How I Process Ideas – And I Have a Lot of Them

I am often asked how I process ideas. It’s well known among our team that I get a lot of ideas.

Some ideas are good. Others simply aren’t. Some seem brilliant for about 24 hours and then I’m really glad I didn’t act on them.

But when an idea sticks – especially a big one – I’ve developed a fairly predictable process for what happens next.

I’m not suggesting this is the only way to lead an idea from thought to implementation. It is simply what leadership often looks like for me.

Let it live in my heart and mind for a while.

I rarely want to act on a big idea the moment I have it. I need some time to think about it, pray about it, question it and see if it continues to stir something in me.

I rarely share it with anyone at this point – and usually share it with Cheryl first. She’s a good listener.

Some ideas get stronger with time. Others quietly disappear – which is usually a good thing.

Test it against the mission and current priorities.

A good idea isn’t necessarily the right idea.

Before consuming organizational energy, I want to ask whether this actually helps us accomplish our mission and whether this is the right season to pursue it. Every yes to something new eventually requires saying no – or at least not now – to something else.

Assemble some sharp people.

I don’t want to develop big ideas alone.

I want people around the table who think differently than I do, understand areas I don’t understand, and aren’t afraid to tell me what I’m missing.

The goal isn’t to find people who will agree with the idea. It’s to find people who can make the idea better.

Pitch the vision – and especially the why.

I want people to understand more than what I’m thinking.

They need to know why I think it matters. The why is often more important than the idea itself.

The clearer the why becomes, the easier it is for other leaders to begin imagining possibilities I haven’t considered.

Make clear whether I’m processing or assigning.

This is especially important for idea-generating leaders.

Sometimes I’m simply thinking out loud. I’m not asking anyone to put it on a project list or start building a strategy.

I’ve learned that when you’re the senior leader, people don’t always know the difference.

So I try to tell them – and I invite questions for when I’m not clear.

Stir conversations that stretch us.

Good ideas should create good questions.

• What could this look like?
• How would this force us to change in other areas?
• What are we currently doing that would get in the way?
• How much is it going to cost?
• If it were successful – what’s the overall win?
• Is that win worth the cost?

You don’t have to answer all of these – and you may have other, better questions, but questions are your friend in ideation.

Sometimes the questions take us somewhere completely different – and better – than my original idea.

Invite pushback.

I want people to tell me what I don’t see.

We don’t have the resources. The timing is wrong. We’re already doing too much. This doesn’t solve the problem you think it solves.

Or perhaps simply – This isn’t a very good idea.

If people can’t challenge an idea before a decision is made, don’t be surprised when they aren’t fully committed after the decision is made.

Decide to act or not.

Eventually discussion has to become direction.

Not every idea survives the process. That’s part of the process.

But once we’ve decided we’re moving forward, we need clarity that we’re actually moving forward.

Empower the people closest to the work.

If the idea is moving forward, this is where I want to hand off as much as possible.

My role may have been to see the opportunity or cast the initial vision. That doesn’t mean I’m the best person to develop the strategy.

Give good people a clear destination, appropriate authority and the freedom to figure out how to get there.

Get out of the way – but don’t disappear.

Empowerment isn’t abandonment.

I want to stay close enough to encourage, remove barriers, answer questions and help when needed.

But I don’t want the team constantly looking over its shoulder wondering whether they’re doing it exactly the way I would have done it.

If that’s required, I haven’t really empowered them.

Expect the finished product to look different.

In the end, the idea rarely looks exactly like what I first pictured.

That’s usually a sign that other good leaders were involved.

They saw things I didn’t see. They solved problems differently. They added their creativity, experience and perspective.

And ultimately, that’s the goal.

Leadership isn’t getting everyone to execute my idea exactly as I imagined it.

It’s taking an idea, putting it in the hands of good people, allowing them to make it better, and together moving the organization closer to accomplishing its mission.