Exploring Effective Presentations: Why Proposals Without Objections Are Dangerous — When Things Get Overturned Later Despite Being Approved | Inception-Style Presentation
【What you will learn in this article】
・Why proposals approved without objections sometimes get overturned later
・Why people treat "agreement" and "conviction" as the same thing
・Why things get overturned later even after being approved in a meeting
・Why it becomes impossible to overturn a decision with logical arguments once a consensus has formed in a meeting
・How to move forward within a set direction
When you make a proposal in a meeting.
Even though it was approved without any objections,
a few months later,
"Maybe it was wrong after all"
is what you might be told.
At that time,
no one opposed it.
At that time,
no one stopped it.
You might wonder why they are saying this now.
But is that really the case?
In reality, people just "didn't object," but
that doesn't necessarily mean they were "convinced."
In a meeting,
if people can't find a reason to object,
they will nod for the time being.
The logic holds up.
There are no contradictions in the numbers.
No better ideas are coming up.
When that happens,
the conclusion on the spot is, "Let's go with that."
However, that is
not "fully understood and accepted," but
closer to
"having no material to object with."
Perhaps,
because there were no objections,
I
"got it across"
"got them to agree"
Perhaps I was just assuming that.
But in reality,
they just couldn't object.
they just couldn't put it into words.
That happens too.
For example, when you try on clothes in a fitting room.
When a shop assistant says,
“It looks great on you,” and while looking in the mirror,
you think,
“Hmm... it’s not bad,”
and buy the clothes,
sometimes when you get home,
you find yourself not wanting to wear them for some reason.
It’s not that they don’t suit you.
It’s not that they are wrong either.
But somewhere inside,
you don’t feel like, “This is it.”
Meetings are a bit similar.
Even if they can’t object on the spot,
a sense of discomfort can remain somewhere in their hearts.
And that discomfort,
rears its head the moment something goes wrong.
Sales don’t grow.
The response is weak.
Other anxieties arise within the company.
When that happens,
people remember their past discomfort,
and think, “Maybe it was a bit off from the start after all.”
What’s scary is that,
by that time,
a different atmosphere has already formed.
At first,
there was an atmosphere of “Let’s go with this.”
Next,
there is an atmosphere of “We really should change it.”
In either case,
once that kind of momentum starts,
it becomes difficult to turn it back with just logical arguments.
Because in meetings,
not only the content itself,
but the atmosphere is also being decided at the same time.
That is precisely why,
continuing to say,
“I was right,”
or “I said so from the beginning,”
rarely changes the situation back.
Rather,
what is needed after the atmosphere has solidified,
is to think about,
“So, what can we do within these premises?”
Make the decided direction,
even just a little better.
Don’t let the damage spread.
Refine it into a form where discomfort is less likely to arise.
I believe that,
is also an important job.
In truth,
it would be best if everyone could be convinced in the first meeting.
But people,
sometimes cannot put their discomfort into words well.
Therefore,
just because there were no objections,
doesn’t mean you are safe.
The quieter the meeting,
the more likely it is that unseen discomfort remains.
If next time,
you have a proposal that passes without objection,
don't just look at whether it was agreed upon,
but take a moment to see
if people are truly convinced,
and the perspective might change.