leadingtoday.org
Leadership Tip of
the Month
February 2004
Copyright 2004ă weLEAD, Inc.
Tips for
“Brainstorming”
There are
often times when a leader is looking for a “breakthrough” to solve a serious problem
or to help the organization to reach a higher level of achievement. These are
situations where brainstorming may be
helpful! Brainstorming is a procedure that encourages group members to verbally offer any
spontaneous ideas that immediately come to mind. These ideas are written on a blackboard or easel and no
negative comments or gestures are allowed.
Other members of the group are encouraged to build
and expand upon the ideas. Brainstorming is considered helpful in stimulating creativity and reducing inhibition in problem
solving. It also reduces the domination of the
group by certain aggressive individuals since contributions
are expected to be brief and spontaneous.
The key to successful
brainstorming is the ability of the leader to take a moderator’s role and eliminate the natural inhibitions people have
about offering their personal ideas without ridicule or judgment. Those
who participate in brainstorming sessions allow themselves to become vulnerable
and the leader must do everything possible to insure that others do not take
advantage of this vulnerability. As a leader, absolutely allow no criticism
of ideas during a brainstorming session! Here are some other tips that can
promote a successful brainstorming meeting…
Send a
short briefing to the attendees before the meeting begins. It is a good idea to have members of the group pondering the
concept or purpose of the meeting before they begin the session. Spontaneous
ideas are good but they are also enhanced when one has had some time to think
about a concept or problem in advance.
Small
groups are better than large ones. Try to
keep the group smaller than ten in
number. Remember that people become more
inhibited, and feel greater vulnerability in larger groups of people. Smaller
groups also have a higher energy level, are more cohesive and permit ideas to
easily feed off of each other.
Conduct
the meetings in the morning. People
are fresher and more creative in the morning and mid-morning hours. Near the
end of the day people become mentally tired and begin thinking about non-work
activities.
Invite
the “unexpected” to attend the meeting! Think
of someone who can bring a novel or fresh perspective to the meeting. Perhaps
you can invite a new employee, or a secretary, or an accountant or the janitor.
The purpose of a brainstorming session is to bring to the surface completely
new and refreshing thoughts or concepts from folks who look at opportunities or
problems differently than we do
normally. Remember, there are serious problems that occur from Groupthink!
For weLEAD, this is Greg
Thomas reminding you that it was John Le Carre who said, “The desk is a
dangerous place from which to watch the world.”
On
the weLEAD Website you will
find over 70 other free helpful leadership
tips. They are all available in a text version or as an MP3 audio!