Your Team Knows Your Plan. But Do They Believe In It?
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Hello Friend!
This week, I watched a leadership team do something rare.
After rolling out their Team Playbook, they sent a follow-up survey with one simple question: “After hearing the details of our playbook, what ONE question, concern, or idea do you have?”
That’s it. No rating scales. No multiple choice. Just an open invitation to wonder together.
And you know what happened? People actually told them the truth.
Here’s why this matters: Most leaders confuse awareness with preference.
You roll out your plan. People nod. Maybe they can even recite it. That’s awareness.
But preference? That’s when people actually want to execute your plan. When they believe in it enough to make it their own.
The gap between the two is massive. And it’s where most initiatives die.
Become a Serial Wonderer
Here’s the problem: we’re too quick with answers and too slow with questions.
We think influence comes from having the best ideas. It doesn’t. It comes from being genuinely curious about other people’s ideas, questions, and concerns.
That’s what it means to be a Serial Wonderer. Someone who stays perpetually curious about what their people are actually thinking, needing, and doing. Someone who assumes nothing and explores constantly.
Serial Wonderers don’t just inform people. They listen until they understand what’s really happening. Then they adapt based on what they learn.
Here’s how to do it:
1. Ask open questions, then shut up.
After your next rollout, ask: “What concerns do you have?” Then wait. The silence will feel uncomfortable. Sit with it. Most people rush to fill the quiet with more explanation, but that's when you lose the honest feedback. Give people space to think and respond. The best insights come after the pause.
2. Create safe spaces for truth.
Anonymous surveys work because people feel protected. So do casual coffee conversations where the power dynamic softens. Conference rooms with PowerPoint decks? Not so much. Those environments signal presentation mode, not exploration mode. If you want honest input, design the setting to invite it.
3. Close the loop visibly.
When someone shares feedback, act on it and tell them: “You said ___, so I changed ___.” This builds trust faster than anything else you can do. People need to see that their voice mattered. When they do, they’ll keep speaking up. When they don’t, they’ll stop trying.
The team that sent that survey? They didn’t just cascade a plan and hope for the best. They set the bar higher. They asked, listened, and made space for their people to shape what comes next.
That’s how you move from awareness to preference.
Your Unignorable Move
You don’t inspire people by having all the answers. You inspire them by being genuinely curious about their questions, concerns, and ideas.
So this week, ask more. Listen longer. Act visibly.
Your people will notice. And they won’t be able to ignore you.
Your thoughts? I read every response.
Your coach,
Chris
P.S. I help leadership teams build trust and buy-in with their teams and each other. If you need that, let’s talk.
