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I’m sure we’ve all been there.
That feeling of despair when you pitch an idea you truly believe in, and the room goes silent. Or worse – someone laughs that laugh that says, “How cute that you thought this would work.”
Three years ago, I pitched an idea that literally made my boss laugh—not the good kind, but the "oh, you sweet summer child" kind that makes you want to crawl under your desk.
Today, that same idea fuels our top-performing initiative.
What changed wasn’t the idea itself, but how I handled the resistance.
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It is so important not to confuse skepticism with outright rejection.
Skepticism is actually a pretty important first step when it comes to believing in an idea.
Every time we hear someone say, "That’s not how we do things around here," we get a chance to show them why our way might be worth a shot.
First they ignore you. Then they ridicule you. And then they attack you and want to burn you. And then they build monuments to you
When considering what makes new ideas work well, here’s something important to keep in mind:
Many of us often mix up persistence with stubbornness.
But it's not always about pushing harder; sometimes, it’s about finding smarter ways to tackle the challenges to your ideas.
Think about it. Successful innovators are defined by their ability to persevere through challenges and failures.
There are many examples, but consider:
Dyson Vacuum: James Dyson created 5,271 prototypes before developing a successful vacuum cleaner.
WD-40: This popular lubricant got its name from being the 40th attempt to create a degreaser and rust-protection solvent.
So, how can you better tackle challenges to your ideas?
Yep, I have a framework for you.
Try the SHIELD framework for protecting your ideas (and your sanity):
S - Strategic patience (Play the long game)
H - Hear the resistance (Mine the gold in “no”)
I - Information gathering (Build your case)
E - Evolve, don’t abandon (Flex, don’t fold)
L - Lead with results (Show, don’t tell)
D - Document progress (Build momentum)
Let’s get it:
S - Strategic Patience: Play the Long Game
Think of this as planting a garden, not picking flowers.
Know when to push and when to pause
Build support before asking for decisions
Let ideas marinate with decision-makers
Instead of “This needs to happen now or never”
Try “Let’s build momentum step by step”
Timing kills more good ideas than logic ever does.
H - Hear the Resistance: Mine the Gold in “no”
Think of this as free consulting, not rejection.
Listen for the fear behind the feedback
Map out specific concerns and objections
Identify the problems they see that you don’t
Instead of “They just don’t get it”
Try “What are they seeing that I’m missing?”
Every objection is a blueprint for improvement.
I - Information Gathering: Build your case
Think of this as building armor for your idea.
Run small experiments that prove concepts
Collect real data about impact and feasibility
Document every small success and learning
Instead of “Trust me, this will work”
Try “Here’s what we’ve proven so far”
Data whispers louder than opinions shout.
E - Evolve, don’t abandon: Flex, don’t fold
Think of this as sculpting, not surrendering.
Adapt your approach while keeping your core vision
Incorporate valid concerns into your solution
Find creative ways around real obstacles
Instead of “It’s all or nothing”
Try “Here’s how we can adjust to make this work”
The best ideas get better through resistance.
L - Lead with results: Show, don’t tell
Think of this as building a case file of wins.
Start with the smallest possible proof points
Demonstrate value in low-risk settings
Let success make your argument for you
Instead of “Imagine what this could do”
Try “Look at what this has already done”
Results convert skeptics better than rhetoric.
D - Document progress: Build momentum
Think of this as creating a highlight reel.
Keep detailed records of every win
Track unexpected benefits and learnings
Build a narrative of continuous improvement
Instead of “Trust the process”
Try “Here’s our progress so far, step by step”
Progress patterns prove potential.
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Keep Your Ideas Alive with the Navigating Resistance Worksheet
In a world where game-changing innovations often get labeled "impossible" before they get labeled "obvious," your resilience might be the difference between "it'll never work" and "I can't believe we ever did it differently."
Your job isn't to avoid resistance; it's to build your SHIELD stronger than the pressure to quit.
Here’s the framework in action:
How one product manager turned resistance into company-wide adoption:
Strategic Patience: Asked for a three-month pilot instead of full launch
Hear Resistance: Found out the sales team’s real fear was quarterly targets
Information Gathering: Ran customer survey showing 67% demand
Evolve: Modified rollout to phased approach addressing IT concerns
Lead with Results: Locked in three major clients for beta
Document Progress: Built dashboard showing 40% increase in engagement
Result: Former skeptics became the biggest advocates, and the whole company adopted it.
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POLL
What’s holding you back from pushing through resistance to your ideas?
LEVEL UP
Your 7-day SHIELD challenge:
Day 1: Map every objection you’ve heard to your idea
AI Prompt: "Analyze my innovation's main objections. For each one, identify potential underlying fears and reframe as constructive feedback. The innovation is [describe your idea]. Common objections include [list 2-3 objections]."Day 2: Find one valid point in each piece of resistance
AI Prompt: "Help me extract valuable insights from this piece of resistance I received: [paste specific feedback]. What might be valid about their concern? How could this improve my approach?"Day 3: Design one small experiment to test your concept
AI Prompt: "Help me design a micro-experiment to test a key assumption about my innovation. My main uncertainty is [describe concern]. Available resources include [list resources]. Time frame is 1 week."Day 4: Collect one piece of data
AI Prompt: "Help me identify and frame evidence that would be most persuasive for my key stakeholder. They are [describe role/priorities]. Current evidence includes [list data points]. What's missing?"Day 5: Adjust your approach based on feedback
AI Prompt: "Help me adapt my innovation pitch based on these recurring concerns: [list feedback]. Current pitch focuses on [current emphasis]. How should I evolve while keeping core value?"Day 6: Build the smallest possible proof-of-concept
AI Prompt: "Help me design the smallest viable demonstration of my innovation that would address main stakeholder concerns: [list top 2 concerns]. Available resources: [list constraints]."Day 7: Write your progressive win roadmap
AI Prompt: "Help me create a 30-60-90 day roadmap for advancing my innovation through resistance. Current status: [describe]. Main stakeholder concerns: [list top 3]. Available resources: [list key assets]."CURATED ROUNDUP
Essential Links
Book: “The Innovator’s Solution” by Clayton Christensen
Podcast: “Persistence & Perseverance Without the Burnout” by Kristi Angevine
Article: “5 Most Effective Ways to Sell Change” by Glem Llopis
Video: “The Art of Innovation” - Guy Kawasaki
Ready to sharpen your soft skills even more? Use Blinkist for quick, powerful insights from top non-fiction books and podcasts.
Remember: Good ideas don’t die from resistance – they die from giving up too soon.
When we learn to use resistance as a refining tool rather than seeing it as a wall, we don’t just protect our ideas – we make them stronger.
And in a world where many change initiatives fail due to resistance, that might be the most important skill we can develop.
Thanks for reading. UNTIL NEXT YEAR Be easy!
Girvin
P.S. What was the one piece of resistance that made your idea better? Hit reply and let me know.
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