Dealing With Reluctance - 3
The Wafflers vs the Flip Chart
You might be struggling to find a great idea. There isn’t a shortage of suggestions. Simply a shortage of good ones.
In other words, there’s too much waffle.
There may be too many people interested in ideas that
- have too many variables to tie down
- are too expensive (and therefore unrealistic)
- take too long to complete
- only deliver a small benefit
- are too full of self-interest
Very quickly it can seem like everybody has a different standpoint, and you’re in a roomful of wafflers.
Of course, this leaves you quietly bursting with impatience (which you must conceal - of course)
When nobody agrees on which idea is best, the solution is to write up all the ideas on a flip chart.
This solution gets everything out in the open where everyone can see it on a big piece of paper. Tack it to the wall if necessary.
Aim for high visibility and impact.
Just doing this simple act will blow away the silly or trivial ideas.
However don’t dwell on this. Let the weak ideas slide away unnoticed. This way the original voicer of the weak idea doesn’t get humbled for an ineffective contribution (who knows - another day and it might be you).
This is extremely important. Nobody must be humbled in any way for having a thin idea.
Next: Discuss each idea in turn.
Against each idea write down
- and its required resources.
Fairly soon, unrealistic or expensive ideas start to look like just that - unrealistic and expensive.
Soon you’ll be left with what is obviously the best idea. Or an active discussion that quickly leads to the birth of the best idea.
And as usual you’re there to catch the lightning.
This approach is a great way to introduce Organising Power.
Organising Power is the ability to get things done. Part of Organising Power is quickly weeding out inessentials without treading on toes or hurting feelings.
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