Ideas, even those with plenty of potential, can be rejected for a range of reasons, some more valid than others. Team members can help to drive their colleague’s ideas forward, and cultivate the voices of their team members.
Sometimes, this can be as simple as repeating the idea, or legitimising it by giving a personal example that supports the idea, or bringing up how a similar approach worked well in another team or at another organisation. Team members can also develop ideas by asking detailed questions – this can help to flesh out the concept, or simply give it the benefit of the doubt.
The person who initially proposed the idea or one of their peers could even put the idea into practice – usually on a smaller scale – in order to show how it would work and demonstrate its value. This is a particularly powerful way to resurrect rejected ideas, especially for lower-power team members who may not have the same level of influence when using other tactics.
Creating a positive, empowering environment of psychologically safety is one of the key challenges faced by leaders – book a short session with me and I’ll share some top tips based on your unique challenges and opportunities.
