First person: Responses to new ideas, change of plans doesn’t have to cause friction

Have you ever had a dream that seemed a bit out of reach, but you knew if one or two people would come alongside you, then it might be possible to accomplish?

How about a calling from the Lord deep down in your soul that not only needed others to participate but also required you to motivate them?

Isn’t it surreal when you look around and find a solid force of friends and family who believe in you and support your dream or calling?

Words truly escape me for the honor, humility, sense of awe and sincere gratitude such an experience brings.

Support matters

At the same time, it always hurts my heart when I watch someone’s dream — and possibly calling — slip away merely from a lack of support.

Imagine being able to see something so clearly and having the drive and energy to pursue it but losing your motivation because of consistent pushback from those around you.

Visionaries are sometimes unrealistic, and realists are sometimes too rigid — or maybe too reserved — but together they can move almost any situation forward.

Creative types and those who would be deemed a visionary need the space to dream and work out all that’s popping in their minds. Coming at them too quickly with all the reasons why their idea won’t work is definitely the way to shut them down.

Sometimes they need to say it all out loud, explore the concepts a little and work to determine what’s actually manageable and realistic.

They aren’t afraid of regrouping or resetting midstream. Just because they start with an extreme description doesn’t mean that’s where they will land.

Those who are more comfortable working out all the details before rolling out a plan may have difficulty chasing down the specifics from a dreamer’s idea, but if both work together then it only strengthens the situation.

One way to develop the best environment for both types is to assure those who fall in the “investigator” category that they will have an opportunity to ask all their questions and express their concerns.

Big picture

Make sure the time for questions happens. Take it seriously but choose this step after the visionary has had an opportunity to fully share the big picture of what’s being proposed.

Instead of interrupting the presentation to ask a question or present a concern, keep a list of those items to ask and share at the appropriate time.

Once the person casting the vision and sharing the dream has completed the presentation, then it’s time for questions and concerns, even if that time comes in a follow-up meeting.

It’s also important for the dreamer to remember that questions being asked are truly for information gathering and understanding.

It doesn’t necessarily mean the person is opposed to the idea, even if the tone seems accusatory rather than supportive.

Be willing to calmly and thoroughly answer all questions, even re-explaining various parts of the idea as needed, until everyone fully grasps what’s being presented and what’s expected going forward.

If you are one of the questioners and realize you don’t like the idea at all, work hard to stick to the facts, evaluate the idea from all sides and share your concerns but with a willingness to continue learning and praying about the situation.

Revised version

From there, the one sharing the idea should assess all that’s been uncovered, regroup as necessary and send out the revised version of the plan for another round of discussion and preparation for implementation (or possibly redirection).

Choosing to appreciate and affirm each person’s contributions to the effort rather than becoming frustrated because of different working styles allows the team to polish the idea in an “iron sharpens iron” concept.