I have all of these fantastic ideas for call centres that i am in love with and so passionate about... but how do i get them heard?

I have a bit of self righteous angst about this cos it seems to me like selling has destroyed ideas. I mean, i can't sell, and i don't want to, but why should the value of my ideas be judged on my selling merits. Like, nobody will pay attention to what i have to say unless their attention is grabbed in the first 5 seconds... erm, ok then, but that is kida ludicrous.

I have the best ideas since sliced bread makers were trained to slice bread... surely this is a good thing to be encouraged? It shouldn't be an obstacle course. Feels like it though.

Some people will say they don't like "Sales" but really "sales" and sales people are just good at communicating their idea's and goals.

Not all idea's have to be presented in a verbal format which you may be uncomfortable with, try creating a one page brief proposal of your idea's and then solicit some feedback on it.

And don't say "one page isn't enough". If you can't communicate exactly what your idea is and what you hope to accomplish within 1 page then it's not worth it.

*disclaimer: I have been guilty of creating 50 page RFPs and Project Documents, but the executive summary is always just a page.

Probably the only real way to get an idea heard, or rather, to learn how to properly present it is to get a mentor or consultant who can assist you. Feel free to post an idea here if you want and we can provide you feedback.

Passing info along really has to do with what ideas and where to? Ideas for you particular centre can usually be passed along via memos, meetings, or even the suggestion box in the hall. Ideas for the corporation can often be e-mailed via the corporate home page. Ideas for the industry: forums like this and trade magazines. Regardless of how you will be spreading the word, here are a few suggestions of how to make sure your ideas are not disregarded immediately:

- keep it short. People rarely have time to devote to anything lengthy unless they are already very interested. You need not explain every detail in the first go. Just give enough explanation to carry the basic premise, your audience can always ask for more details.

- be clear. Often, when we try to present an idea, we are so wrapped up in our understanding that we ramble on and assume everyone can follow. If you have doubts about your clarity, try explaining it to an un-involved person like a forum member or friend.

- presentation is important. Outline the issue you are addressing. Do this in brief terms, but do not assume your audience has any background information. For example, the manager of your centre may not be aware of problems with the headsets, given that they do not work the phones.

- Once you have explained the issue, present your solution. It is usually best to open with a single-sentence explanation, then go into some detail. This permits people to see problem and solution in immediate combination. When elaborating on your idea, again, stick to an overview, but also give a couple of specific examples of the problem and how your idea fixes it.

Do not dismiss your superiors so readily. The fact that they have a particular job description, such as Sales, does not mean they ignore everything else. Most people are open to suggestions for improvements and everybody knows that good ideas can come from anywhere. Good Luck!

Just to reiterate Jeff's points. It is all about storytelling.

One guy who has introduced this concept in business today is Cliff Atkinson, the author of Beyond Bullet Points. By focusing on the problem and the three reasons why your idea solves that problem you will engage with your audience and make them want to listen to you.

James