Cold Water Comments - What They Are and How to Manage Them!
Cold Water Comments are those comments, phrases and ideas that are meant to discourage, disparage, discredit and generally douse your ideas! There are several things you can do to keep those comments in someone's bucket or warm them up once they've been tossed.
Planning for the Cold Water - With Towels in Each Hand!
Step 1 - Identify the Possible Cold Water
Make a list of all the comments you have heard in the past and might expect to hear now. Once you have identified the list, determine how you will respond to each of them. (Remember that at this stage you are trying to sell your idea, not start an argument!)
Step 2 - Determine the Source
Ask yourself - who carries that bucket of cold water with them most of the time? When you can envision not only the water, but the source of the water up front, you can be better prepared to respond.
Step 3 - Is it a Question?
If it's cold water disguised as a question, just answer the question! For example if you are asked, "Is there money to do that?", it may just be the question form of the popular cold water "It's not in the budget". If you get questions, consider yourself lucky and answer them? persuasively!
Step 4 - Who's Got the Authority?
The people manning the buckets, ready to douse you and your idea may have more authority than you - or they may have less. In other words, your boss may have the bucket, your peers may have the bucket, or those who work for you may be carrying it. It's important to recognize where the buckets are so you can sell your ideas appropriately.
Acknowledging the Cold Water - Taking a Team's Buckets Away
If you want to reduce the use of cold water comments, or perhaps make the water a bit warmer, you can use the suggestions below!
Talk about Cold Water Comments
Explain the concept of Cold Water Comments to those you work with. Once people hear the phrase, they will begin to notice the use of the cold water! Recognition of the tendency is the first step towards reducing its impact.
Bring Your Towel!
Help people get better at planning for encounters with Cold Water Comments by helping them learn how to use the planning steps above - what we like to call the Towel for the Cold Water.
Fight About It!
If you are planning a meeting where you want as little cold water present as possible, encourage people to fight back against the cold water! Provide everyone with some paper to make paper wads, some Koosh, or Nerf balls. Then encourage them to toss their "ammo" at anyone using a cold water comment. This activity will not only reduce the number of such comments, but the levity that the throwing brings will reduce the affect of the cold water that is splashed around.
Make 'em Pay!
Establish a rule for a meeting (or for all meetings!) that people have to pay into the pot (a quarter?) every time they tip their cold water bucket. Come up with a plan for how you'll use the accumulating cash - coming up with that plan would be a good idea generation exercise in itself!
Make a List
Have everyone in your group or organization brainstorm a list of the most popular and prevalent cold water comments around your organization. Put them all on a list and post them in places where people gather, like conference rooms, training rooms, etc.
©1999, All Rights Reserved, Kevin Eikenberry. Kevin is the President of The Kevin Eikenberry Group, a learning consulting company that helps their Clients reach their potential through a variety of training, consulting and speaking services. Go to http://www.kevineikenberry.com/training/ training.asp to learn more about customized workshops and training on creativity or call toll free 888.LEARNER.
IntroductionThe role of the Human Resource Manager is evolving with... Read More
A recent report entitled "How Google Grows?and Grows?and Grows" stated... Read More
THE MEASUREMENT OF TRAINING: Evaluation is one of the most... Read More
Today, companies have an ever-expanding list of options available to... Read More
A while back the headlight switch on our minivan quit... Read More
When we're selling to business people, our value proposition has... Read More
How you run your business is, of course your business.... Read More
According to a study by the Manchester Group, 4 out... Read More
This article relates to the Senior /Top Level Management competency,... Read More
The phrase "turning ideas into action" is a Russian doll.Managing... Read More
The failures we have seen in the quality and integrity... Read More
This article relates to the Work/Life Balance competency, which investigates... Read More
This article relates to the Safety and Working Environment competency... Read More
Does the idea of program evaluation make your stomach churn?... Read More
I see a PR firm has done a survey on... Read More
Purpose: Show how immersion leadership training makes strategic initiative success... Read More
What is document management: When we think about "Document Management"... Read More
What principles should a company keep in mind when developing... Read More
I recently flew from Seattle to Atlanta, I realized, just... Read More
A lone ranger is someone who prefers working in solitude... Read More
Management or Leadership?Simply stated, management ensures that things get done,... Read More
It's hard to believe the year will be half over... Read More
The end of the television season in May included the... Read More
Creativity can be defined as problem identification and idea generation... Read More
This article relates to the Manager/Supervisor competency, commonly evaluated in... Read More
Have you ever tried to drive somewhere without proper directions?... Read More
Is your online business disaster-proof? Online businesses face a unique... Read More
What is the principal thing you need to succeed in... Read More
In my work with business executives, I have come to... Read More
Change is exhilarating. Change is terrifying. Change is badly needed... Read More
Creativity can be defined as problem identification and idea generation... Read More
Do you announce a meeting and find either no one... Read More
In running any kind of business, it's inevitable that sometimes... Read More
Since the beginning of the industrial era our world has... Read More
Good hires do not happen by accident or luck. In... Read More
Working virtually adds a whole new dimension to the phrase... Read More
ACCOUNTABILITY: Delegation is not complete unless subordinates are held accountable... Read More
On consulting assignments, here are some of the questions I... Read More
This article relates to the Manager/Supervisor competency, commonly evaluated in... Read More
Todays business environment has changed drastically from just a few... Read More
Human communication is always three-dimensional. No spoken or written message... Read More
This article, Job Security in Today's Workplace, was part of... Read More
Pssst, want a stock tip that will make you rich?... Read More
If you have the entrepreneurial spirit (which clearly you have!),... Read More
International business is more complex than ever before. Success in... Read More
Here are 10 subjects that academia should be teaching their... Read More
The phrase "turning ideas into action" is a Russian doll.Managing... Read More
A good consultant provides specialist abilities and experience, innovative ideas,... Read More
As an HR professional, you have responsibilities in several broad... Read More
Define the Problem First. It seems obvious, but how many... Read More
On communication: One of the biggest strains on the communication... Read More
When problem solving, you may recognize that you were working... Read More
People who work with us often struggle with this dilemma:... Read More
Are you NICE or do you CARE? ... Read More
When the stock market crashed in 1929, there were a... Read More
Is building your own inventory management solution really your best... Read More
In today's business environment with increases in staff reductions and... Read More
Ah, the wretched pain of delegation. It comes easy to... Read More
Eventually, your business is going to need to have some... Read More
Take some bold steps and help your employees and business... Read More
STEPS IN USING THE CRITICAL INCIDENT TECHNIQUE:1) The incident. Read,... Read More
In his book, The Effective Executive, Peter Drucker pointed out... Read More
Standardizing Quality SystemsThe ISO, or International Organization for Standardization, was... Read More
If Baby Boomers can get botox and tummy tucks, then... Read More
I've seen several articles that begin with lines like "the... Read More
When the typical new business operator starts a business, they... Read More
Business Management |