Brainstorming - or "thought-shower" as some prefer to call it - has gotten a bad rap for leading to uncreative and even unhealthy consensus. But getting together to try out ideas and come up with new ones can promote collaboration and creativity, if done right. Here's how:
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Assemble a diverse team. Bring together people from different disciplines, cultures, and age groups. Be sure that some members have necessary and relevant expertise, but that some are naïve about the issue at hand.
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Be clear about who decides. If everyone in the room has to agree, you'll gravitate toward the lowest common denominator. Name the person who is ultimately responsible and establish that everyone else is there to offer up ideas and build on others.
- Let ideas live. At the end of the session, don't kill the ideas that didn't make it. Sometimes these lingering suggestions will make it into final concepts. Allow people to pick one and develop it further.
The above leadership tip...
was sent in response to a question from a participant on our acclaimed 10/10 leadership development and mentoring programme and was adapted from Yes, You Can Brainstorm Without Groupthink by Vijay Govindarajan and Jay Terwilliger. Whether you're a first time manager or an experienced leader, straightforward, practical advice on best practice is hard to find. Until now. To find out how you, your team or your organisation can benefit, please contact us.
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