If they don't buy the problem, they won't want to buy your solution

To turn a business idea into reality, managers need to have the skill, not to just present their idea, but to be able to “think through and sell the scale of the problem or the opportunity” that their idea will capitalise on, i.e.: to sell the problem or opportunity and present their idea as a workable proposal or plan to which their peers and colleagues can say ‘YES’.

There is a synergy between ideas, plans and persuasion that creates the possibility of sound leadership and innovation, the cornerstones of a successful business.The Dean of Harvard, Howard Gardner, was quoted as saying: “A key, perhaps the key to leadership is the effective communication of a story.”

True, but the key to telling a story is having the right thinking in the first place and avoiding the scenario as described by one of the most senior executives in a global FMCG giant who once said of the strategy process:

“ We have spent two months working on the PowerPoint, now we are going to start on the thinking! ”

Getting this wrong of course all comes at a cost as illustrated in our graphic below. Given the astronomical sums involved and the billions invested in learning and development, the question hangs as to why this is perennially the case when a fix is available?

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