BrainstormingPitfalls

Source: //Kelley (2001)//

Hot brainstorming sessions may generate a hundred or more ideas, ten of which may be solid leads. They can help put a team on course, and the rush of adrenaline can keep the team members buzzing for days. There’s a ripple effect. People talk after brainstorming sessions, sharing wild or practical ideas that may have come out of a particularly vibrant session. A great session gives you a fantastic feeling of possibility, and an hour later you walk out of the room a little richer for the experience. It gives a group the sense of spontaneous team combustion. If you participate regularly in brainstorming sessions, it’s like stretching exercises for your mind. You approach problems differently than when you are in your typical work mode.

Unfortunately, we all occasionally fall victim to negativity, and without a comfort zone, people don’t take chances. Following are brainstorming pitfalls to look out for.

Source: Kelly (2001)
 * Six Ways to Kill a Brainstorming Session**

1. The Boss Gets to Speak First
If the boss gets first crack, then she is going to set the agenda and the boundaries, and your session is immediately limited.

2. Everybody Gets a Turn
Requiring every person in the room to speak in turn, is not brainstorming and does not induce creativity.

3. Experts Only Please
In brainstorming don’t be “expert” snobs. Bring in people with alternate and diverse backgrounds that may not have the right degrees or perceived experience, but may just have the insight that is needed.

4. Do it Off-Site
Brainstorming at ski lodges and beach resorts can be counterproductive. Do you want your team members to think that creativity and inspiration only happen at high altitude or within walking distance of an ocean? Off-sites are fine, but you want the buzz of creativity to blow through your workspace as regularly as a breeze at the beach.

5. No Stuff is Silly
Silly ideas and flights of fancy are very important for your team and session. They remind everybody that this isn’t like work, that anything goes, and that we’re going to have a lot of fun while we solve our problems.

6. Write Down Everything
Taking notes instead of getting involved in the momentum shifts your focus to the wrong side of your brain. It’s like trying to dance and type on your laptop at the same time. Sketch and doodle all you want but don’t get bogged down in writing everything down.

(Original page by Mary Frangie)