Most managers simply herd some people in a room with a flip chart and call it a brainstorming session. Yet there is a definite process that maximizes the size and quality of the idea pool. While there are hundreds of valid techniques for doing this, below are just some of the important concepts leaders should consider.
a) The sum of ideas produced by individuals acting alone is greater than the sum of ideas produced by those individuals acting as a group. Further, the diversity and novelty of ideas produced by individuals acting alone is greater than produced in a group. This means that asking group members to think of a set number of diverse and novel ideas before the session and then repeat the process during the session results in greater total output. Be sure to insist that individuals think of new ideas in the group session.
b) Individuals are prone to competency traps and path dependency. This means that it is hard for them to rapidly frame break unless new experience, stimuli or knowledge is introduced. One solution is to import competencies. Bring in new and dissimilar individuals. Try and ensure these new individuals score high on expression, tacit knowledge and status.
c) Brainstorming usually implies that the solution to a problem is being sought. Thus one good principle is to break the session into three parts ? problem identification, idea generation and idea selection. It is amazing how many different perceptions of a problem often exist. Each problem definition generates its own set of ideas. This stage-process allows the separation of creative from critical thinking. Writing and editing are two very different processes.
d) Set incremental goals. Incremental goals produce more output than "do your best." Further, they trigger prolific production; it can be said with great certainty that quality is closely connected with quantity ? the single best creative product tends to appear at that point in the career when the creator is being most prolific.
There are at least two types of incremental goal: 1) short term ? this forces production of output and 2) longer term ? this allows problems to incubate at various cognitive levels and results in the required insight.
e) Foster collaboration instead of competition. Competition causes people to shut down, restricts the flow of information and creates core and peripheral groups. On the other hand, collaboration allows the intellectual cross-pollination that is the raw material for the idea generation process.
f) One of the top idea generation killers is slow or non-existent implementation. People just will not take idea generation seriously if nothing tangible resulted from the last brainstorming session. Ensure direct links to decision makers and visible progression through the innovation process ? idea selection, development and commercialisation.
g) Don't rely on "creative types." Everyone can generate large numbers of diverse and novel ideas. Whilst there are assertions that there are creativity traits such as lack tolerance for conformity and tolerance for ambiguity, these theories are questioned on the basis that traits are hard to identify, isolate and are not stable or transferable across situations. Further, other criteria such as motivation and competencies are critical.
h) Think beyond brainstorming. The concept of brainstorming as the only effective method of good idea generation is questionable. Some brainstorming negatives include: 1) dilution of ideas, 2) lower rates of participation from individuals who score low in expression and 3) evaluation apprehension. Idea boxes, idea intranets and knowledge bases are just some methods of maximising the contribution of every individual.
These and other topics are covered in depth in the MBA dissertation on Managing Creativity & Innovation, which can be purchased at http://www.managing-creativity.com
Kal Bishop, MBA.
************************************
You are free to reproduce this article as long as the author's name, web address and link to MBA dissertation is retained.
Kal Bishop is a management consultant based in London, UK. He has consulted in the visual media and software industries and for clients such as Toshiba and Transport for London. He has led improv, creativity and innovation workshops, exhibited artwork in San Francisco, Los Angeles and London and written a number of screenplays. He is a passionate traveller.
Sometimes the greatest challenges lay not within the actions of... Read More
Recently my fourteen-year old son Matt dressed up as Santa... Read More
Too many techies get a bad rap for lacking teamwork... Read More
Giving gifts to your co-workers or your employees can be... Read More
Many believe a leaner government promotes better freedoms with respect... Read More
On the trail in Northern Canada "Marche" was the word... Read More
With over 25 years of research and experience, we have... Read More
Several years ago I took an assignment as a Manager... Read More
"Teamwork is the ability to work together toward a common... Read More
Why do we human beings complicate things? Is it that... Read More
12 Tips and Reminders for Team Members To Enjoy Their... Read More
For a brief time, I tried to sell life insurance.... Read More
Introduction:Working with teams, whether as leader of a single team... Read More
A grassy field, two nets, a soccer ball and some... Read More
Teams run most businesses and teams work best if each... Read More
The very effective tool of keeping a journal can be... Read More
One of the best lessons I have learned is the... Read More
Everyone knows, works or lives with "innies." Who are they... Read More
Just today my partner Russ and I sat down to... Read More
Maybe you find yourself in a new team environment and... Read More
True or false? Teams that practice good teamwork contribute to... Read More
You are new to Internet Marketing, you join one Affiliate... Read More
The other day I got a call from a friend... Read More
We live in very progressive times, one only has to... Read More
The Sales Director had organised a great conference; the venue... Read More
1. Humor reduces stress levels and stress is the number... Read More
TEAM LEADERS WORKSHOPAlice asked Cheshire cat "which road should I... Read More
Eight Principles for Purposeful AlignmentEffective teamwork requires individual members of... Read More
Companies often have incentives for reps, but sometimes that isn't... Read More
Too often teams aren't assembled. They just happen. A project... Read More
"When teamwork kicks in, nobody can beat you." Don Shula,... Read More
Recently I decided to stretch my athletic abilities and add... Read More
Reed Employment made a survey of their clients and compiled... Read More
Benefit 1 - You get to understand them betterAlmost everyone... Read More
One of the most memorable quotes that I heard from... Read More
When was the last time you spent excessive time and... Read More
As a freelance writer myself, I know how important it... Read More
Let's look at the detail of giving feedback. Whether you... Read More
Eight Principles for Purposeful AlignmentEffective teamwork requires individual members of... Read More
In most organisations the administration/support team, although they can be... Read More
As a business owner, I've had staff come and go... Read More
Trainers, please picture this... You are presenting in a new... Read More
A follow-up companion reader to The 17 Indisputable Laws of... Read More
Today, most of us have been involved in a team... Read More
Picture yourself entering a corporate meeting, team meeting, or business... Read More
Creativity can be defined as problem identification and idea generation... Read More
7 Key Dimensions of High Performance Teams We can always... Read More
"Tak kenak! Tak kenak!" "Adak Orang sanak!????"The quiet jungle has... Read More
Franchisors should also be heavy on the award side of... Read More
With over 25 years of research and experience, we have... Read More
Teams are often useful in situations where the task cannot... Read More
Just today my partner Russ and I sat down to... Read More
Creativity can be defined as problem identification and idea generation... Read More
The effects of conflict in the workplace are widespread and... Read More
Internal business structures have been radically transformed over the past... Read More
Recently, while developing a customer service program, I asked my... Read More
Too many techies get a bad rap for lacking teamwork... Read More
Several years ago I took an assignment as a Manager... Read More
What's the Secret Ingredient That Turns Groups into Teams? Working... Read More
12 Tips and Reminders for Team Members To Enjoy Their... Read More
It's a great sunny day so it's time to get... Read More
Introduction:Working with teams, whether as leader of a single team... Read More
Recently while waiting for our lunch to be served in... Read More
In days past, loyalty was a given. The worker in... Read More
The people in your team may feel a bit uncomfortable... Read More
In the new corporate environments where everyone wears more than... Read More
Team Building |