I have always loved brainstorming. There was a time when my team seemed to sour on brainstorming, and I was heartbroken. I was determined to understand why. With a few minor tweaks, I improved the quality of our brainstorms and decreased resistance to them.
Have you ever been in a brainstorming session where ideas seem to propagate more great ideas, and the energy in the room feels like it is sizzling? Picture that brainstorm session, and now picture a brainstorm that you have been at that felt awful. When done poorly, brainstorming sessions can drain the energy from the room and have a lasting impact on morale.
How do you develop a team that is good at brainstorming? Here are a few of my favorite ideas:
1. Practice “yes and” skills through improv. By playing improv games that encourage your team to practice a “yes and” mentality, you will create a team that can take risks and is resilient when brainstorming. This article lists some terrific examples of “yes and” improv exercises. Check out my previous post to see more about how improv can build resilience.
2. Structure brainstorming so introverts can be successful too! Open your brainstorming session with a quiet, quick-write, then a pair-share, and then a group discussion. These brainstorm segments allow introverts and other learners to process information more slowly or feel uncomfortable sharing in a larger group. When gathering for a brainstorming session, ensure that everyone knows the problem or opportunity that the team will be discussing.
3. Establish (and enforce) the rules of brainstorming sessions. Every time you gather, make sure to establish a group agreement (either verbally or written down) that explicitly states the rules of a brainstorming session. These are the three rules I always use: No ideas are too crazy or “out there”; Brainstorms are not the place to scrutinize; Ensure everyone can contribute ideas. As the facilitator, it is not enough to just talk about these rules one time; instead, they need to be reviewed and followed every time you brainstorm. Don’t be afraid to point out when someone is overthinking or limiting themself. If you haven’t heard from someone in the session, it is ok to make space for them to contribute. I like the phrase, “(Insert name here). I haven’t heard from you in a bit. Did you have anything that you wrote down in the pre-write that we should add to our collective list?”
4. If you are in phase three, the whole group brainstorming, and you find things stalling out, it is ok to go back to phase one (individual brainstorming) or phase two (pair brainstorming). Changing up the dynamics can be extremely helpful.
I find in-person brainstorming the most effective method, but sometimes circumstances require you to do this virtually. In the past, I wrote a few posts about collaborating virtually and how you can use virtual tools to achieve your goals. In this post, I write about using Google Docs to collaborate, and in this post, I share how to use project management software to foster collaboration. Both of these tools would be great to help your team brainstorm virtually.
Want to know more about Empowered Development Consulting? Reach out to me, Meghan Schiedel, and find out how Empowered Development Consulting can help you.