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Brainstorming. By Jonathan Halls
Brainstorming is probably the best known method for developing new ideas. It's a gathering where people come together simply to generate ideas. It often takes place around a table or with chairs grouped in a circle with a flipchart and set of flipchart markers. Of course you can brainstorm anywhere. The important thing about brainstorming is to adopt the right mindset.
The best number of people to include in a brainstorming session group is between six and eight. However, if you can't find enough people there is nothing stopping you running a session with two or three More than eight can make it difficult for every group member to equally participate. Some tend to act more as spectators than participants. Brainstorms best take place when you set a time limit. This creates pressure to generate ideas. This pressure also forces people out of their comfort zone. When people are in their comfort zone, they tend think too much before throwing in an idea. We don’t want people to judge whether an idea is good or bad. We do all that in the second step of ICE Creativity. Suspend Judgment Remember, Brainstorms are part of ICE Step One and require participants to suspend judgment. It’s about ideas generation, not judging whether the idea is any good. At the beginning of a brainstorm, the leaders describes a problem and then gets participants to throw in ideas. As they come up with ideas, the leader writes them on a flipchart. One of the dangers in brainstorming is that brainstormers fall into an analytical mode. This mode stops the flow of raw ideas. Focus the minds on openness The leader must focus participants’ minds on being open and stop them thinking or analyzing their ideas.
Generally, you should come up with a hundred ideas in your brainstorm. When I lead a brainstorm, I encourage people to be funny and silly as it generates ideas that are bizarre and whacky. I write the ideas on the flipchart straight away. I don’t question them or spend time thinking about them. When an idea that seems silly, is written on a flipchart for a few minutes, it takes on a sense of normality and often stimulates further ideas that you may end up using. When you have finished your brainstorm, collect your ideas and move into Step Two – the Critique mode. You can read more about critiquing ideas elsewhere in the talkshowconfessions.com Creativity Portal. CLICK HERE for the "7 Steps to Running a Productive Brainstorm"
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Sometimes you’ll hear someone say, “yes, but…” or “I don’t think
that is possible…” The leader has to nip this in the bud
because it stops the flow of ideas and will influence other
participants.
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