E is for Excitement

Continuing the ABCs of Innovation, I now turn my attention to the letter "E."  You can catch-up by reading my previous posts, starting with: A is for Awareness.

E is for Excitement!
Excitement actually plays a dual role in the practice of innovation...

First, you have to feel excited about an idea if you're going to work passionately toward making it a reality.  Here are three tips for building and maintaining excitement about a project:

1. Work in an area for which you already have passion.

2. Envision the rewards you will enjoy once the project is complete.

3. Celebrate small victories on your path toward your end-goal.

"Get excited and enthusiastic about your own dream. This excitement is like a forest fire -- you can smell it, taste it, and see it from a mile away."
~ Denis Waitley

Second, it is only through an exchange of excitement (causing others to feel the same excitement that you feel) will get others to provide the buy-in necessary to move your idea forward.  These three tips will help you win allies by arousing in them a similar passion for your project:

1. Pitch your project in terms of how the other person will benefit.  Don't focus on your own selfish interests -- focus on THEIR self interests!

2. People buy on emotion and justify with facts. You might not be "selling" them a physical product, but you certainly want them to buy-in to your project, and that means all the same principles apply.  Push their emotional hot buttons to get them excited enough to say "yes" -- but include enough facts and data to help them justify their decision.

3. Recruit support from people who are passionate about the focus of your innovation.  Don't try to sell a salad to someone who hates vegetables.

"In motivating people, you've got to engage their minds and their hearts. I motivate people, I hope, by example - and perhaps by excitement, by having productive ideas to make others feel involved."
~ Rupert Murdoch

What are you doing to excite yourself and others about your ideas and projects? Are you doing enough?

Comments

[Brick Paver]

Excitement drives many aspects of business. Innovation is one area. Excitement generates ideas. Ideas, that sometimes are different and different thinking drives innovation. Excitement is an element of passion and successful business people have a passion.