Used to gently introduce an idea or plan that the speaker has already considered before mentioning it.
“I was thinking we could split the presentation into two shorter sections.”
“I was thinking we could ask the other branch if they have extra stock.”
This softer, more personal way of proposing a solution is common in the collaborative back-and-forth of the Problem Solving conversation. Because it sounds like the speaker already has a plan in mind, listen for whether the partner builds on the idea or suggests something different afterward.
Synonyms: I thought maybe we could, it occurred to me that we could, my idea was that we could