If you’ve ever had an idea then you’ll know they rarely come with instructions; they capture our imaginations but give no detail about the how, what, when… or the all-important how much.
Of course, a good idea is hard to keep quiet, so it’s only a matter of time before you run it past someone else. But even as you’re babbling with excitement, chances are their minds are already filling with the exact same questions:
How? What? When? How Much?
If you’ve already calculated the ROI, the CapEx and considered the OH&S you’ll probably get a warm reception. But if you’re still sketchy on the details you’re more likely to generate an awkward mixture of distrust, scepticism, impatience and bewilderment.
In the stony silence of that moment, you will feel a desperate urge to ask:
So… what do you think?
… which is when your dream takes its very last breath, for, given the lack of crucial information, the only responsible answer is: NO.
If, on the other hand, you ask that question in a different way, thus:
How do you think this would work? or
What do we need to make this work? or
What should we change to make this work? or
How can you help me make this work? or
Who else do we need to make this work?
… you’ve asked for a plan, not a verdict.
Better still, you’ve shifted the format (from audition to conversation) redefined the relationship (from critical to creative) and turned what is usually torture into an adventure.
So if you really need a different answer, ask a different question.
Could you make that work?
Margaret L Ruwoldt
Flipping the relationship around, I’ve seen senior leaders use those same questions in response to a pitch from a staff member. It can be done aggressively, for the senior person’s own benefit, but if it’s a genuine invitation for the junior person to think in practical terms about their blue-sky idea then we’re into the territory of innovation, participative decision-making, employee empowerment, leadership development for the staff member… all that good stuff 🙂
I used to work for a highly intelligent and well-read CEO: his response was sometimes along the lines of “We were talking about XYZ in the office recently; how do you think your idea might relate to that?” Quite daunting, but a welcome sign of interest and openness on his part.
Jason
Hey Margaret, I’ve only just spotted your comment from way back in May so sorry for the delay in responding… for what’s worth, I agree these questions can be used as weapons or tools of discovery; I’ve never seen a good idea that can’t be corrupted or abused which is why we need to rework our relationships, especially between progressive and conservative thinking and the false dichotomy that traditionally puts them at loggerheads. I suspect your highly intelligent CEO was on the right track; let’s (for a moment) assume the new idea could work and explore the potential benefits and risks together.