by Caryl Teh
Brainstorming sessions sometimes end up being more of a storm than an actual idea generator. We’ll be addressing some of the possible reasons for this while exploring 5 general tips to make your discussion sessions more fruitful.
1. Set a clear intention
You can’t just yell “LET’S GO!” and be puzzled when everyone at the meeting starts running off in a different direction to the four corners of the globe. Are you looking for very feasible, we-can-make-this-happen-this-month ideas? Or are you looking for never-been-done-before ideas? Make sure your desired outcome is clear before the meeting begins.
2. Give people time to prep
Yes, you can’t schedule a spark of genius; but you should at least allow for some prep time. Email your team the prompt, topic, or problem you are trying to solve early so they can start exploring possibilities and searching for ideas on their own.
“Early” means at least one full day before the brainstorm. This will give them time to get those creative juices flowing, and avoid awkward silence and the anchoring effect, which is where brainstormers converge on the first few ideas that are surfaced and don’t bother to craft any new ideas.
3. Invite new people
People who work together in a team sometimes start thinking alike. So just as creatives need new sources of inspiration, it can be helpful to bring new people into the brainstorming group every now and then. A mind from a different background or team will provide a fresh perspective, shake things up and keep your team’s mind open and sharp.
4. Foster an inclusive, supportive environment
“No bad ideas” might be a brainstorming cliché, but it’s true that if someone’s idea gets shot down quickly, then they might feel less confident to share next time. We’re not saying you should put all your energy into every idea; we’re saying that you should give each idea at least some consideration and ask for input from the other people in the room.
When more outspoken personalities and quick-thinkers dominate the conversation, it will leave no time for other teammates to contribute. But when everyone is more confident to share, your conversations will be more balanced.
5. Follow-up
Brainstorming serves the purpose of fostering new ideas, solutions, products, etc.. But you need good follow-up to bring these ideas to life. Once you’ve collected some feasible ideas, make sure you set aside ample time to flesh out those ideas and narrow them down based on your team’s (and your) resources and capabilities for the project timeline.
We hope these tips give you a starting point, a basic checklist for how to make the most of your brainstorming sessions, and empower your team to generate your most effective and innovative ideas yet.
Source:
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