When a team member has an idea they love and you don’t like it, how do you handle the situation?

Our reader poll today asks: When a team member has an idea they love and you don’t like it, how do you handle the situation?

• I let them try their idea and see what happens – 10%
• I provide my input then let them choose a course of action – 80%
• I argue against their idea but let them proceed if they’re really passionate – 5%
• I overrule their idea and go with my preferred approach – 4%

Provide input and move aside. The overwhelming majority of you (80%) will provide input to your team members when they’re passionate about an idea (even if you’re not) and then stand aside to let them proceed with it. The wisdom in this approach is it keeps team members engaged because they get to drive their ideas. They may also find new ways of doing things you’ve never thought of – you don’t have a monopoly on being right. And if they’re wrong and your reservations play out the way you thought they would, it becomes a learning opportunity for that team member and next time they have an idea they’re more likely to listen to your guidance and incorporate it. The final benefit is you get to work on other things while they focus on driving their own projects.

– Mike Figliuolo at thoughtLEADERS, LLC

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These results were originally a SmartPulse poll in SmartBrief on Leadership which tracks feedback from more than 240,000 business leaders. Get smarter on leadership and sign up for the SmartBrief on Leadership e-newsletter.