Think You Have a Great Idea? Ask These 6 Questions to Gain Perspective.

It is easy to focus on all the benefits of an exciting new idea. Failure can be caused by doing so. You may be leaving other promising options unexplored because of your limited perspective.

If you want the best ideas to flourish, you need to open your mind to different perspectives from people beyond your team, and ask open-ended questions. What stands out to you and what is missing? What would our critics say? What would your premortem reveal about your idea? Ask other people outside what someone on the frontlines would say. Put yourself in your competitors shoes. If you were successful, what flaws or weaknesses in your idea would they celebrate?

It doesn't take much for us to be inspired by new things, whether it's a product we're working on, a book proposal, or a process in need of revitalizing. Excited to move fast, we grab the chance to think big and go big. We gather our teams and plunge into action, presenting the benefits of our brainchild and creating a plan to deliver on its promise. Our goal is to impress and convince.