Creativity is the fuel that powers innovation. New ideas can come from anywhere, and your team members may not always feel comfortable sharing them because of fear of failure or being judged for their idea. Something as simple as a presentation can be a powerful tool in introducing new ideas to your team. A presentation provides structure around an idea, making it more accessible and memorable for your audience. It also gives you as the presenter a chance to practice your pitch and focus on key points you want to get across. There are two ways you can use presentations to introduce new ideas at work: by creating your own presentation deck or by making sure you’re invited to present when someone else on your team has an idea they want to share with the group. Let’s take a closer look at both scenarios and how they could benefit you and your team at work.
Create your own presentation deck
If you want to introduce a new idea and you haven’t found an opportunity to present it, you can create your own presentation deck. You can use one of these three templates to kickstart your creativity.
The Problem/Solution approach lays out the problem that you’re hoping to solve. Depending on the problem you’re trying to solve, you’ll want to include data or examples that illustrate the issue. This can be helpful if you’re trying to drive home a particularly important problem or opportunity that you want your team to understand.
The SWOT analysis is a strategic method that examines an organization’s strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats. You’ll want to use this for a new idea that pertains to your team or organization as a whole. When using this method, you’ll want to start with strengths and then identify opportunities, weaknesses, and threats.
The Vision or Goals approach is a great way to introduce a long-term initiative or a new strategic plan for your team or organization.
Become a presenter for other team members’ ideas
While you’re waiting for an idea to get introduced to the group, you can jump in and become the presenter for another team member’s idea. If you see a team member struggling to pitch an idea to the group, you can step in and help them get the presentation off the ground. You can also offer your help if you’re present when someone else shares an idea that you think will be beneficial to the group. By helping someone else present their idea to the group, you can provide guidance on making the idea easier to understand and digest. This will also give you a chance to practice your pitch and get comfortable presenting it to the group. By helping other team members get their ideas off the ground, you not only make the team more innovative, but you also make yourself more valuable.
By the way, you can also use the slide deck from your meeting as the foundation for your next ideation session.
By helping others practice their idea with you before presenting to the whole group
If you want to help someone else present their idea but you don’t want to become the presenter for the idea yourself, you can help the individual practice their pitch with you. By helping someone else practice their pitch ahead of time, you can make sure that they’re getting their main points across and making the idea more accessible. By helping another team member practice their pitch with you before they present to the group, you can help them make sure they’re hitting the key points they want to get across. By helping someone else practice their pitch, you can also become familiar with their idea and be more prepared to answer any questions the group may have when it comes time for the presenter to address them.
How to introduce new ideas with a presentation
Now that you know how to get the ball rolling on new ideation and presentation opportunities, it’s time to put your knowledge to the test. By following these tips, you’ll be well on your way to using presentations to introduce new ideas to your team and organization.
Do your research and understand what you’re talking about
Before you present an idea, make sure you’re informed about the topic. You’ll want to know the issue at hand and the potential solutions that have been suggested in the past. If you’re introducing an idea for the first time, you’ll want to make sure you’re prepared with data and examples to back up your points.
Make sure your slides are simple and easy to read
Your presentation should be easy to follow, so don’t overcomplicate them with fancy designs or a ton of information on a single slide. Keep your slides simple and organized so your audience knows where you’re going with the presentation.
Practice your pitch so you can nail it and stay on track
Make sure you practice your pitch a few times before you give it and try to stay on track. You don’t want to get side-tracked and lose your audience. When you practice your pitch, you’ll be more familiar with the language you’re using as well as the order of your talking points.
Keep your presentation brief and to the point
Ideas can become stale if you’re not careful. By keeping your presentation to a single slide deck and ending when you’ve presented your idea and its potential benefits, you can cut the risk of your idea becoming dated.
Conclusion
As a creative and innovative individual, you have a responsibility to share your ideas with the world. However, it’s easy to get stuck in your own head, worried about what your colleagues will think and unsure of where to go next. Bringing your ideas to the table can be accomplished in a variety of ways, whether you present your ideas to the team at work or create a presentation for your colleagues to view online. By leveraging the power of a presentation, you can share your ideas with your colleagues in a simple and straightforward manner, making sure they understand your proposal and its benefits.