When you say… I think…

Have you ever noticed how you respond when others share their ideas with you? Or how others respond when you share your ideas with them?  It is fascinating to see the differences in the instant reactions of others, and the impact that those reactions has on a group dynamic.

• There are some people who hear an idea and can instantly work out how much it’s going to cost, why it won’t work, when it was done before and what we should do instead.  These people are innate Judges and if they alone control the conversation then the ideas will be devoid of risk and devoid of inspiration.
• There are some people who hear an idea and instantly want to have another and another and another idea; they are full of excitement, don’t consider risk and think that when it comes to ideas, the more the merrier.  These people are innate Explorers and if they alone control the conversation then there will be many ideas that get bigger and bigger over time but the ideas will be devoid of pragmatism and any thoughts of action.
• There are some people who hear an idea and instantly know how to make it happen, they understand the resourcing issues, the dependencies and when it can be delivered by.  These people are innate Warriors and if they alone control the conversation everything will be delivery focused, not value or outcome focused.
• There are those who hear an idea and instantly can start to see what the concept would look like in reality; they have the open mindedness to see the beauty in the idea as well as the pragmatism to bring it into the new world.  These people are innate Architects and if they alone control the conversation everything will be about “what will it be” and not “when can we make it happen”.

It is really important to understand your personal response to an idea so that you can add value rather than stymying the creative process.  Know when to be an explorer, when to be the architect, when the judge should rule, and when to leave it to the warriors.

That’s why it’s critical to think about your own thinking… so you know when to step up and when to step back.