“Never just say ‘no’ to an idea.”
“You have to say, ‘You know what would be even better?’”
Wise words from the comment thread on Dave Trott’s blog.
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6 appreciated comments on ““Never just say ‘no’ to an idea.””
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Good point, Steve Jobs certainly did take some risks – and they paid off.
I guess it teaches us all to have an open mind – as you never know.
So a reworded ‘no’ then? :)
I do see your point, also taking time to consider the idea before saying ‘no’ is important too. Questioning things is a good habit to get into.
I think saying No is the most important thing for someone to learn to survive today. Atleast i am sure for myself that i cannot say NO! I ask questions, but fail when i should say No!
Ask key questions that allow you to determine whether you want to say No or Yes. Key questions should be in person, no longer than an hour. Doing it in person allows you to determine if the other party is lying or bullshitting you.
There should be a double layer of questioning. You have a few key things you want to discover:
Is this the decision maker?
How much is the budget?
Does the decision maker want to be rich or want to be king?
Is the decision maker’s timeline and budget reasonable for what he expects to accomplish?
Does the decision maker value your experience and input?
And you have to be willing to fight for your ideas if you really believe in them and someone gives you a no! Make sure whoever you’re dealing with understands the thought and experience behind your decision.
I realised a long time ago that positivity is one of the most important values a person can have and that was a great example.
Reacting negatively and shooting people down when they question you is the best way to end a conversation, lose respect and miss an opportunity to learn something.
Taking the time to think feedback through, both positive and negative and asking questions in response is the best way to learn and perhaps an opportunity to take your ideas further. Even a person talking bs, just to get a reaction from you can teach you patience.