Vet the Idea Before You Chase It. (#251)
The Confident Leader
BOOST YOUR LEADERSHIP IN UNCERTAIN TIMES
Imagine that one of your sharpest leaders sees an opportunity.
They are enthusiastic. Inquisitive. Tenacious.
While part of you wants to cheer them on, the other part quietly wonders: “Is this even a good idea?”
“The essence of strategy is choosing what not to do.” — Michael Porter
This Week’s Edition
Not every shiny opportunity is worth chasing. Strong leaders don’t just dream—they discern.
Clarify Your Thinking
This scenario happens every day and presents a tension many leaders face:
Your VP comes in hot with a new idea. “There’s a market for this. We could totally do it. It aligns with our mission!”
They’ve got spark. You’ve got skepticism.
Why? Because you’re carrying a different weight.
You’re not just asking, “Is this a good idea?”
You’re asking, “Is this idea right for us—right now?”
Without a process to vet it, you’re stuck between two unsatisfying responses:
- Say no too bluntly → kill creativity and future initiative
- Say yes too quickly → burn time, team energy, and brand focus
Neither builds trust. Neither builds clarity.
And this is where leadership steps in—not just to decide, but to develop others.
Your role is to teach your leaders to think like owners, not just to dream like innovators.
That means asking better questions. Creating structure. Offering perspective.
Because the danger isn’t ambition. It’s unchecked ambition.
Old Thinking
If I say no, I’ll shut them down. If I say yes, I might regret it. So I’ll just stall and hope it fades.
New Thinking
I can lead this moment. I can honor their energy while guiding them through a process that sharpens both their idea and their leadership.
Thoughts Lead to Actions
As a leader, you’re not just fielding ideas—you’re shaping how your people think.
And when a capable leader comes to you with vision, your reaction sends a signal:
- Are we disciplined enough to evaluate before we execute?
- Are we a team that entertains growth ideas seriously?
This is your moment to lead up close, not just manage from above.
You don’t have to default to the typical binary responses, a yes or a no.
Instead, use the opportunity to equip your leaders with the thinking tools you use yourself: critical analysis, long-term alignment, and stewardship of resources.
Because here’s the truth:
- And every “not now” becomes a wiser yes later.
- Left unchallenged, big ideas can feel like distractions.
- But if you build a thoughtful process around them, they become development tools.
So instead of reacting to the pitch, guide the person.
- Because the goal isn’t just better decisions—it’s better decision-makers.
- Use their curiosity as an opportunity for coaching.
Consider this process to evaluate new ideas without defaulting to enthusiasm or avoidance:
➤ 1. Build a “Go/No-Go” Framework.
Create a set of questions or filters for any adjacent market idea:
- What’s the market size and urgency?
- Does it align with our core strengths?
- What resources would it take—and at what cost?
- Could this cannibalize current offerings?
➤ 2. Ask them to make the case.
Give the enthusiastic leader ownership. Have them build a simple business case using your framework. It shifts them from idea-tossing to strategic thinking.
➤ 3. Turn it into a coaching moment.
Regardless of the outcome, use this as a development opportunity. If the idea holds water, explore it. If it doesn’t, affirm the vision and redirect their energy toward more aligned growth.
➤ 4. Share the “why” with the team.
Your decision—yes or no—should teach the broader organization how strategic clarity works. Model discernment, not just decisiveness.
You don’t have to chase every opportunity. You’re building something bigger than a new shiny object.
Boost Your Performance
What’s Your Opinion?
Your job isn’t to have all the ideas—it’s to shape how your leaders think about the ones they bring you. What’s one question you always ask when evaluating a new idea? Share it with me at robin.pou@robinpou.com.
If you are going to be a leader, you might as well be a good one. Don’t let doubt count you out. Have a confident week!
Robin Pou, Chief Advisor and Strategist
We live to make bad leadership extinct so forward this newsletter to others who strive to be confident leaders.
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What is “The Confident Leader”?
During the Covid-19 Pandemic, I began a video series called “Panic or Plan?” It was designed to equip leaders to navigate the doubt they experienced and to rise in the confidence they needed to lead during turbulent times. It took off. I then started this newsletter to equip leaders in the same fashion each week for the doubt that crashes across the bow of their leaderSHIP.
