The Toxic Team: Dismissing "not mine" ideas

Ever had your idea shot down, for no apparent reason? Some people are very fast to dismiss ideas of other people, while being convinced their own are the best.

Reason for that could be their ego, or being wrapped too much in their own ideas. Either way, it's a very toxic situation, and requires clearing up.

The simplest approach is to change the way ideas are submitted and processed: when you write them down, it's harder to dismiss any particular idea as long as it has merit.

You can make a list of ideas, or write them ad hoc on a whiteboard. This way the conversation is shifted from simple "yes or no", to a more fact-based discussion.

Just remember that sometimes people are unaware of that "not mine" bias, so approaching them with kindness can go a long way!