When you share an idea, what happens? At times, you notice the people shaking their heads in agreement. You may hear a couple of positive, “Hmm.”
Sometimes though our ideas fall by the wayside, the people listening to you find anywhere to look except making eye contact with you. Perhaps, if we’re honest, we’re so ecstatic of our idea that we have no clue how people receive it. Then we find ourselves surprised when the criticism and challenges emerge to our ideas.
I took an inventory of my own approach to sharing ideas. The Apostle Paul wrote to the Roman Church this, “…Do not think of yourself more highly than you ought, but rather think of yourself with sober judgment…” (Romans 12:3)
That verse stops me because it motivates us to see how we come across intentionally and unintentionally. “Sober judgment” removes the focus on other people but asks us to search our way of communicating and motivations. If we keep running into rolled eyes by other people at our ideas, experiencing life-change in Jesus means asking ourselves, “Why?”
The Gospel moves us towards self-reflection and self-awareness. When people roll their eyes at our ideas, Jesus offers us an opportunity to mature and even to walk towards the people who dismiss our best ideas.
Here are a few reasons people roll their eyes at our ideas:
1. You have too many.
Count how many times you share a new idea. Thankfully, there are process people to help us think through to full implications. On the same token, when we share ideas some of our best teammates realize the work, it will take. Sharing too many ideas can become exhausting to the people around you.
2. You lack follow through.
You may have committed to one idea. You reached a 75% completion, only to move the next idea. The people around you will make a note. Not following through on an idea leads to the subtle questions of credibility.
3. Your idea threatens another person or a team.
You can have the best intentions and without realizing it sharing an idea off-handedly criticizes another person or even a team. Going back to Romans 12:3, people can hear ideas with the twinge of, “…thinking of ourselves more highly than we ought…” It takes time, and reflection for us see the landscape of how our ideas impact other people.
4. Your timing is off.
Consider the people receiving your idea. Did they just come from a stressful meeting? Are they feeling burnt out or exhausted from stress? Sharing an idea challenges us to put ourselves in the shoes of other people.
5. You kiboshed other’s ideas.
If we take time to look in the past, did we support the ideas of others? You may have the best idea only to realize that people have experienced hurt from you not encouraging them.
At first glance, a post like this might come across as discouraging. Consider this; you have an opportunity to grow personally and to make inroads with your coworkers, family, friends, and other teammates. Ultimately, the most significant challenges to our ideas might have nothing to do with the ideas, but we see ourselves and relate to others.