Never shoot down an idea from your team!

An idea may not make sense to you, but your team has boots on the ground. They are daily in the trenches. They see things you do not. The idea may not make sense at first but there is always a reason someone suggests a change. Instead of shooting it down, dig into it. Ask lots of questions. Seek understanding. Be curious. Really consider what they are saying and how it could fit into the overall picture.

To help it fit into the bigger picture suggest small tweaks in the form of encouraging questions. Such as, “This sounds really interesting. I am wondering, what would it look like if we slightly altered the idea with… [insert tweak]?”

Allowing and encouraging your team to bring you ideas will create a sense of openness, trust, and respect. All of which are key building blocks of a strong team and leader.

Be an enabler.

Do not be the roadblock preventing your team from moving forward. Do whatever it takes to enable your team to move forward with ideas that will push the company forward.

What are you doing to get ideas flowing from your team?

Photo by Mike Lewis HeadSmart Media on Unsplash