3 tips for productive brainstorming

⛈ Brainstorming gets a bad rap.

It’s typically unfocused. The conversation is usually overwhelmed by the more extroverted participants. And after the hour (or two hours) of sitting in a Zoom meeting together… did you really come up with anything new?

Like any creative endeavor, you can’t push the boundaries if they don’t exist in the first place.

Here are 3 tips to facilitate a truly productive brainstorm.

1️⃣ DEFINE YOUR DESIRED OUTCOME

Brainstorms exist to generate lots of new ideas. But to ensure they’re valuable, make sure you have a prompt that focuses everyone’s attention in the right problem area. Whatever your goal, make it clear at the outset to keep everyone focused.

2️⃣ REMEMBER IT’S OKAY TO BE MESSY

It’s referred to as a “storm” for a reason. Now is NOT the time to debate or evaluate ideas. It’s a time to generate, to be inspired, to build off the ideas of others.

As difficult as it may be, try to mute the natural naysayer and editor that exists inside all of us. There’s a time and place for that, but it’s not in a brainstorm.

3️⃣ STICK TO AN AGENDA

Even intentional messes can benefit from a bit of structure. Add some time blocks for tasks such as:

✅ Setting background and context - 5 min.
✅ Heads down time - 20 min.
✅ Next steps and follow-up actions - 5 min.

Etc.

Remember: brainstorming isn’t just a fun afterthought. It’s a powerful tool for a team to rapidly generate new ideas without fear of judgement.

So go on.

Make it rain.

☔️