When collaborating, it’s tempting to bring something fully formed.
You want to impress.
You want to show you’ve been thinking.
You want to prove the idea is solid.
But often, if you bring a cathedral, there’s no room for anyone else to add a brick.
You’ve skipped the collaboration phase and jumped straight to presentation.
The better approach?
Bring a brick — a single, clear idea that’s easy to build on.
A question. A starting point. A sketch.
It invites feedback. It sparks conversation.
It becomes something you make together.
Example:
Instead of showing a polished deck or full-page layout, try:
“Here’s a rough mockup of the structure—happy to adjust tone, layout, or content depending on what we want to lead with.”
Now you’re not defending your idea—you’re evolving it.
Your first draft isn’t proof of brilliance.
It’s an invitation to collaborate.