How Can an HSE Specialist Use the Elevator Pitch Skill at Work?

I had heard about the existence of the Elevator Pitch negotiation method once before (likely at one of the training sessions) and generally had an idea of what the concept was. But until recently, I did not understand how possessing this negotiation method could be useful to me in the professional sphere. Primarily, this lack of understanding was due to my perception that an "Elevator Pitch" was more applicable to sales and business development. It was the open masterclass on "Leadership Skill Development" held on the HSE DAYS platform under the leadership of Tatyana Borisova that made me look at this methodology from a different perspective. In this article, I would like to share my thoughts with you on where and how the "Elevator Pitch" skill could be useful for an HSE specialist.

The term "Elevator Pitch" itself, which literally translates as "presentation in an elevator," evoked clear associations for me with Hollywood movies, where a young and confident protagonist convinces a future employer to hire them in 30 seconds in an elevator, or where the hero convinces the bandits who caught him to give him a second chance. But in real life, I did not imagine that such a thing was even possible. Therefore, even knowing about the existence of this methodology, I simply "put it on the back burner."

So, how and where can this skill be useful in the work of an HSE specialist? And how can you use it to your advantage?

Given the challenging times we have to work in, as well as how quickly the situation changes and the workload of managers with non-routine tasks caused by the need for "firefighting" and making decisions in the shortest possible time, it is extremely important for an HSE specialist to be able to attract the employer's attention to safety issues. And the "Elevator Pitch" skill is simply essential in this case.

Imagine that you do not have the opportunity to hold a large and thorough meeting with the company's senior management where you could present your project that should take your organization to a new level of development. Unfortunately, this is not uncommon these days, as most managers are currently busy restructuring business processes, building logistics chains, searching for new suppliers, etc., and HSE issues receive slightly less attention than we would like. At the same time, you have the opportunity to "cross paths" with senior management for limited periods: whether it's walking together down the corridor leading to the office or during a lunch break, for example. And this time must be used to resolve an issue that is important to you.

Below are the key points that need to be included in your "presentation" to make your speech as effective as possible:

1. Briefly describe your project/initiative (the issue you are concerned about). Prepare 2-3 sentences in advance that describe the entire essence of the project
2. Describe the benefits your company will receive if the project is successfully implemented
3. If there is any financial benefit from implementing the proposed project, be sure to highlight it
4. "Use third-party examples" – tell them what real results can be achieved if the project is implemented, using the achievements of other successful companies as an example

Key rules for preparing an "Elevator Pitch":

1. Remember that you are "in an elevator" – you have a short and limited period of time to present your issue
2. Follow the "presentation" structure described above. Do not deviate from the topic. Focus on the benefits the company can gain from implementing the project
3. Speak in simple and short phrases. Remember that most people do not process long sentences well
4. Speak the same language. Do not use unknown words and terminology that only you or HSE specialists know. The manager listening to you must clearly understand what is being discussed
5. Practice. It's like Behavioral Safety Observations (BSO) – you can only master this skill through practice. It's best to record your speech on a phone camera or voice recorder to identify flaws and improve it

To make your speech ("presentation") as convincing as possible, follow these simple rules:

1. Don't rush. If you babble, it won't work
2. Use pauses for emphasis
3. Control your voice
4. Speak positively, use facial expressions – this has a positive effect on the listener's emotional perception of the information
5. Speak with inspiration – show that you are confident in success if your initiative is implemented

And at the end of this article, I would also like to draw attention to the additional preparation required for an HSE specialist if they resort to the "Elevator Pitch" skill:

1. You should always have a ready financial assessment of the project/initiative at hand
2. You must understand all the nuances of the proposed initiative in advance and be ready for additional questions from the manager
3. Assess the risks and pitfalls you might encounter during the implementation phase in advance

Elevator Pitch is not just a negotiation method; it is a skill that every specialist can and should develop to achieve greater success in their professional field. This skill is trained and perfected if you have the corresponding desire.