Get Bigger Ideas From Your Team

“Why doesn’t my leadership team come up with bold ideas? I feel like I’m always the one driving the strategy.”

It’s a fair question that I've heard more than once from leaders - one worth asking. But often, the real issue might not be them. It might be you.

When you’re a leader with a big vision, you’re used to seeing what others can’t. You spot opportunities before they’re obvious. You connect dots quickly. That’s your edge.

But sometimes, that strength takes up too much space. When a leader dominates the idea-generation process, whether they mean to or not, it becomes harder for others to step in. Teams start reacting instead of initiating. People hold back, unsure if their ideas align with what the leader really wants.

So if you want a team that thinks more strategically, you may need to say less and wait longer. The best leaders I know don’t just cast vision - they create conditions for others to think boldly.

To do that, consider:

• Change the order. In meetings, resist the urge to kick things off with your take. Instead, ask others to share first. You might say: “I’d love each of you to bring one idea that challenges how we’re currently doing things.” Then hold your thoughts until the end.

• Define strategic thinking. Not everyone defines strategy the same way. Help your team by making it concrete by saying "A strategic idea might stretch our business model, target a new market, or radically improve a process."

• Celebrate curiosity and progress. Big ideas come with risk. If every brainstorm gets evaluated too quickly or is met with skepticism, your team will stop trying. Praise the effort of bold thinking, even if it leads nowhere right away.

• Use silence. Let the room get a little uncomfortable. When you ask a strategic question, don’t fill the space. Give people time to think, especially those who aren’t quick talkers.

• Pull, don't push. Try asking questions that invite people to think beyond the day-to-day like: “What’s a risk we’re not taking that we should be?” or “What would we do if we weren’t worried about failing?”

The most effective visionary leaders aren’t just idea machines - but help others build the same capacity. If you want big, bold ideas from your team, take a step back.

And that shift might be the boldest move of all.