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September 1, 2010
Owning Your Ideas
 You didn't get where you are today by sitting back and letting opportunities pass you by. So why didn't you voice that great idea at the last company meeting? Businesses lose without ever knowing it if you don't speak up.
"I find that people have wonderfully great ideas, but they may share them at the water cooler or at lunch with friends," says Monica Luechtefeld, executive vice president of global e-commerce at Office Depot. "If you are committed to a project that you think could impact your company, you've got to step up to be the voice of it and continue to lobby for it."
Ready to raise your voice?
If you aren't naturally assertive, try these tricks: maintain eye contact, don't give into interruptions when speaking and be ready to answer any questions you are asked about your idea.
Your body language and tone will show whether you're confident, and explaining your thought thoroughly while backing it up with reasoning will help validate your idea.
Want to encourage your employees to be advocates for their ideas? Ask your team to brainstorm at the end of a meeting, make them feel comfortable sharing, and give positive feedback.
PINK Profile: Check out our exclusive profile on Luechtefeld, PINK's Top Woman of the Week!
By Caroline Cox
"Sometimes the biggest act of courage is a small one." Lauren Raffo
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