Product leaders often feel they must present a perfect, unassailable plan to executives. However, the goal should be to start a discussion. Presenting an idea as an educated guess allows for a collaborative debate where you can gather more information and adjust the strategy based on leadership's feedback.

At 10x Genomics, McDonnell learned that to gain buy-in from smart, 'finicky' scientists, one must avoid a critical posture. The most effective approach is framing ideas collaboratively, asking, 'Hey, I have an idea. What do you think?' This fosters consent and encourages meaningful contributions rather than defensive reactions.

Inspired by Apple Stores placing iPads crooked to encourage touch, consultants should present strategies with minor flaws. This invites senior teams to "straighten" the plan, creating a feeling of ownership that makes them five times more likely to embrace and execute it.

The goal of asking questions isn't just for you to gather information. It's a Socratic dialogue designed to help stakeholders think differently and arrive at the real need themselves. By guiding their thought process, you build deeper alignment and co-create a better solution, rather than just extracting requirements for yourself to fulfill.

Don't pitch big ideas by going straight to the CEO for a mandate; this alienates the teams who must execute. Instead, introduce ideas casually to find a small group of collaborative "yes, and" thinkers. Build momentum with this core coalition before presenting the developed concept more broadly.

Product managers frequently receive solutions, not problems, from stakeholders. Instead of saying no, the effective approach is to reframe the solution as a set of assumptions and build a discovery backlog to systematically test them. This builds alignment and leads to better outcomes.

Before pitching an idea, ensure it solves a clear problem, offers mutual benefits to both the company and its people, and directly aligns with existing strategic goals. This pre-vetting creates a strong foundation for your proposal and narrative.

When a team gets stuck on one or two approaches, use a specific prompt: "What are the other three ways we could solve this?" This forces participants to move beyond their initial ideas, explore alternatives, and often leads to more creative and practical solutions.

When a leadership team is stuck, it's often because they lack a key perspective. By issuing an open 'invitation to play' for anyone in the organization to help solve the problem, you can uncover missing pieces and achieve a breakthrough in weeks, not years.