche that 'yes' becomes the only viable answer.

We’ll leave you with this thought for now…

Every 'no’ can pave the way to a 'yes' that's richer and more well-earned. It's all in how you harness it.

References:

Kelley, T., & Kelley, D. (2013). Creative Confidence: Unleashing the Creative Potential Within Us All. Crown Business.

Abraham, A. (2018). The Neuroscience of Creativity. Cambridge University Press.