leadingtoday.org

Leadership Tip of the Month

February 2004

Copyright 2004ã 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”.

To learn more about leadership go to the weLEAD Home Page!