Bridge is essential for crossing obstacles such as river, canal, railways, etc… that come in the way of achieving progress – forward movement in required direction! Why do we need bridges within an organization?

In every organization, tribes exist. Tribes – silos in the form of various functional groups with focused target on a set of goals like – sales, delivery, marketing, onsite team, offshore team, pre-sales, HR,…etc. The purpose of formation hinges around achieving functional success – typical ‘inch wide mile deep’ expertise in an area that is very essential for success of the organization as a whole. But, for various reasons of – self preservation, distinctive identity, emotional bondage/deep belonging, safety/security, self interest, comfort zone, etc., tribes tend to create a barrier for seamless integration required for inorganic growth and exponential progress path!

To be a dreamer doer within a company, it becomes critical to be a good tribal expert with solid foundation of value based relationship across tribes!! Since dreamer doer also belongs to one tribe or the other at a given time, building and maintaining functional bridges within and across tribes, is very important to succeed continuously and seamlessly!!

Right bridges help – cross over, move ahead and take people along… to something meaningful for everyone – be it a project, program, initiative, business pursuit, disruptive innovation,.. overall transformation into a happy zone!

One important step in this direction is to ensure that no bridge is burnt, at any step! As the famous saying goes –

The person, department or functional area you criticize today may be the ally you need tomorrow. Even if you are grinding gears with another part of the organization, never diminish, disparage or dehumanize people from another tribe. Remember the REAL OPPONENT is out there, not in here.

Most simple situation of burning bridges arise during – hard fire fighting over a problem, a resource, a priority conflict, a project issue, a difference in understanding of a requirement, discussion on “a way of working” or something more simple/special!

Whatever be the push, pull or perspective, it is very useful to learn and adopt our own technique of “fighting fires without burning bridges! It may be as simple as being scientific than defensive when pushed to a corner in a negotiation!

If not already done, I think it’s worth taking an oath – Never to burn a bridge!, at any cost!!!

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WOO –> Winning Others Over, is one of the most critical success factors for every dreamer doer in the crowd! We may have a great idea and still be stuck in the middle of no where! How do they do it?

Simple – They sell their idea effectively – one at a time to everyone in their organization! People call this Strategic Persuasion – Inducement to act by reasoning or entreaty – urgent need.

Interestingly, dreams are personal beliefs or judgment that is not founded on proof or certainty. So, to realize them it is important to bring relevance of results to all those who get impacted or required to be involved! Wise men term this as an art! But, art is just a superior skill that one can learn by study and practice and observation! So, anyone interested can acquire this with investment of appropriate time, energy and effort!

As G. Richard Shell and Mario Moussa say:

“Your projects, programs and career turn on the difference between "no" and "yes." Yet selling ideas – especially the kinds of ideas that make organizations work – is a skill shrouded in mystery. Part emotional intelligence, part politics, part rhetoric and part psychology, selling ideas is not tricking someone out of their money. It’s about helping others to see things your way – engaging their minds and imaginations. Winning them over.”

In the crowd – being part of an organization, how to woo?

Training helps – Our own Internal Sales Training will be of great help to learn what it takes to sell and how? Couple this with Persuasion and communication skills modules for better results. Practice to perfect!

Additionally, here is a simple list of thumb rules picked up by meeting, discussing and observing great dreamer doers in the crowd – Check out, Use, Add/Modify with your own learning and share as appropriate – to create more dreamer doers!

1. Do the home work – Validate the idea in the context of the organization, preferably the urgent need in front! – Bring Relevance!
2. Create a clear, concise and compelling articulation of the idea – supported by any adjacent info, data, opinions of acclaimed authority/agency – Bring Relevance!
3. Share this idea with the mentor, preferably another dreamer doer. Seek feedback and bring more relevance! – This is the first sale! If you can sell it to your mentor, you can sell it to anyone!
4. Share the modified articulation with your immediate supervisor – Seek feedback and bring more relevance! – This is your second sale – Identify key stake holders along with your supervisor. (If your supervisor is the mentor, you save this effort!)
5. Take the modified articulation to key stake holders, preferably along with or through your supervisor and or mentor! – Seek feedback and bring more relevance. – This is your third sale!
6. Continue till everyone is sold!– those who might get impacted or need to be involved are covered! If you have made top three sales successfully, there will definitely be a team to help you sell this idea to larger crowd!
7. Be ready for Rejection, Refusal, and no – response situations all along the process. Seek feedback and bring relevance in each step, go back with more relevance – till everyone is sold on the idea! or the idea itself becomes solid – Relevant!
8. Participate – Be ready to walk-the-mile required to realize the idea – as a leader, member and/or an observer. Ideas just proposed – without a desire and drive to realize will generally fade, loose momentum or get dropped without a valid reason. Beware – this will hurt badly in the next run!
9. Take pride in the sale – not credit for the idea – once it is sold! – Bring Relevance to your idea and yourself in the journey!
10. Logically close the deal – archive the data, results and next steps. Share as appropriate to enable other dreamer doers.

So, what matters is – Relevance of idea and first three sales! – more so a systematic approach! Rest will follow through the process of progressive elaboration and narrowing of scope driven by passion! Three successful journeys will gift you a pride of mastering this art!

Never stop midway, Go for it!

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