A number of similarly themed blog entries have popped up very recently around the concept of protecting/selling ideas:

Jim Todhunter's Innovating to Win Blog = "Innovating Past No"

Jeffrey Phillips' Innovate on Purpose Blog = "We Just Aren't Very Creative"

Steve Swann's ThinkingHow Blog = "A Parable for Modern Times"

Each outstanding blog entry shares the difficulty we all have in protecting our fledgling ideas.  Each also offers some invaluable advice on how to: get past the "no", think of your organization as "creative" and teach the story of deciding on what is important for your organization.

One of the ways I like to combat "idea killing" is through training sessions with individual contributors and middle management on the concept of idea stimulating conversation:

• "Tell me more..."
• "What made you think of this idea?"
• "If we explored this idea, what would be your first step?"
• "What can I do to help?"
• "Who/what do you need to explore this idea?"
• "What do you see as the benefit of this idea?"
• "Yes, and..."
• "How can/might we?"
• "What problem are we trying to solve?"

New ideas are always going to be challenged.  They disrupt the illusion of "comfort" within the status quo.  You are going to have to prove your idea is worth pursuing.  You are going to need to become a "salesman" for the idea.  You are going to need to challenge some entrenched behaviors and mindsets around organizational creativity.  You are going to need to admit failure and move on.  You are going to need to accept some risk and deal with it.  You are going to need to protect what you feel is worth protecting, and abandoning that which should be left behind. 

Use the advice in the blogs entries listed above, use idea stimulating conversations and do what is necessary to disrupt the status quo...and you'll be innovative...I promise!