5 Tips for Better Brainstorming Meetings
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Useful tips and tricks to have more effective brainstorming meetings.
Sharing some valuable insights on a topic that's relevant for just about any team: brainstorming. I’ve got five tips that will help you have more effective brainstorming conversations with your team. These are designed to help you avoid common pitfalls like groupthink, low engagement, clunky disagreements, and to foster a productive and creative environment.
Without further ado:
1) Upward Brainstorming: Embrace positivity.
The language of ‘upward brainstorming’ is something I came up with years ago for a previous video, and the idea is to set aside time where criticism is withheld during the initial idea generation phase. Doing this allows for a free flow of ideas without the fear of immediate judgment, which stifles creativity.
Set a ground rule that people can only introduce a new idea or build upon someone else’s. For a certain amount of time no one is allowed to detract from or criticize ideas — only generate them. Doing this creates a space where people will engage more freely and will build on each other’s ideas, leading to more innovative outcomes.
2) Planned Crickets: Make room for thought.
We've all experienced a meeting where someone asks for input or feedback — only to be met with crickets. Silence can feel awkward if it’s unplanned, but can be a powerful, strategic tool if you use it right instead of seeing it as a negative.
“Extroverts often dominate discussions, processing their thoughts out loud and leaving less time for introverts to contribute.”
I came up with the concept of ‘planned crickets’ with a leader that was experiencing this with their team in order to capitalize on this silence.
Set aside a specific amount of time for everyone to think and process ideas before speaking. Introduce a concept or idea and ask everyone to just think and mentally chew on it for a minute or two before opening it up for anyone to respond.
Extroverts often dominate discussions, processing their thoughts out loud and leaving less time for introverts to contribute. By intentionally incorporating silent thinking periods into your brainstorming sessions, you give everyone, especially those who need more time to process, the opportunity to share, leading to more diverse and well-thought-out ideas.
3) Invite Perspectives: Encourage diverse input.
This tip might seem obvious, but it's often overlooked. As a leader or facilitator, it’s crucial to actively solicit input from all team members.
“You’ll often find that those who are quieter have some of the most valuable insights to offer.”
Some people won't speak up unless specifically asked. Don't be afraid to call on individuals by name and ask for their thoughts. You'll often find that those who are quieter have some of the most valuable insights to offer. Make it a point to create a space where everyone feels comfortable sharing.
You can do this without making anyone feel on the spot. Remember, don’t uncomfortably force people to speak, create space and opportunities by inviting specific people to chime in if they have anything to add.
4) Bad Ideas Only: Loosen up the creativity
Sometimes, brainstorming sessions can stall because people self-edit and hold back ideas until they think of something that they think is brilliant. The result is that a lot of good or potentially great ideas don’t get shared. To combat this, dedicate an amount of time specifically for "bad ideas only."
Encourage your team to throw out unrealistic or absurd ideas for even just five minutes. This not only breaks the ice but also gets the creative juices flowing. You never know when a "bad" idea can spark something brilliant. Plus, it adds some fun and levity to the session, which can help relieve pressure to be perfect and open up more genuine creativity. Giveaway a goodie or prize for the worst idea.
“People can find it hard to feel like they have to “think outside the box,” so instead keep them inside the box — just make it a weird box.”
People can find it hard to feel like they have to “think outside the box,” so instead keep them inside the box — just make it a weird box.
5) Set Ground Rules: Establish a safe space
Lastly, set some clear ground rules at the start of your brainstorming session. These rules should ensure that everyone feels safe to share their ideas, even if they're unconventional or go against the majority opinion.
Examples might include respecting each other's time to speak, not belaboring points, actively inviting diverse perspectives, how to disagree productively, etc. When everyone knows and follows these ground rules, the meeting will be much more productive and inclusive. Make then specific and be clear about how everyone needs to show up, and what pitfalls you want to avoid.
Related Blogs:
Upward Brainstorming: How to Brainstorm Effectively with Your Team
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This article was created by Galen Emanuele for the #culturedrop. Free leadership and team culture content in less than 5 minutes a week. Check out the rest of this month's content and subscribe to the Culture Drop at https://bit.ly/culturedrop
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