Comments on: Who Says I Can’t…Followup http://churchtechmatters.com/2007/07/12/731/ Mon, 07 Nov 2011 22:44:20 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.2.1 By: Clif Guy http://churchtechmatters.com/2007/07/12/731/#comment-842 Clif Guy Thu, 12 Jul 2007 20:04:49 +0000 http://churchtechmatters.com/2007/07/12/731/#comment-842 Rather than saying "I can't, but ..." try something like this: "Your hotdog idea can be done out in the parking lot." "The person you should talk with about that is Joe." "That's a great idea. How could I help YOU do that?" "What are YOUR ideas for how it could be done?" "Here is a task for YOU to do that would help us evaluate the idea." The first is an example of: the idea is okay but your specific suggested solution doesn't work. Here's another solution that does work. The second is a rephrased version of your redirected I can't. The third is a rephrased version of your bounce back. The fourth and fifth are the tried and true method of giving the requester something to do. If they're not serious, the idea dies right there. If they are serious, they go do the homework and come back. Then you know you have a comitted person who isn't just trying to dump something on you. Serious people who are trying to get things done always get my attention. Rather than saying “I can’t, but …” try something like this:

“Your hotdog idea can be done out in the parking lot.”
“The person you should talk with about that is Joe.”
“That’s a great idea. How could I help YOU do that?”
“What are YOUR ideas for how it could be done?”
“Here is a task for YOU to do that would help us evaluate the idea.”

The first is an example of: the idea is okay but your specific suggested solution doesn’t work. Here’s another solution that does work.

The second is a rephrased version of your redirected I can’t.

The third is a rephrased version of your bounce back.

The fourth and fifth are the tried and true method of giving the requester something to do. If they’re not serious, the idea dies right there. If they are serious, they go do the homework and come back. Then you know you have a comitted person who isn’t just trying to dump something on you. Serious people who are trying to get things done always get my attention.

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