I’ve got a lot of ideas, and some of them are even good ones. But mostly I’ve got more ideas then I’ve got time or energy to implement. So I need the help of others––the energetic, enthusiastic help of others––to put my ideas into practice.
I learned a long time ago that the best way to get people excited about an idea, energized about a project, is to get them involved EARLY in the formative process, to allow them to have input into the seminal stages.
When people have a hand in shaping something, when they are part of the foundational team, ownership results.
It takes patience, it takes time, it even takes a bit of humility, to allow others to play with your idea, especially when you have the positional power to simply issue edicts.
But when I let go of my ego long enough to keep an open mind, I find that others bring their own unique and special perspectives. And then it may not be just my idea anymore. It may have morphed and evolved, but it often is a better idea. More important, the project now has multiple owners, multiple people with an emotional stake in seeing it succeed, and that kind of commitment is incredibly precious.
If you want enthusiasm, if you want energy and dedication, get people involved early. Involvement breeds commitment.