Have you been in a "brainstorming" session where each person just defended their own ideas? Worse is when people don't suggest ideas at all, for fear they'll be attacked. That's no way to brainstorm. Brainstorming is using the power of many minds, and ideas should flow freely and trigger other ideas. How do you make that happen?
The Key To Good Brainstorming
You have to have a good leader to have good brainstorming. The leader isn't there to impose his will, though, but to stop the imposition of anyones will. His role is to stop criticisms, arguments, and even strong opinions, at least in the first part of the session.
A brainstorming session needs to be spontaneous, open and uncritical. "Bad" or "silly" ideas can lead to helpful ones, so suggestions have to be left un-judged at first. To brainstorm effectively, you can't stifle the creative process. The leaders job, then, is to make everyone feel free to suggest any ideas.
An Example Of Good Brainstorming
The scenario: your business needs to cut delivery costs. The group throws out ideas and thoughts. "Let's not deliver," someone suggests, and when another starts to criticize, you remind him of the rules. "Negotiate lower rates," somebody says, "Or just find a company with lower rates," another adds. Ideas like reducing package weight and charging customers more are suggested, and lead to other ideas.
You keep it civil, take notes, and eventually call a halt to this free-for-all part of the session. Now it's time to evaluate and develop the ideas for whatever usefulness they may have.
To keep the creativity flowing in this stage, have participants defend or develop ideas that are not their own. This brings new insight to the idea, and prevents the problem of ego-identification that causes people to get "stuck in a rut" with their own ideas.
For example, ask the man who was critical of the idea of not delivering to work with that idea. "We have to deliver," he might start with. Then he thinks for a second and says, "I suppose we could deliver to central distribution points instead of to the individual customer. The customer could drive a short distance to pick up their order. That might save us on shipping."
Someone else suggests that the customers may like the arrangement. They would be able to return the product immediately if they were dissatisfied, with no need to pack and ship it. You assign a couple people to look into it, and move on to the other ideas.
Good leadership keeps the whole process working. In the last example, you've even used a "bad" idea to come to a possible solution. That's good brainstorming.
Steve Gillman has been studying brainpower enhancement, creative problem solving, and related topics for years. You can visit his website, and subscribe to his free Mind Power Course, at: http://www.IncreaseBrainPower.com/mind-powe r.html
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|


There are no "rules of thumb" in the pursuit of... Read More
Do you work in or own a business that's affected... Read More
How you finance the expansion of your business is important.... Read More
Writing a business plan can be tricky when all the... Read More
I am surprised how few sales professionals, independent consultants, and... Read More
As a franchisor it is imperative that you seek, find... Read More
By cranking up others development to meet your business needs,... Read More
What do Mark Victor Hansen, Robert Allen, Anthony Robbins, Andrew... Read More
If you've ever listened to Warren Buffett talk about investing,... Read More
If you are a manufacturer wanting to use your business... Read More
Writing a business plan is no easy task, sure you... Read More
No matter what business you plan to start in your... Read More
Writing a business plan to help you direct and manage... Read More
It's easy to lose sight of what needs to be... Read More
While writing an article recently on effective ways to bridge... Read More
Many movies have been made about the tragic story of... Read More
No "meme" isn't a typo and Got Milk, the more... Read More
Obviously, there will never be an actual water shortage since... Read More
GETTING STARTED WITH SUCCESSION PLANNING: PART IA survey of 4,300... Read More
Microsoft Business Solutions Great Plains serves mid-size and large clients... Read More
One of the difficulties we face in our industrialized age... Read More
If you own the mid-size business and actively work in... Read More
If you're a solo professional like I am, you know... Read More
A strategic alliance is when two or more businesses join... Read More
There is a story, about a business owner who wasn't... Read More
If you own a mobile franchise business and wish to... Read More
When developing the competition section of your business plan, companies... Read More
Businesses tend to avoid doing their annual business plan thinking... Read More
If you own a pressure washing business one of the... Read More
Many of Ohio's downtown areas are in need of upgrading... Read More
Is there really anything as a problem? Does chaos or... Read More
The format of a Business Plan is something that has... Read More
Storytelling and writing a business plan actually go hand in... Read More


We all know that nothing runs without a plan, and... Read More
Building a dynamic small business is a constantly evolving, increasingly... Read More
Experts estimate that 90 percent of Australian businesses are overspending... Read More
Writing a business plan is no easy task, sure you... Read More
Making money doesn't make your reputation... your reputation makes you... Read More
Please take a moment before you read any further and... Read More
We have been spending many hours surveying the market for... Read More
You might be thinking to yourself, "Why should I waste... Read More
Cassy was an employee of a nonprofit who had been... Read More
Obviously, there will never be an actual water shortage since... Read More
"Rubbish!" shouted the large, aggressive man in the red-striped shirt... Read More
Why do so many companies languish and watch as their... Read More
The first task before hiring a contractor for home remodeling... Read More
Conventional wisdom has it that there are only three ways... Read More
Business owners and entrepreneurs are, by nature, risk takers and... Read More
Richard L. Daft one of the country's recognized academic leadership... Read More
One of the most important initiatives in the domain of... Read More
Scenario OneDuring a recent presentation, a business owner was given... Read More
Businesses tend to avoid doing their annual business plan thinking... Read More
Let us look at a few of the big distribution... Read More
There are no "rules of thumb" in the pursuit of... Read More
Many very successful business owners may never have had a... Read More
While writing an article recently on effective ways to bridge... Read More
So you've decided to write your own business plan because... Read More
I'm not talking about posting the HBO schedule on your... Read More
Writing a Business Plan these days is tough, venture capitalists... Read More
Much of what we heard in the mass media about... Read More
Here is an abstract thought on studying nature and the... Read More
Possibly THE most frequently asked question of me is "What... Read More
To Grow (Catapult) Your Business That's Why.When it's in your... Read More
Some analysts credit [Larry] Ellison with anticipating the consolidation in... Read More
Is there a 'magical' way to exponentially grow your business?It's... Read More
The new check cashing instant clearing will take some time... Read More
Strategic Planning |