Destroying and Facilitating Ideas

It is far easier to destroy an idea than to encourage it and turn it into a useful solution. Be careful not to kill people's ideas or they will stop telling you about them and tell someone else.

It’s extremely hard to sound constructive when someone tells you about an idea they’ve had, especially if the idea seems imprudent and unworkable. But remember, people do not willingly put forward bad ideas in normal situations and you should first try to understand why they are telling you about the idea. There is likely to be something in the idea which is very useful to you. Alternatively you’ll have the opportunity to help them understand why the idea will not work. You must first understand why they think it will work if you are to explain it in a way that they appreciate.

To destroy an idea, say:

1. A good idea, but ...
2. Against the company policy
3. Ahead of its time, people are not ready for it
4. Be practical, that's too futuristic
5. Costs too much!
6. Don't start anything yet
7. Good in theory, but ...
8. Has anyone else tried it successfully?
9. If it's so good, why hasn't someone suggested it already?
10. Is anyone crazy enough to try that?
11. It’s not our problem
12. It needs more study
13. It's not budgeted, maybe next year
14. It's not good enough
15. It's not part of your job
16. Just ignoring what they have said.
17. Let me show it to my manager
18. Let's discuss it (*and then not doing so*)
19. Let's make a survey first
20. Let's sit on it a while
21. People won't like it
22. The directors won't go for it
23. The old timers won't use it
24. Too hard to organize
25. Too much hassle
26. We have been doing it another way for a long time and it works fine
27. We have tried that before and it didn't work
28. We're already doing that.
29. We've never done it that way before

Or for certain death of the idea (and any future ones from that person) you can just ignore the person and their idea!

To encourage and help an idea, say:

1. Can you draw up a plan of action?
2. Great, let's try it!
3. How can we convince everyone else?
4. How can we make it work?
5. How can we make time to see if it will work?
6. How can we remove the disadvantages?
7. I like it!
8. Ignore the way it is done now.
9. Let's prove everyone else / the boss wrong
10. Let's try and test it.
11. Let's turn the idea into a workable solution.
12. Tell me more…
13. That sounds interesting, tell me more…
14. That's a good idea/point/comment.
15. What are the advantages?
16. What can I do to help this happen?
17. What resources would we need to do it?
18. What small parts of the idea can we use immediately in the current situation?
19. Yes, and ...

and you can

·  look enthusiastic and interested

·  listen and try to understand why it is being suggested

·  not interrupt until they are finished

·  build on their idea