I tend to work better on a team. One of the reasons why is because I value being able to discuss a situation–it helps me process better.
Have you ever been in a planning meeting with a group of people about a project, asked a question, and watched as the expressions in the room turn to “why would you ask that?”
Over the past few years, I have found myself in that situation more than I can imagine, but for a good reason: I want to be able to say we thought about that scenario/outcome/solution/possibility.
Asking the question the group assumes has an agreed upon answer, on occasion, will provide some necessary insight and clarity.
For ministry, have we considered the impact this decision will mean for _____?
For business, what happens after we reach our goal of _____?
For entreprenuers, what happens after _____?
I can think of a few times where I have been glad to be the one to ask the silly question, because sometimes the silly question is the very question no one else is willing to ask.
Why are we doing this?
Do we still need this?
What do we hope to achieve or accomplish?
Are we ready for the possible fall out of this particular decision?
Learn to ask questions no one else is asking, and you will start to see your leadership influence shift. If people can count on you to bring value to the table, then they will count on you.
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Similarly, I have learned in the planning to set aside the reasons we can’t do something and instead start fresh and dream big. Then, as you get closer to the finished product you can figure out how to make those things happen within time, financial or involvement constrains. I’m always surprised at what I can do that I would have normally said no to.