In their imperative workshop, one new leader and his team developed hypotheses around how to grow.  They tested those hypotheses and then, later, chose which efforts on which to focus.  Now they were ready to share their new priorities with the company's ownership.

At this point, we pushed them to come up with a stretch plan as a way to change the dialogue.  Instead of asking their owners to poke holes in a plan they felt good about, they could push for a choice between the base and stretch plans.

The owners chose the stretch plan. But really, this was a choice to invest in the team.  The team knew that and walked away with higher goals, more investment, and much more confidence in themselves and in their new leader than they had had when they started.

How do you stretching the people you work with to build their confidence?