Most ideas don’t get rejected because they’re bad. They get rejected because they weren’t pitched in a way that made decision-makers comfortable saying “yes.” If you want your ideas to be approved, you need to understand what’s going on inside the heads of the people deciding.
Let’s break it down.

What Decision-Makers Don’t Want:

• To make mistakes – A wrong decision can make them look bad.
• To be confused – Complexity is a deal-breaker.
•  To take unnecessary risks – They need certainty.
• To read a 50-page business case – They don’t have time.
• To waste time – If it’s not clear and valuable, they’re out.

• To feel confident – They need to justify their approval.
• To see strategic alignment – How does it fit?
• To reduce risk – Show them it’s been validated.
• A clear return on investment – What’s the upside?
• Quick understanding – If they don’t get it in 60 seconds, they move on.

I once worked with a product manager who had a brilliant idea for an internal tool that could save her company thousands of hours in wasted effort. She was convinced it could be a game-changer. But when she pitched it to leadership, they pushed back—saying it was too complicated and not a priority.

The problem? She wasn’t communicating the payoff or proving it was a real need. Instead of showing decision-makers the impact, she overwhelmed them with technical details. She focused on the “how” rather than the “why.” She also had no hard evidence that this was a widespread problem people desperately wanted solved.

The Pivot: From Overlooked to Approved
Rather than giving up, she switched tactics. Instead of pitching the entire concept again, she gathered some low-fi validation—we’re talking one step above the Amish.

She sent out a quick, simple survey:
"Does using the ABC system frustrate you? I think we can fix that for you, but first, I'd love to know how much time this hiccup is costing you. Please select one of the options below."
When the results came in, she did something crucial: she translated frustration into dollars. By multiplying the average hours lost by the company’s charge-out rate, she calculated the financial impact. Suddenly, she had a concrete number—proof of just how much money the company was bleeding due to inefficiencies.

Armed with this, she went back to her boss and said:
"I’ve uncovered a problem that’s costing the company $X,000,000 per year. Would it be a bad idea to run a one-week test with a small team to see if my solution works?"

The Power of a Tiny “Yes”
That one small yes led to a pilot program. The pilot proved the tool's value. Leadership got on board. And now? That tool is saving the company millions annually.
The takeaway? If you make it easy to say yes, you’ll get more yeses.

Before you pitch, ask yourself these three gut-punch questions:

1. Is this a problem worth solving? Can you prove that people want or need this solution?
2. Is there a market willing to pay for it? Can you validate demand with low-cost methods like a spoof landing page, a “buy now” button, or a test ad?
3. Can you prove it works without a million-dollar prototype? Use existing resources or build a lean, low-risk proof of concept to eliminate the biggest uncertainties.

People are wired to say “no” more easily than “yes.” Instead of pushing them into a hesitant yes, invite them to reject something small.

Try this:

• “Would it be a bad idea to explore how much revenue we could generate from this?”
• “Would it be bad to show you how we can validate demand without spending any time or money?”

By framing it this way, they’re more likely to feel comfortable engaging—and once they start engaging, they’re more likely to say yes to the next step.

Instead of pushing for full approval, focus on securing the next logical step. A simple question like:

• “Would it be ridiculous to run a quick, low-cost validation before we go further?”

(Okay, maybe “ridiculous” isn’t the best word, but you get the idea.)

These are just a few of the strategies I cover in my Idea Maverick program, where I teach professionals how to pitch, validate, and sell ideas like a pro. If you want the full framework, check it out here: http://ideamaverick.com/
Next time you pitch, make it easy for them to say yes. Or at least, make it hard for them to say no.

Cheers,
Nils
Founder, Keynote Speaker, Author


PS: Whether you’re looking for an innovation agency to improve your product with innovation, create an innovation disruption, or hack your business growth, we’re here to help.

Nils Vesk is a Four-Time Author and International Keynote Speaker. Nils has worked globally with over 200 bluechip companies including 3M, American Express, Canon, Caltex, Microsoft, Nestle´, IBM, Fuji Xerox, PWC, HP and Pfizer.