Quick Question: How do I manage up to a high-velocity idea generator?
Quick Question
Here is today's quick question for you...How do I manage up to a high-velocity idea generator?
Working with a visionary leader often feels like drinking from a fire hose. Their mental agility generates awe and excitement, but their constant rapid-fire ideation can leave you feeling unhinged, overwhelmed and unclear. The challenge isn't slowing them down; it's creating systems that harness their creativity while focusing your team on delivery.
Ask it when you're...
Feeling constantly behind - When your leader's idea velocity exceeds your processing capacity, you need structure to create a sustainable rhythm.
Unable to distinguish between ideas and directions - When every new idea feels like a mandate, it might be time to renegotiate your communication rituals.
Seeing processes breakdown - When people start avoiding standardised ways of working, the idea overload is likely eroding both clarity and morale.
Listen for...
Try to listen for:
Your compliance - when you treat every idea as an urgent directive rather than exploring what level of engagement is required.
Frustration - sometimes overwhelm reflects our discomfort with ambiguity rather than genuine capacity issues.
Questions - many visionary leaders want to think aloud and are asking you to partner with them to question the value of their ideas.
Follow up with...
Sometimes, the greatest value comes from the one extra question you take the time to ask.
In this situation, you could try…
What would change if I wore my ‘sounding board’ hat without my ‘delivery’ hat?
How might we create a buffer between ideation and execution that serves both of us?
What questions could help us both distinguish between ideas worth exploring and those to discard?
Ready to go deeper?
Is this question hitting close to home? Let's schedule a time to explore how it applies to your leadership context and what you might do about it.