Generating options is the key to satisfying the interests of everyone. The best way to generate options is through the process of brainstorming. Brainstorming generates multiple ideas in a very short period of time – and can be especially productive in a group setting.
Before going into a brainstorming process, it is important that all participants agree that evaluations and judgments do not belong in the brainstorming session. Once you stop to question the benefits of an idea, you generate analytical thinking and bring the creative process to a grinding halt.
When brainstorming, notice what it feels like. Notice your mental activity, emotions, and physical responses. Contrast those feelings with those you have when you think in analytical mode. Being conscious of the distinction between creative and analytical thinking is important.
Defer Judgment
One thing that will make or break a brainstorming session is whether or not you defer judgment. It’s so difficult to do and absolutely must be a hard-and-fast rule you follow to keep ideas flowing and allow people to contribute in their unique way without having a filter applied or any kind of judgment applied to their ideas. You shouldn’t moderate anything in a brainstorming session and really anything goes. All ideas, even weird, difficult, unrealistic, and random ideas must be allowed.
Everyone Participates
Make sure that everyone has a chance to participate and to be heard. The facilitator should ask each person for his or her ideas and to expand on comments made. Be aware of the group dynamic. Some people will start to lead and share more which is great, but you don’t want any one person to dominate the session or you’ll lose the value of the group’s diversity.
High Energy
Brainstorming takes a lot of energy, so keeping the group alert, energized and active helps with creative thinking. You can do this with expression, motion, positive encouragement on every idea, and toys and physical objects. And of course, the facilitator should be as energetic as possible. As a facilitator, speak with passion about capturing ideas and push the group to participate, keeping everyone’s energy levels up. Provide candies, juice or other energy foods. Some groups might like to brainstorm in an environment that energizes them. Perhaps having music on will help, or holding the session outdoors. Add something to the session to ensure a high energy level.
Faster is Better
Faster means two things: If you want to run a session quickly and encourage people to be quick, you yourself must exhibit a high energy level. It also means that you want people’s initial ideas as soon as they come to mind. You don’t even want individuals filtering or moderating their own ideas before they share them. Spontaneity and speed are what make brainstorming really work so do everything you can to keep the group moving quickly and going fast!
Quantity versus Quality
If you encourage everyone to work fast, it’s more likely that you will get more ideas. More ideas mean more options, and generally, this leads to much better results.
Encourage Wild Ideas
Since brainstorming sessions are typically used to break free from rigid problems that have no immediate or usable solutions, it makes sense to encourage wild and audacious ideas.
Build on Each Other’s Ideas
Every idea created has the potential to yield more ideas. What one person starts with can easily be shifted or modified into a whole new idea, so always encourage people to modify ideas in order to keep generating more.
Keep on Track
Keeping on track requires a delicate balance. You must allow ideas to diverge into new areas that might seem off topic (at least a bit) in order to let the creative process thrive so as not to stifle people’s participation. At the same time, you must control the group and guide them to stay on tasks so that the focus continues to solve the problem at hand.
Short Discussions
Inevitably, discussions will transpire about some of the new ideas, and while you can’t eliminate these discussions, you can ensure that they are brief. They generally lead to the design of solutions or to a confrontation between individuals, neither of which belongs in a brainstorming session.Remind the group of its purpose when this happens and bring the focus back to generating ideas.
Capture Everything
Capturing and recording the generated ideas is critical to a good brainstorming session as well. First of all, the way you do this is important and you must have a method that works live in the meeting. You want everyone to see the notes as many will require a visual aid to help further their creative thinking. We recommend using a flipchart or whiteboard in addition to sticky notes so that people can add their ideas and thoughts and have them seen by everyone. The point of capturing ideas is to capture EVERYTHING.
Organize and Filter after the Brainstorm
Don’t attempt to organize or filter anything while you are looking for ideas and in the brainstorming session. This turns on logical thinking and will suppress the creative mind from producing more ideas. Stay focused on the brainstorm and wait to do any organizing and filtering of those ideas afterwards.
Use the Following Ground Rules from the Previous Concepts:
No negative comments are allowed in response to any ideas put forth – no matter how improbable, illogical, or foolish they may seem. It is useful to set a time limit. Use the “Yes, and” techniques. Ask the team members to generate as many options or solutions as possible. The facilitator should intercept the desire for instant evaluation. Quantity and quickness are to be emphasized.
After the initial brainstorming session is over, the most provocative ideas can then be singled out and discussed in more detail. When brainstorming is conducted well it can be an amazing, freeing experience. Two apparently random, crazy ideas can generate a third, brilliant one. The more options you can come up with, the more likely you will reach a creative agreement and satisfy everyone’s desires. The experience of searching for an inclusive solution is stimulating and invigorating. Inclusive solutions are more than just compromises; they work for everyone who holds a stake in the outcome.
