How can you help women leaders advocate for their ideas?

Women leaders can effectively advocate for their ideas by tailoring messages to their audience, clearly defining the addressed problem, and emphasizing quantifiable benefits. Understanding the audience ensures resonance, while a clear problem statement and highlighted benefits provide a compelling value proposition. This approach enhances the likelihood of gaining support and acceptance for their ideas.

As a leader, it's essential to have a clear mission for your role, team, and company. Before formulating your value proposition, deeply reflect on and understand this mission. As a SERVPRO franchise owner, my mission is to guide clients through their toughest times in disaster relief. This mission directs my team and shapes my leadership identity, guiding us in delivering exceptional service. To build an effective value proposition, it's important to align with not only your personal mission but also that of your company. Take time to introspect and ensure your leadership style embodies these missions.

Answering three questions can help. 1. Is the idea desirable? Is it something people want or need? Does it address a real issue or provide value? Ensure it resonates with your audience or stakeholders. 2. Is it feasible? Can it be realistically achieved with available resources? Consider time, budget, and expertise. Check if the necessary conditions exist to make it happen. What else is going on? 3. Is it viable? Does it make sense from a business or practical standpoint? Assess its sustainability and long-term potential. Ensure it aligns with your overall strategy. So, essentially, it's about finding that sweet spot where your ideas not only sound great but are also doable and make sense in the bigger picture.

Advocating for your ideas starts with clear, strategic communication. Define your value proposition by aligning your idea with the organization’s vision, solving a problem, or creating opportunities. When pitching, focus on outcomes and impacts rather than details, emphasizing the “why” and the measurable results. Prepare for objections by anticipating concerns and addressing them with confidence. Finally, build a support network of mentors and allies to amplify your voice. Great ideas thrive when women leaders are empowered to share them. Let’s create spaces where every idea is heard, embraced, and celebrated. 🌟

Women often spend more time perfecting their presentation than building support for it. I encourage women to make the time to network in advance and gather the votes they need. You may not play golf but there are many ways to build your coalition, strengthen relationships and soft sound your ideas in advance. This process allows for feedback, honing ideas and knowing where you stand when you walk in to present.

To garner support for their ideas, women leaders should identify key stakeholders and communicate the value proposition clearly. Building relationships with potential supporters, understanding their perspectives, and aligning the idea with shared interests will help create a strong coalition, enhancing the chances of successful implementation.

Women leaders can effectively advocate for their ideas by building a coalition of support. Start by engaging decision-makers, influencers, and allies who can help advance your proposal. Seek feedback and endorsements from mentors, peers, or customers to validate and refine your idea. Building a network of support not only amplifies your voice but also fosters shared ownership and commitment. Collaboration strengthens credibility and visibility, increasing the likelihood of your idea gaining traction and overcoming barriers. Advocacy isn’t a solo effort—strong alliances lead to stronger outcomes.

The key to selling ideas through story is to make the future familiar to the audience. Compare your idea to something they already know... but your idea has added value.

Infuse your idea with storytelling and emotion to captivate your audience. Begin by sharing a relatable scenario that highlights the problem your idea addresses, engaging emotions and emphasizing its human impact. Transition seamlessly to your proposed solution, illustrating how it positively transforms the situation. This approach not only captures attention but also creates a lasting impression, fostering empathy and garnering support for your idea.

Advocating for your idea through storytelling and emotion can create a strong connection with your audience. Use stories to illustrate your vision, highlight the idea's relevance, and inspire action. Share examples, evidence, and testimonials that reinforce your message while showing your passion and purpose. Emotion can further strengthen your pitch by appealing to values and beliefs, leaving a lasting impression. However, balance is key—overusing emotion can feel manipulative or unprofessional. A thoughtful mix of storytelling and genuine emotion ensures your message resonates and motivates effectively.

Flexibility is key for women leaders advocating ideas. Adapt your message to fit the context and audience. Consider cultural or industry nuances, adjusting language and tone accordingly. Understanding your audience's values and priorities allows you to tailor your communication effectively. This adaptability not only showcases versatility but also enhances the chances of your ideas being well-received.

First, consider, in which ‘camp’ or group or cluster of cultural norms do I sit: 1) EAF Or 2) EAF 1 = Expected as Accepted and Familiar 2 = Endured as Accepted and Familiar

The ability to finesse challenging discussions and tailor presentations to your audience is a vital leadership skill. Leaders—regardless of gender—can gain a significant edge by thoughtfully preparing for these interactions. Preparation is key: Who is your audience? Are they executives or individual contributors? Does the discussion require a business or technical focus? Shape your message to align with their level and objectives. Additionally, consider cultural differences or language barriers. With AI tools, translating presentations has become simpler, enhancing communication in diverse settings. Present at a deliberate pace, speaking clearly to ensure your audience has time to process, translate, and ask questions.

Staying positive and not getting dragged down or off course is critical. Women in leadership have to deal with so many stereotypes and so much baggage in the workplace on a normal day, it is important when championing an idea to keep the eye on the prize and stay positive. The cliche "don't let the haters bring you down" has a lot of merit here. If the idea or cause is truly strong, it should be able to stand up to some resistance, how you handle that could very well dictate the success of the current push and build strength for future pushes.

What’s interesting about this question is adding in the word ‘woman’. Advocating ideas pretty much needs the same approach irrespective of gender - strong rationale, benefits, emotional connection, allies, etc. The nuance here perhaps falls into two areas: 1. Research has found that women have to work harder at building credibility for their suggestions / ideas. This can be due to a few reasons including the way in which they pitch - taking too long to get to the point and unconscious bias in the room. 2. Women leaders can doubt in their minds if they will be heard / taken seriously / that their view matters. And then they stay quiet. The answer lies in creating cultures that connect diversity, courage and learning at their core.

I believe there is a fundamental issue with this headline. Instead of focusing on “women” it should just focus on leaders irrespective of the gender. There is an inherent bias that women leaders need to do or think differently to get their ideas sold. The biggest lesson I’ve learnt as a leader is to speak to the audience in the room, be nimble and flexible to change things at the last moment and focus on the storytelling vs the outcomes. For example many PR leaders overemphasize on the budget ask. Just share why PR is important as a strategic lever for the business and the risk of not leveraging it. If you do that well, the budget will come along!

There’s always value in making an effort, especially if it’s a value you hold dearly. Asking for something we believe in and explain how are ask enables or furthers that cause energizes us and quiets our fears. T sharing the value in a brief story one that remembers someone and thing you believe deserves more , turns into an easy exercise. Using your voice and effort to protect and defend, your authenticity and passion will carry you forward.