Idea helpers: ways to grow ideas

The happier twin brother of idea killers are idea growers. Things you can say in response to ideas to help them grow.

Unlike idea killers, these statements act as idea fertilizer, helping them to grow, find homes, make friends, and grow from ideas into solutions. Instead of ending conversations, they always provide a path for the idea to move forward, grow, or be the seed for other ideas.

(Thanks to Jennie Zehmer for suggesting this)

Idea starters

What do you need to make this work?
How can we explore this idea to understand it better?
Who else has done this before? What can we learn from them?
Whose support do you need?
How much time will it take to flesh this out?
Drop what you’re doing and focus on this.
Talk to Fred, our smartest guy, and see what he thinks.
What can you add to this to make it better?
What should change to help make this happen?
Lets run with this and see where it goes.
What can we cut to make room for this?
What’s the next step?
Here’s a blank check and the corner office.

Can you name others you’ve heard or said?