ANSWERS: 6
  • Do you have a better idea? If you do you could try saying, "Well...that might work, but what if we tried it this way..." etc. Also, if its really stupid you could point out the downfalls to their idea, I'm sure there'd be some, if it's a really stupid idea.
  • If your idea was a bird, it would have been a dodo. If your idea was a coin, it would be a three cent piece. If your idea was a dog, it would be stuffed. If your idea was any good it would be my idea....
  • Details... I was designing a building with a team of architects and engineers since october. We had a good theme for the project, and some good ideas, when, suddenly, this guy, 'Matt', proposes this crazy idea for the shape of the building - kind of like a looped breast cancer ribbon - seriously, departing from everything we had talked about so far (and our budget). He thought it was cool at the time, but did not contemplate any of its structural problems - and later realized what a crappy idea it was. No one on the team really felt like debating that day, but I knew from the get-go how much trouble we'd have to go through to design it. I wanted to say how stupid an idea it was, but I didn't know how to say it, so I kept mum and assumed everyone would come to their senses sooner or later. They didn't...for a while. When they did realize they were in over their heads, it was only a few weeks from the project deadline, so we had to keep with it, glossing over issues like heating, noise reuction, elevators, stairs, and materials. Well, we presented our design earlier today, and the audience's questions pointed out the [many] flaws in the design. Not surprisingly, our design flopped, and everyone left feeling ashamed and foolish. Now I can't help but think I might have avoided this whole failure if I'd only known how to say "that is stupid" politely.
  • Avoid the use of the words 'you' and 'stupid' at all costs. Try to point out the obvious with empowering statements that use words like 'I', 'our', 'us' and 'we' instead. Speaking for the group is usually the best way to get others to join you in voicing an opinion. It helps soften the blow, however, if you can lead with a positive statement before delivering the ultimate criticism. For example, "Although I can appreciate the amazing creativity and visual aesthetic of that design, the complexity of that structure presents considerable problems with implementing standard requirements that will fall outside the scope of our time constraints and budget."
  • It may not be brilliant to you but perhaps it may be pretty smart to someone else. I'd be very very careful here in judging the ideas of others. If one person found it useful, then your calling it "stupid" would be, well, kinda not too smart. Just my opinion. Happy Thursday! :) I would keep quiet and not offer an opinion. But if I were asked directly I'd try to tell the truth as I saw it but in a kind way and preface it by saying something like "I may not understand what you're trying to say but this is how I read it".
  • With out knowing exactly what the project was for (was for a Breast Cancer Center?) Maybe it was not a bad Idea. Just needed some modifications. To me there is no such thing as a Stupid Idea. Just Ideas that may not work at that time But I can give you hundreds of ways of pointing out the guy stupidity if you like as it happens to me all the time (but 75% of the time they go back and use my ideas)

Copyright 2023, Wired Ivy, LLC

Answerbag | Terms of Service | Privacy Policy