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Create the Effective Brainstorm Process
How do you conduct a positive team brainstorming session
that generates ideas and aids in problem-solving?

What is it like in your office when the team gets together in a meeting?  Do some people knock heads?  Do the same people always take center stage in discussions resulting in others tending to clam up?  Is there one outspoken person who tends to "put a lid" on others to the point that they feel it's too risky to bring up their ideas?  Anytime you have more than 3 people in a room together and you ask them to resolve a problem or to investigate solutions to challenges  ...  you're going to see group dynamics at work.  And the outcomes may have more to do with the personalities involved than with the quality or the objectivity of the discussions.

MODEL NON-JUDGMENTAL BEHAVIOR TO ENCOURAGE PARTICIPATION
To maximize the effectiveness of the group, it is key to understand what is really going on within the group.  And it's up to leadership to guide the team toward productive outcomes in a safe environment.  That is NOT an easy task, yet it's one that is well worth the effort.  The leader becomes the role model of acceptable group behavior.  That is, the leader must walk the talk.  If the leader wants openness in the group and free exchange of opinion, then the leader must be the first person to exhibit these behaviors.  Team members will observe the leader's actions and words as the true test of acceptable behavior. If the leader wants to encourage a safe environment, the leader must model non-judgmental behavior. 

Alternatively, if you want to shut down team members and crush their spirit, then promptly discount their ideas in front of others.  Rest assured, they won't raise another idea in the group again, and they will probably feel resentment toward you.  So it's important to tread carefully into areas of brainstorming;  To get the most from the group, the leader must ensure that everyone knows the rules and the rules must be maintained to ensure a safe environment.

ESTABLISH THE RULES OF BRAINSTORMING
We aren't born with brainstorming skills.  These skills are learned.  It is often up to the office leader to teach these skills to team members. This is an investment of time and energy that will be paid off in terms of team creativity, problem-solving and effective conflict resolution. 

Once the leader sets up these "rules", they need to be shared with the group and the entire group must agree to maintain the rules.  TIP: Put these protocols on a flip chart to reinforce the concepts.  At the same time, realize that your own behaviors must be in accord!   The leader needs to emphasize that ALL members of the group are important to team effectiveness and therefore ALL voices are to be heard and ALL ideas will be considered.  If you have team members who are hesitant to bring up their ideas because they fear being judged, you are not receiving full brain power from the group. This is an important part of establishing a safe environment.

Here are brainstorming steps to consider: 

1.  Every contribution is worthwhile
2.  Suspend judgment
3.  Prioritize and/or categorize
4.  Review, refine, evaluate
5.  Commit to implement

EVERY CONTRIBUTION IS WORTHWHILE
"Wait just one minute!  It's not true that EVERY contribution is worthwhile",  you say.  In the context of effective brainstorming it IS true.  Discuss this concept, explaining that the purpose is to get as many ideas as possible on the table.  It doesn't mean that you're ultimately going to implement every one of them, but that you want to get the creative juices flowing.  Once energetic conversation begins, the ideas start to flow and what may initially seem to be a silly idea may produce the seeds of a practical or innovative idea.

When you start to brainstorm a topic, let the ideas flow and write them down.  TIP: Be sure to list ALL ideas on the flip chart.  When people see their ideas written down, they become more invested in the process.  

SUSPEND JUDGMENT
This step is more difficult than the step above.  In applying quick judgment to another person's ideas, it's possible to shut down that person from further participation.  It is here where people can become very sensitive to the words or actions of others.  One individual rolling his/her eyes, or laughing derisively at another person's ideas can be deadly to productive discussion.  And those moments can later translate into grudges or cliques within teams.  It is vital for the leader to manage these moments and model the appropriate behavior.

Ideally, suspension of judgment is for a limited period during a meeting.  TIP: Set a specific length of time for this freewheeling conversation and ensure that it doesn't get off-track.  You might even set a timer and keep an eye on it to ensure you're true to your word. "OK, we're going to brainstorm ideas for 15 minutes, then we'll evaluate and prioritize our ideas.  During the idea-listing, we're going to suspend judgment. Suspending judgment doesn't mean that we agree with all ideas, but that we are making room for everyone to voice their ideas."   It's really important that team members all understand this and agree to comply. 

Let's say you're thinking about putting a new sign in front of your building.  In the spirit of wide open creativity, one person offers, "I think we should consider a flashing neon sign."  You know that would be totally inappropriate for your business.  What do you say?  Maybe someone in the group laughs and says, "That's crazy, it would look ridiculous for our office."  In that moment, the staff person who suggested the idea may be crushed and isn't likely to offer any more ideas.  Additionally, the curt remark may well put the reins on others in the group and stifle those who don't want to be similarly ridiculed. This is when the team is deprived of full energy of every individual.   It is here where the leader must say, "We are ONLY listing ideas now.  Remember, we're suspending judgment on the ideas ... after this step we'll prioritize the ideas generated.  Most importantly, that very idea might generate more ideas.  We're listing ALL ideas at this point - we'll discuss later."  Participating members of the team must feel validated to ensure that they continue to participate.

TIP:  As the leader, be careful of imposing your own judgments by saying things like, "Oh, great idea"  for some ideas and then exhibiting a furrowed brow with other ideas!

PRIORITIZE AND/OR CATEGORIZE
Once you have completed the listing phase, you are now ready to prioritize ideas.  Let's say that you've listed ideas on a flip chart and the group has offered 20 ideas.  Some of those ideas are very viable, some others are just not practical.  Rather than cut down the less effective options, focus on the ideas that are the most meaningful for the group. There are several ways to do this.  First decide if the ideas all relate to the same overarching concept.  If not, you may need to categorize the ideas into subsets, then approach the subsets as individual lists.

Within the category, prioritize the ideas based on practicality, creativity, uniqueness or whatever criteria you feel most important.  Place a checkmark next to the ideas that appear to be the most effective for your goals, then rewrite your list with only these items on the new list.  Sensitivity is important here as some individuals ideas slip away and are not part of the new listing.  It is more important to focus on the strengths of the newly-listed items, rather than the weaknesses of the dropped items.  TIP:  Have 2 flip charts in use and ask another team member help you list items on the second chart.

It is here where group dynamics can have an impact on the direction of the discussion.  As people discuss the ideas, the stronger personalities in the group may have impact on the more quiet individuals.  You may not get an accurate overview of the group because some people are more verbal than others. Encourage all participants to air their viewpoints.  TIP:  Encourage "divergent thinking" by stating, "We're not looking for concensus ... so I want to hear all the other viewpoints are on this."  

It may be effective for you to allow people to cast votes.  This can be done in a couple of different ways.  You might put numbers or letters next to each concept and then have team members cast votes.  Or you can have the team make tick marks right on the flip chart, allowing each team member a certain number of votes.  The result is that you now have a working, prioritized list of ideas generated fairly and equitably by your group.

REVIEW, EVALUATE AND REFINE
 At this point it is important to further fine-tune your list.  Therefore, the group must look at each idea from the position of pros and cons, as well as practicality and return on investment (if applicable).  What may have received the top votes initially, may have some weaknesses under further investigation.  You are no longer suspending judgment.  Not all ideas can be #1, so paring down is a critical part of this process.

TIP: At the close of this segment, be sure to thank everyone for participation and openness in sharing ideas.   Team members need to know that they are valued for their willingness to participate and that the process is often as important as the outcomes.  Effective brainstorming can be a significant part of building a cohesive team.

COMMIT TO IMPLEMENT
Once you have established the direction you will take as a result of this process, it is necessary to construct a plan and time table.  This step is sometimes given short shrift.  Once people have fine-tuned their ideas it is vital to outline the steps required to accomplish the goal.  Get concrete about this!  Make a list of the steps required to reach the goal, set up a time table and assign the individuals or groups who will accomplish each step.  Put the dates on your calendar and get the commitments on paper!

Also see Boswell's related article: 
Create a Safe Environment for Team Discussion
How do you create a safe environment to encourage open team discussion?