Effective Brainstorming

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.

---

You, Your Team, and Your Coach

The grand purpose of coaching is to help your managers,... Read More

Book Summary: The 17 Essential Qualities of a Team Player

A follow-up companion reader to The 17 Indisputable Laws of... Read More

12 Tips and Reminders for Team Members To Enjoy Their Team Experiences More

12 Tips and Reminders for Team Members To Enjoy Their... Read More

WIIFM - Making the Whats In It for Me? Question Work for You

In the constantly changing world of Call Centers, asking agents... Read More

Having Trouble Motivating Others? Try WIIFM

Recently my fourteen-year old son Matt dressed up as Santa... Read More

Working with Difficult People: 3 Questions to Help You Turn Your Tormentors into Teachers

The Dance of ConflictWhen faced with the prospect of meeting... Read More

Outdoor Team Development ? Harmless Fun or Serious Learning?

The Sales Director had organised a great conference; the venue... Read More

Teaming - How to Build a Team

Team building takes work but the results are worth it.... Read More

Marche, or How Teams Work.

On the trail in Northern Canada "Marche" was the word... Read More

Getting Team Discussions Moving in The Right Direction

Group discussions are where much of the creative work of... Read More

High Performing Teams: 10 Things You Want To Know About Building A High Performing Team

"Conflict becomes politics, commitment becomes 'Only if it's in my... Read More

Finding The Leader Within (Keys To Zen Leadership)

Most believe that leadership is an innate quality that some... Read More

Story Telling With a Purpose

For a brief time, I tried to sell life insurance.... Read More

Franchisor Award Programs; Ideas and Innovation

Franchisors should also be heavy on the award side of... Read More

Teamwork, Rowing, & Paddles

Effective and sustainable teambuilding is necessary in today's marketplace where... Read More

How To Help A Sick Team Become Healthy

Team Building Question:A team is full of animosity, pretended interpersonal... Read More

The 3 Secrets of Team Motivation

Are workers telling the truth when they say they are... Read More

Constructive Group Dynamics: How to Go from the S.N.I.P.P.Y. Syndrome to a C.L.E.A.R. V.I.E.W.

If asked to look at your work calendar for the... Read More

Effective Team Building For Organizational Success

"Teamwork is the ability to work together toward a common... Read More

Putting the I in Team

This sports cliche is a memorable phrase that reminds people... Read More

Landscaping Business; Employee Relations

There are few industries or service type businesses, which are... Read More

4 Tips for Keeping a Team Motivated

Companies often have incentives for reps, but sometimes that isn't... Read More

Effective Team Building for Stronger Teams

TEAM LEADERS WORKSHOPAlice asked Cheshire cat "which road should I... Read More

Team Building requires one great dynamic for true Success - Mateship

A Successful Team is built around mateship, around respect for... Read More

Grow Your Staff into a Team of Creative Problem Solvers

As a manager, your employees will come to you with... Read More

Effective Team Building Part 1 - Another Brick in the Wall!

The first in a series of articles giving a slightly... Read More

Team Success with ?Innies?: Why You Want Them on Your Team and How to Help Them Excel

Everyone knows, works or lives with "innies." Who are they... Read More

Recruiting Government Workers As Franchisees

Many believe a leaner government promotes better freedoms with respect... Read More

Why Is Teamwork Training Important?

"When teamwork kicks in, nobody can beat you." Don Shula,... Read More

Feedback - How to Make it Effective

Let's look at the detail of giving feedback. Whether you... Read More

What College Taught Me About Teamwork Training

I declared a Communications Major two years into school, after... Read More

Leadership ? Do The Simple But Important Things

Why do we human beings complicate things? Is it that... Read More

Creating a Winning Staff Team

As a business owner, I've had staff come and go... Read More