And that brings me to my third caution: When you ask people questions, respect their answers. If they offer a good idea, act on it (and let them know that you did). Even if they’re off base, acknowledge their remarks with a comment like, “That’s worth thinking about” or “I hadn’t looked at it that way.” If the situation warrants, acknowledge a comment by saying “Smart idea” or “I’m glad you’re on our team—I need people with creative ideas like that.”
