Encyclopedia of Leadership

HOW TO BRAINSTORM

1. Ask the workgroup or team to brainstorm; explain the goal of brainstorming, and why
   it will be helpful. Try to illustrate by giving an example or telling a story of the power
   of brainstorming.


2. Agree to a definition or statement of the concern for which ideas will be brainstormed.


3. Depending on the team or workgroup, highlight key ground rules (e.g., “Don’t evalu-
   ate while brainstorming.”) [☛10.8 Ground Rules]


4. Have someone visibly and succinctly record all ideas on a whiteboard or flip chart. Use
   only key words to keep the ideas moving. You need to record only enough words to
   reconstruct the thought. [☛10.9 Visible Information]


5. Work intensely for a short period of time.


6. Clarification questions are okay, but don’t slow down the brainstorming process with
   long explanations.


7. Invite everyone to contribute. Encourage fun and out-of-the-box ideas. Humor
   unleashes innovative ideas. [☛10.7 Getting Participation]


8. Don’t evaluate ideas until brainstorming is finished (the most important ground rule
   when brainstorming).

HINTS

❑ Some distinguish between unstructured brainstorming, as described here, and struc-

tured brainstorming, whereby participants may write down ideas first and then express

ideas in round-robin fashion. See the next section for variations.

❑ If a group member wants to change a word or the nuance of another participant’s

brainstorm idea, treat the amendment like a new idea, and write it using the new

words. Otherwise, it may feel like evaluation.

❑ Brainstorming has been used extensively in organizations. As such, it may have devel-

oped dysfunctional norms in some organizations. In these situations, use an alterna-

tive process and call it something else.

HOW TO USE THIS LEADERSHIP TOOL

“The effects of leaping to conclusions are common problems for most groups. Norman Maier

...discusses ...the tendency of groups to settle on the first proposed solution that is minimally acceptable. ...

Once groups jell around one solution it is unlikely that other solutions, even higher quality solutions,

will receive appropriate consideration.”

—L. Perry, R. Stott, and N. Smallwood, REAL-TIME STRATEGY

Brainstorming is one of the best-known and most widely used leadership tools today. A couple

of variations on this technique are:

• Use a more structured approach. Ask each participant to jot down a few ideas on a
  sheet of paper, and then go around the room with each person presenting one idea at
  a time, in round-robin fashion, until all the ideas have been presented. No evaluation
  takes place until all ideas are expressed. However, clarifying and building or expanding
  on another person’s ideas are both okay.

SECTION 6 TOOLS FORCRITICALTHINKING ANDINNOVATION 197