Great ideas don’t matter. It’s great ideas, actually shared, that matter.

Many people have great ideas. But because they hold back, they can’t be debated, discussed, or implemented.

Some people hesitate because of social anxiety. But most people hold back due to cultural expectations: those who get to speak are the “senior” people. People with the most experience. People who have “paid their dues.”

What an outdated, awful way to find the best ideas.

In her book, Rebel Talent: Why It Pays to Break the Rules at Work and in Life, Francesca Gino tells the story of Mellody Hobson, president of Ariel Investments:

I received precious and unforgettable advice on my first day at work from Ariel’s founder and CEO John W. Rogers Jr. He said to me, “You are going to be in rooms with people who make a lot of money and have big titles. But it does not mean your ideas are not as good or even better. I want to hear your ideas. It is incumbent on you to speak up.”

If you lead a team, erase any expectation that experience, titles, or seniority matter. Focus on how good the idea is, not who says it.

Get your team to develop great ideas and the confidence to share them.

Hobson continues her story:

Last year, in the process of hiring a person who is now part of the company’s research team, Hobson told the candidate she expected her “to be a source of spark in the conversation and a source of difference to really push us, and to say the uncomfortable thing.” If you want to see this type of attitude in the organization, Hobson believes, you can’t be shy about letting people know.

Demand more from your team. Set the expectation that worthwhile ideas are shared by everyone, not just a select few. Encourage junior colleagues to push back when they disagree and to voice unpopular opinions. It’s the best idea that wins.