Have you ever been in one of those meetings where everyone is so committed to defending their own ideas that the group can’t get anywhere close to making a decision?

Roger Martin, a business consultant and author, recommends this strategy.

Instead of arguing about who is right, consider each idea and ask the question, “What would have to be true for this option to be a fantastic choice?”

Martin has found that when asked this question, people become less entrenched in their own way of thinking and instead will begin to collaborate on the factors that would need to be true for the current option to be the best choice. You can read more about it here.

If you’re part of a club, counseling office, PTA, or any organization where you occasionally need to wrangle opinions and somehow come to a decision, the next time your group can’t seem to move past individuals defending their own ideas, try posing Martin’s suggested question and see if the group changes course.