The Secret Phrase Top Innovators Use

By Kara Powell

If you know me, you know I love questions. That’s why I was so intrigued by this recent Harvard Business Review blog post entitled “The Secret Phrase Top Innovators Use.”

Granted, that’s perhaps a bit hyperbolic. But nonetheless, the authors suggest a question that does indeed spark good conversation.

How might we?

Not “How should we?” Or “How could we?” Those are good, but the first can lead to a sense of guilt (never a good long-term motivator) and the latter doesn’t have the same open-ended sense of “How might we?”

I want to start asking, “How might we?” more with our FYI team and well as with our family.

I find that I am often stifled in my dreaming by a number of obstacles:

Lack of time. Let’s be honest, dreaming takes time. If we don’t carve it out, time is a scarce commodity.
Lack of courage. Sometimes I think I don’t dream big enough because I’m afraid to fail.
Lack of creativity. It’s so easy to get stuck in a rut and fail to see new potential and possibilities.

That’s why with the two most dominant domains of my life – my family and our FYI team – I’m so glad there are others who can help minimize those obstacles that might paralyze me. (Thanks to my awesome husband and FYI team!)

What other obstacles keep you from dreaming, “How might we?” How can the support of others help you move past those obstacles?

Posted September 25 2012 by

Kara Powell

Kara Powell, PhD, is the Executive Director of the Fuller Youth Institute (FYI) and a faculty member at Fuller Theological Seminary. As a youth ministry veteran of over 20 years, she serves as an Advisor to Youth Specialties and is the author or co-author of a number of books including Sticky Faith, Essential Leadership, Deep Justice Journeys, Deep Justice in a Broken World, Deep Ministry in a Shallow World, and the Good Sex Youth Ministry Curriculum.

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