The quickest way to kill a team

The quickest way to kill a team is by setting a bar where ideas are "good enough" to share.

What I mean is that, if you don't encourage people to share ideas, they will stop.

Today it might be an idea you think is dumb. Tomorrow it could be an idea that saves your ass.

Always "yes, and" every suggestion. The "yes" validates their contribution, the "and" lets you expand and start a conversation. This conversation is where you improve the idea until it's good. Together.

Do not superficially "yes and" when you want to judge or critique. Even a 12 year old can see through your bullshit.

You have to actually engage every idea constructively. This is hard. You have to try.

A good trick is to ask questions. Try to learn more about the idea and how it works. Keep asking until the pieces fit together in your mind. If they don't, ask for a concrete example.

Asking for examples gives people the opportunity to try their idea. If it works, you'll be surprised. If it doesn't, everybody learns.

Great success either way.

If the result is catastrophic, just don't merge the code ¯\_(ツ)_/¯

Yes this approach can be exhausting. And it doesn't always work. You don't have time to discuss every idea when the patient is bleeding out on the table.

But even then, a team that's not afraid to say "Yo you're standing on the tube, no wonder the patient can't breathe" is your greatest asset. Don't be like those airplanes that crashed because the captain is always right.

Cheers, ~Swizec

PS: I like to start discussions by suggesting the dumbest idea possible. Rip the bandaid off and get things started. Now everything's an improvement 🤘