I am sure you would have used this technique at least once in your lifetime. Maybe without even realizing it, we use brainstorming all the time. This is a great technique used by people who work in various functions to develop creative solutions to problems. You need to do it correctly for it to be fully effective.
In the following part of the article, we will focus on:
- What is Brainstorming?
- Why is it important?
- How do you get the best out of it?
What is Brainstorming?
The initial reference of the word ‘Brainstorming’ was made in a book published in 1953 by Alex Osborn called “Applied Imagination.” From that point to this point, there have been immense improvements in the original technique. Brainstorming is an informal way of lateral thinking to solve a problem. It encourages people to come forward with ideas that can seemingly come across as crazy and wild. These ideas are used to craft the original solution to the problem at hand, or to the least bud new thoughts and ideas from it. It actively tries to push people out of their comfort/ normal thinking.
Therefore, one of the core principles of Brainstorming is to keep it free. No rewards or penalties for any kind of idea are presented on the table. This exercise essentially focuses on widening the scope and avenues to bring in fresh perspectives. Judgments and analysis at this stage deter people to freely think.
Why use Brainstorming?
It’s been observed that no matter how much you follow a structured and analytical process. Solving problems like that will lead you to develop unimaginative ideas. It also gives rise to unhelpful group behavior.
On the other hand, Brainstorming provides you with an open canvas on which every individual can participate. Quirky ideas are given birth, and all participants naturally contribute fully. This way, they can come up with creative solutions. It enables you to come across without fear of getting judged. Brainstorming allows everyone’s diverse ideas and experiences to play a role.
On top of all this, it is a fun exercise and gives a lot of scope of bonding with other team members. This way, you can solve problems in an utmost rewarding and positive way. It can be really effective only when you approach it with the right mindset. You should look at it positively, in a non-judgemental way. If you do not keep this in mind, people will clam up, the overall morale level falls, and the quality of discussion takes a serious toll.
Individual Brainstorming
The real essence of brainstorming is when it happens in a group when it comes to solving problems. On the contrary, there are several studies that have indicated that brainstorming individually produces more and is even better than group brainstorming. It happens because it is hard to maintain the rules when in a group. As a result, there are higher chances that bad behavior would creep in. As people generally tend to focus on others and what others think, because of which they do not speak at all.
When you brainstorm individually, you tend not to worry about people’s egos and opinions. That way, you are freer and more creative. For example, there could be an idea that you would hesitate to take to a group. However, you may not develop ideas as evolved as a group would simply because you do not have the experience of all the group members. Individual brainstorming is more effective when you are trying to solve a simple problem in a linear fashion. On the other hand, group brainstorming is more effective in solving complex problems.
Group Brainstorming
In this type of brainstorming, you can leverage the knowledge and experience of a broader group. In case if someone is stuck with one idea, the other person, with his creativity, can take it to the next level. You can develop ideas in much greater detail in group brainstorming than in individual brainstorming. It also makes people responsible and accountable for the success of the session. People also learn to acknowledge creative and innovative ideas coming from others in the group. It is really important to chair these sessions tightly so that even the unpopular opinions are given the required attention. This is really necessary that the group as a whole does not crush ideas that are seemingly nonsensical.
In order to keep this exercise maximally effective, it is important that people come from wide/ diverse areas and backgrounds. The intersections between experience, knowledge, and disciplines are where the best ideas come from. One thing to keep in mind is that the group should not be too big. Usually, a group of 5-7 people is most effective.
How to make the most out of the Brainstorming exercise?
It is really hard to leverage any one kind of brainstorming session to give the best ideas and outcomes. It is often about striking the right balance between individual Brainstorming and group Brainstorming. In order to strike that balance, you can follow the below-mentioned steps. With the prescriptive steps below, you can achieve 3-fold benefits:
- Continuous flow of ideas without any interruptions with Maximum participation from the team members
- Maximize the number of ideas that you can potentially generate
- Get the team bond upon the larger idea of brainstorming while everyone converges to a broader scheme of things with their individual diverse ideas
To effectively run a good brainstorming exercise, you must follow the 3 steps mentioned below:
Step 1: Prepare the Group
It is essential to set up just the right/ conducive meeting environment. You need to keep the basics in mind, like the room where you are having the meeting should be well lit. It should have all the stationery, tools, other essential resources required. Make sure you are pre-decided if there is any kind of preparation that is required. Make sure you don’t overthink or plan too much. That way, you kill the freewheeling nature and the true essence of the Brainstorming session.
Mull over who all you are going to invite for the meeting. A room full of like-minded people or people who come from similar backgrounds can make this exercise a little futile. On the other hand, people belonging to diverse backgrounds are likely to converge to better creative ideas. Therefore, your focus should be to include people from varied disciplines and people who have different thinking styles.
When everyone is gathered, appoint someone from inside or even outside the team to record the ideas that come from the session. It is not necessary that the person heading the meeting should take notes. Because it gets really hard to moderate, take notes and contribute all at the same time. If possible, see if the notes/ ideas that are being captured are shared in real-time on a common visible platform. It could be a virtual flip board, a physical whiteboard, or even a computer with a projector.
If you are new to the team or have brought people who haven’t worked together before, you might want to break the ice with some ice-breaking activities.
Step 2: Break the Ice
If I put it in simple terms, it is nothing but a game or activity you can do at the beginning of a meeting or event. Having an ice-breaking session aims to break the communication barriers among team members and facilitate conversation. This is very commonly done as a part of induction in most organizations and even in training sessions. There are multiple benefits of ice-breaking like:
- A fun way of having an introduction session of recruits with their colleagues and even superiors.
- Encourage learning behavior
- Bolster channels of communication
- Build rapport among members of the team
- Enhance the feeling of collectiveness and unity
- Way of relaxing and induce positivity
There are some cases where ice breaking is just indispensable and really very helpful. For instance, if you are a team lead of a hybrid team where some people present on site attend meetings in person and some remotely. In this scenario, people present physically are likely to bond relatively better and in a more profound way.
Therefore, a virtual ice-breaking session would be a perfect way to bridge the present members both virtually and physically. You must choose the activity for ice-breaking wisely. Pay attention if your participants are tech-say or not. Keep in mind the cultural background of the members. It is also important to clarify the objective right in the beginning so that the entire session can be smooth and productive.
Step 3: Present the problem
It is very important to have your team clear on what the problem is.. as easy as it may sound, but there are high chances people are often on different sides of the problem. You must also lay down clear criteria and parameters where ever you think it is necessary.
Make sure that you give people ample amount of time to write down as many ideas as they can think of. Then, ensure that they are able to voice out the ideas and are given fair opportunities to contribute.
Step 4: Act as a guide to the entire discussion
Once everyone has voiced out their individual ideas, start a discussion to develop other’s ideas and build new ideas on top of the existing ones. It is one of the most critical elements to build on other’s ideas in group brainstorming. As a moderator/ guide, make sure even the quietest person in the group is contributing. Also, it is important that everyone feel safe and comfortable. Make sure the environment is free of any kind of judgment and criticism.
As a group facilitator, one of your main jobs is to keep the discussion on track. Spend good time supporting the team and guiding the discussion. Stick to one conversation and juice it as much as you can. Whenever you have an idea, you should definitely chime in and make the discussion richer.
One thing to keep in mind throughout the session is to keep it fun. Make sure you appreciate out-of-the-box thinking and encourage as many ideas that can come out of it. Make sure you do not follow a single line of thought for too long. Document all the ideas coming your way and give the members liberty to “break out” and explore ideas in their own space. More often than not, a brainstorming session is a lengthy process, and you should consider taking ample breaks in between.
Taking it to the next level: Growing your team
1. Look out for Clarity
A team works as a team only when there is clarity in the overall vision and direction. The team’s only focus is to have a set goal, and all members should be dedicated to achieving that set goal. Therefore, it is very important to have clear direction from the leader or the supervisor regarding the method of attaining those goals. Brainstorming frequently can help achieve the said goals.
2. Practice effective communication
Communication is the key to effective Brainstorming. It is important to know that frequent meetings and forced talks do not improve communication within teams. Instead, you should inculcate the habit of listening among members and yourself. You should take suggestions and remain open to feedback. It is hugely beneficial as it prevents misunderstanding within the team environment.
3. Have an over-arching set of ethics and rules
Defining rules and ethics for a team are foundational for Brainstorming. Having set standards that are common and applicable for all. That ensures fairness and healthy competition among team members. Pre-set rules play an important role in maintaining discipline amongst team members. The whole team should be committed to these over-arching principles.
4. Embrace Diversity
Diversity has been overlooked for many years in the past and was seen as a bizarre thing, especially gender diversity. There have been multiple pieces of research to support that diversity in teams translates into effective work output. When people from different walks of life and gender come together, learning at work increases exponentially. Also, people from different backgrounds come with different advantages and mindsets, which makes the team more holistic.
5. Building Trust
Having trust between members is crucial for efficiency in the output. It also boosts confidence and co-dependence, which consequently leads to sharing a stronger bond. You should be loyal to your team members in order to expect the same from them. There are a plethora of other ways you can employ to boost trust among fellow members. It is also an effective measure to build enthusiasm and brings team members together.
