“Ralph, on paper we’re agile. In practice, it’s silo thinking. Everyone tends their own little garden. Real support? More wishful thinking than reality.”
Those words from a senior executive stuck with me. So, we ran an experiment.
At the next town hall, we changed the format. Instead of the usual PowerPoint marathons, we introduced a Kick the Tyre slot. Two people each got twenty minutes: five to present their project, fifteen for participants to ask questions and dig in.
Of course, there was a fear. Instead of kicking the tyre, the Q&A could turn into a junkyard crusher, smashing projects to bits rather than building them up. Exactly the opposite of what we wanted to achieve.
So, we set five ground rules up front:
- Strengthen, don’t weaken. Every comment should help the idea move forward.
- Partners, not judges. We’re co-creators, not critics.
- Respect first. No put-downs, only constructive questions and suggestions.
- 1-to-2 principle. For every critical remark, add at least two constructive ideas.
- No ego shows. Contributions serve the project, not the spotlight.
Getting two volunteers for the first session took some convincing. After that? Slots filled instantly. The format grew into a recurring Kick the Tyre event, held every few months.
The impact? Cross-departmental support has taken off. Asking questions is losing its reputation as a sign of weakness. And more and more people believe what we already knew; many heads, especially the right ones, are smarter than just one.
Warm regards,
Ralph Hubacher
