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Nothing kills employee innovation and morale faster than being asked for ideas and watching each one be shot down by a leader. Learning how to turn down ideas without demotivating employees is an important skill for leaders. This is especially true in higher education where faculty and staff may already be hesitant to join the innovation process. Any negative response can cause a full-scale retreat.
Last month we explored how organizations can choose between multiple good ideas by asking whether any new program, initiative, or idea 1) fits the mission, 2) is sustainable, and 3) does not duplicate existing efforts. When an idea doesn’t meet the cut, how do you communicate this without damaging the creative drive of the employee?
In a study of what influences employees to continue speaking up in the workplace, Danielle King of Rice University found that how bosses react to ideas has a significant impact on how employees contribute again in the future. She conducted an experiment with 223 students who were asked to submit marketing ideas for a business on campus. These ideas were all rejected, and the students received one of four types of rejection notices, ranging from vague to detailed and insensitive to sensitive. The students then had a second chance to submit ideas on a different marketing challenge. Those who had received a more personal and sensitive response were much more likely to speak up again, even compared to those who got the most detailed explanations. King concluded, “it is critically important for leaders to exhibit sensitivity in their communication with employees.”
Here are a few ways a leader can demonstrate that personal touch that makes all the difference in how a message is received.
Meet in Person
Like any sensitive news, saying ‘no’ should be done in person whenever possible. Email, text, or other written communication often leave many unanswered questions or wrong assumptions by both parties. Engaging in person or at least by phone allows for non-verbal cues to be part of the interactions. When meeting with employees, give them your full attention and don’t be half-distracted by a computer screen, phone, or your watch. If meeting in person or by phone isn’t possible, make sure your written response is personal and conversational. Type it first, then speak it out to see if it sounds like what you want to convey.
Open a Discussion
Instead of giving a simple yes or no, open a discussion with the person about the idea. Ask clarifying questions and talk through underlying problems. Be transparent about the reasons their idea may not work. If the idea has been tried in the past, explain why it may not have worked. It’s possible a different idea or solution will come out of this engagement but, at a minimum, the employee will feel more heard, supported, and invested in the eventual decision than if they had been simply shut down. In her study, King found it was important for employees to view speaking up as a “mutual exchange relationship” and not just a one-way street.
Use Encouraging Language
Leaders should use language that encourages faculty and staff to keep contributing. One simple technique is to follow the ‘and’ principle. When someone is disagreeing, instead of using combative words like ‘but’ or ‘however,’ replace them with words like ‘and’ or ‘also.’ For example, instead of saying “I really like the idea, but it’s…,” try something more open like, “It’s a great idea, and if circumstances were to change, I could see it working.” It’s also important to thank them for bringing forward their ideas and let them know how much it matters that they are pouring their energy into the organization.
Ask for Their Help
Also, take the opportunity to let them know you need their help in another way. Feeling needed is important for any faculty and staff member. Have another project in mind where you can see them contributing: “I’d love to have your expertise on this project.” Invite them back to share thoughts again on this same issue: “Can I get your thoughts in the future on this approach?”
Be Careful What You Ask For
Finally, be aware of how you may be contributing to the situation. Have you told people to come straight to you with their ideas? One dean of a large business college in the Southeast says, “I’m always careful about asking people to put together proposals that you are not going to consider…I don’t do that because it exhausts people and it undermines their trust in you.” Rather than vetting all new ideas yourself, a better approach may be to organize an innovation process in your organization, like innovation groups, lunch gatherings, or a peer proposal process for people to bounce ideas off of each other first.
How a leader responds to new ideas signals the type of culture at an organization. More than the message itself, the way a leader says ‘no’ can either invite or reject more suggestions in the future. Leaders who do this well multiply the intelligence around them, while those who don’t diminish it to the detriment of their organization. Will you be a multiplier or a diminisher for your people?
