Your teammembers aren't negative, they are trained to spot problems first
Aug 06, 2025I once saw a director's visionary plan get completely derailed in a team meeting. The energy was good, the idea had potential, but then came the question: "Yes, but how are we going to afford that?"
And just like that, the air went out of the room. The idea died on the table.
This isn't a sign of a negative team. It's often just a deeply ingrained habit. We're trained to spot problems first. It's our primal brain at work: assess risk → run for your life. A great survival skill if you're facing a dinosaur. In a brainstorm? Not so much.
The antidote lies in a discipline called 'Expansive Thinking'.
It’s the simple rule that for the first 10 minutes of discussing any new idea, you are only allowed to make it bigger, better, and more interesting. You deliberately postpone the "yes, but."
Here's how to facilitate it in your next team meeting:
👉 Rule #1: Add, Don't Subtract. The only valid contributions are phrases like "Yes, and what if we also..." or "Building on that, we could..."
👉 Rule #2: Park the Problems. Practical concerns are valid, but they come later. Write every "yes, but" on a flip-over titled 'Parking Lot'. Address them only after the idea has reached its full potential.
This isn't about ignoring reality. It's about sequencing the conversation to protect creativity. It's how you truly 'Strive for Synergy' and build a 'Collaborative' culture where ideas can thrive.
The potential of your team isn't just in the quality of their ideas, but in their ability to protect them from premature judgment.
