We’ve all been there. You’re sitting in a meeting or chatting in the break room when someone excitedly shares an idea. They’re clearly proud of it. They’re animated, hopeful, and waiting for your response.
And as you listen, your inner voice screams:
“That’s… actually a terrible idea.”
But you can’t say that, of course. You’re a professional. You don’t want to crush anyone’s enthusiasm, start a conflict, or make things awkward. So, what do you do when diplomacy and honesty collide?
For me, that was a recent discussion with a potential client (I didn’t get the event), where they wanted to have a breakout session to have a “complain” session about their executives. First, bad energy. Second, can you imagine any executive approving the cost for an admin to attend a session designed to be a complaint session about them?
Once I bit my tongue from laughing and asking them if they were serious, I realized that I had to steer them away from this idea, or the attendance at the event would be in jeopardy, and the energy at the event would be very negative.
While I know what to do, let me remind you that I didn’t get that job either LOL.
Step 1: Don’t react too fast
My face is extremely expressive. It’s hard to hide shock when the conversation is face-to-face. When someone shares an idea that lands with a thud in your head, your face will want to do the talking for you. Don’t let it. Go into the conversation prepared and maintain a neutral expression regardless of what you are about to hear.
Take a breath. Smile. Nod. Say something neutral like, “That’s interesting,” or “Tell me more about what you’re thinking.”
Why? Because sometimes what sounds like a terrible idea is just a rough draft of a good one. A little more context might make it make sense.
Example:
Your colleague suggests, “Let’s have everyone submit their vacation requests at the beginning of the year so there are no last-minute vacation surprises!”
Instead of blurting out, “You’ll have a mutiny on your hands if you do that,” try:
“That’s an interesting idea. How would we handle it when people don’t know about their schedule so far in advance? Some people prefer to book vacation plans at the last minute to take advantage of sales. What would happen to them?”
This way, by keeping your face neutral and not revealing your thoughts, you are showing curiosity instead of judgment and identifying potential blocks to the idea. Instead of resisting the idea, you are asking about it. And by asking questions, you aren’t being negative either.
Step 2: Ask questions
Questions are much better than statements. Instead of saying, “No, that won’t work for people who book last-minute getaways,” you ask them to consider it. If they see the flaws in the idea, they can also adjust it. They haven’t lost the idea, but they’ve made it better.
Try things like:
- “How would that work?”
- “What if someone has a valid reason for doing it differently?”
- “How would we measure if it’s successful?”
This helps the other person reflect without you playing the role of the bad guy.
Example:
Someone suggests, “I don’t like the new Outlook. We should get everyone to use a paper planner for the new year. It’ll be simpler!”
You could ask:
“How would that affect our ability to share calendars or schedule meetings across departments?”
Now you’ve prompted them to see the obvious problem without ever using the word “terrible” or revealing your thoughts about the idea.
Step 3: Yes, and…
Sometimes the ideas are just not worth saving. We need to identify a piece of the idea that has potential. Acknowledge that first, then gently redirect.
This is known as the “Yes, and…” approach, which originated from improv comedy and is particularly well-suited for the workplace.
Example:
Someone says, “We should have mandatory 7 a.m. meetings so we can get a jump on the day.”
You might respond:
“You’re right; starting the day strong makes a big difference. Maybe we could find another way to create that early momentum without everyone losing sleep.”
You’ve validated their intention (starting strong) while sidestepping the actual suggestion (7 a.m. meetings, which would be a hard pass for me LOL). Bridge the terrible idea to a discussion that isn’t as terrible. Don’t tell them how you feel, but bridge to the new idea instead.
Step 4: Use humor sparingly and kindly
If you have the kind of relationship where gentle humor is safe, you can sometimes diffuse tension by laughing with the idea, not at it.
“Ha! I love that you’re thinking outside the box, but maybe way outside the box on this one.”
But tread carefully here. Sarcasm can backfire if the person is sensitive or if others are listening. When in doubt, keep it kind and professional.
Step 5: Circle back with diplomacy
In the past, I have simply thanked them for sharing the idea and promised to think about it. Later, you can revisit the idea privately or in a more structured context, such as a meeting where all ideas are evaluated equally.
That way, it’s not you rejecting it — it’s the process.
“Thanks for your suggestion, Sam. I brought it to the planning group, and we agreed it might not fit right now, but I appreciated your creative approach.”
That keeps the relationship intact while still closing the door.
Regardless of your role, you will be presented with terrible ideas, and you must respond professionally instead of instinctively. The goal isn’t to shut people down; it’s to maintain open, positive, and productive communication.
Because behind every terrible idea is a person trying to help, improve, or contribute. And when people feel safe sharing, eventually the good ideas start flowing too.
So next time you hear something that makes you want to say, “Absolutely not,” take a breath and think:
How can I guide this conversation toward something constructive?
You might be surprised how often terrible ideas can lead to great discussions — and even better teamwork.