It’s one thing to have a good idea. Quite another to tell a story that will rally important firm stakeholders around that idea. That’s what Day 4 of the sprint is for; today teams will build and practice their pitches, in preparation for live-pitching Baker Tilly’s Innovation Board tomorrow.

I’m not going to lie. People get nervous today. They start worrying about making a perfect presentation. We remind them: none of these ideas are perfect. They aren’t pitching a full-blown strategy. They’re pitching a kernel of truth and possibility.

As a framework for their presentations, we teach Andy Raskin’s 5-part pitch. They wrestle with it through the morning and then prep their presentations in the afternoon.

Just like yesterday, we emphasize prototyping over planning the presentation; and testing over perseverating. When in doubt, just stop planning and do a run-through. Now, do another one.

At the end of Thursday, we ask participants to reflect on how their thinking has changed this week, using the frame “I used to think… but now I think…”

The week is not just about generating scalable ideas for the firm; it’s also about supporting each participant to see themselves as an innovator. Here are some of their reflections:

• “I used to think that quickly solving problems or challenges was best, but now I think really understanding the issue context and getting feedback is powerful.”
• “I used to think I was pushing the boulder up the hill alone but now I think there are others pushing the boulder as well, and that might mean we can together make progress.”
• “I used to think big problems need big solutions, but now I think sometimes insights lead you to simpler, smaller solutions.”
• “I used to think that I was not good at being innovative. If it was not a big life changing idea, it would not make a difference. I now realize that it is the small steps and trials that can make the biggest change.”

End the Innovation Ignite journey with me in my fifth and final telegram from the field here.