The hardest part about pitching a disruptive idea? Getting leadership to see past the present.
They’re focused on this quarter’s revenue, this year’s challenges, and the problems in front of them.
Just ask the guy at Kodak who invented the digital camera. Or the guy at Blockbuster who said, “hey, how about streaming?” Or upteenth failed pitch to VCs for a company that let you rent out a room in your house and become an AirBnb host.
But your idea? It’s about the future.
So how do you bridge that gap? You take them there.
Like so many of my clients, you must use storytelling to de-risk the innovation you’re promoting. Whether it’s reputational risk, financial or competitive risk, Innovation Storytelling helps you put your audience in a safe future where your idea is flourishing through their support.
Relatable Problem: Leadership is too focused on short-term goals to see the long-term vision of your disruptive idea.
Pro Tip: Use the Executive Time Machine to fast-forward them into the future:
- Start with “It’s five years from now…” (Create a vivid mental shift.)
- Describe what has changed—both externally and internally.
- Show how the other companies [especially esteemed brands and competitors] that adapted early are winning.
- Make your idea feel like the logical next step—not a risk.
Example:
A healthcare innovation leader pitching AI-powered diagnostics started with this:
“It’s five years from now. 90% of hospitals are using AI to detect diseases before symptoms even appear. The companies that invested early have cut misdiagnoses in half, and we can do it in half the time. The ones that waited? They’re scrambling to catch up. The question isn’t ‘Should we invest in this?’—it’s ‘Do we want to lead or fall behind?’”
For a moment, leadership felt like they were already in the future.
And suddenly, saying no to the idea felt like going backward.
Make them step into the future. They’ll never want to go back.