How to Make Your Ideas Stick

Have you ever had someone take credit for your idea?

Maybe it wasn't intentional. But you share something in a meeting, it goes nowhere, and then two weeks later a colleague presents the same concept and gets celebrated for it.

It's frustrating. 

And here's what I've learned after years of studying leadership effectiveness: when this happens it doesn't mean your ideas are weak. The problem is making them stick. And that's a skill you can learn.

What makes an idea stick?

A "sticky idea" is one that's memorable, impactful, and easy to repeat. It lodges itself in people's minds and stays associated with you. I learned the concept from Chip Heath and Dan Heath, authors of Made to Stick: Why Some Ideas Survive and Others Die.

But even the stickiest idea needs strategic delivery. That's where my Prime-Deliver-Solidify framework comes in.

Here are three practical steps you can follow to ensure your ideas are memorable and credited to you:

Prime: Plant the idea before the meeting

Earlier in my career, when I shared my ideas, sometimes they landed but sometimes they didn't. 

Now I know that priming my audience beforehand is key. As a result, I don't wait until I'm in the conversation to introduce my ideas.

Instead, I send an agenda note or a quick message that includes a compelling data point or question related to my concept. 

For example: "Looking forward to tomorrow's strategy call. Research shows that 90% of organizations fail to successfully execute their strategic goals and I want ensure that you're in the top 10% who do." (1)

What I've just done is position myself as a strategic thinker before the discussion even begins. When I speak up in the meeting, my audience is already primed to listen because I've established credibility and created anticipation.

Deliver: Name your idea in the meeting

Here's where most of us lose the credit battle. We share our thinking but don't give it a memorable handle.

Instead of saying "We should focus more on clients," You might now say: "I'm proposing what I call the Q3 Retention Initiative Plan."

Naming your idea does several powerful things. First, it makes your concrete and repeatable. Second, it creates a mental bookmark that associates the concept with you. And finally, it signals that you've thought this through strategically, not just tossed out a casual observation.

But don't stop at the name. tie your idea directly to results. For example:

"The Q3 Client Retention Plan focuses on personalized outreach to our top 80 accounts, which represent 68% of our revenue. Based on similar approaches at other companies, we could expect to improve retention by 20-25%."

That's how ideas become memorable and actionable.

Solidify: Document your contribution after the meeting

Typically, after a meeting ends, everyone moves on to the next thing. This is the moment when ideas often get fuzzy or misattributed.

Be sure not to let that happen!

Now, within 24 hours, send a follow-up message: "Great discussion today. Here's a brief outline of the Q3 Client Retention Plan I proposed, including the three-phase implementation plan we discussed."

You might want to attach a simple one-pager. Now you've created a paper trail that documents your contribution and ensures it stays credited with you. When leadership moves forward with the initiative or references it in future meetings, your name is attached.

Why this framework changes everything

When your ideas go uncredited, it diminishes affects your visibility, your advancement opportunities, and your compensation. Research shows that women's contributions, in particular, are more likely to be interrupted, overlooked, or attributed to others, particularly in male-dominated environments. 

I've seen this play out several times with my clients. One senior director I worked with had brilliant strategic instincts, but her ideas got overlooked. She was frustrated and - when she came to me as a new client - had started to doubt herself.

We implemented the Prime-Deliver-Solidify framework. Within several months, her visibility had shifted dramatically. Her ideas were not only being implemented but credited to her. And the next year, she was promoted.

The framework doesn't just help your ideas succeed. It ensures you get the recognition you've earned.

Start small and build momentum

You don't need to use this framework for every comment you make - I certainly don't!

But choose strategically. When you have an idea that could genuinely impact your work, team or organization, invest the extra effort to make it stick.

Over time, as you consistently prime, deliver, and solidify your contributions, something shifts. People start to see you differently and they anticipate your insights. They''ll seek your perspective and remember not just what was said, but who said it.

Your next level starts here

When you design your message to stick, you don't just get heard, you get remembered and recognized.

And that changes everything.

What ideas have you shared that deserved more credit? I'd love to hear about it. And if you're ready to ensure your next big idea gets the recognition it deserves, start practicing this framework today.

Schedule your Complimentary Strategy Consultation with me here.

ENDNOTES:

Kaplan, Robert S. and Norton, David P. (October 2005).  Harvard Business Review:  Balance Scorecard - The Office of Strategy Management.  Accessed on December 14, 2025. https://hbr.org/2005/10/the-office-of-strategy-management