Solving Problems with Brainstorming
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The document outlines a structured brainstorming process designed to generate innovative solutions among small groups of diverse participants. It emphasizes the importance of recording every idea without judgment, engaging all members, and creating a supportive environment to encourage creativity. Additionally, it provides suggestions for preparing participants and facilitating the session effectively to maximize output.
Solving Problems with Brainstorming
- 1. Once the issue and expected results are clearly described, the participants are given a few minutes to consider the issue. The facilitator then requests that they offer any ideas or suggestions that come to mind without discussion, evaluation or judgment by others. The recorder should write every idea down on a flip chart without changing any words. If they are not sure what is suggested, they must ask for clarification before recording the idea. It is best to create a time limit and keep the process moving, engaging everyone in the group. In order to ensure that everyone contributes, the facilitator can request that each person responds in turn. Participants should be encouraged to develop other people’s ideas; remember, the purpose of this exercise is to come up with new, and innovative solutions. Rules of Engagement Solving Problems with Brainstorming ▲▲ Everyone contributes Throw your wildest idea on the table. ▲▲ There are no stupid ideas ▲▲ Outrageous suggestions are Are you struggling with unresolved problems/issues and finding that desired the strategies you’ve attempted don’t meet your expectations? Do ▲▲ No one judges or criticizes you find at times that your employees or colleagues are not as fully another’s idea engaged as you are? ▲▲ Record every suggestion without Frequently, solutions/strategies are implemented based on limited discussion input from just a few contributors with similar perspectives; resulting ▲▲ The more ideas the better in disappointing outcomes. In fact, quite often the solutions result ▲▲ No cell phones/PDA’s allowed in even larger problems. In other words, today’s solutions become tomorrow’s problems. Materials Required Designing “Out of the Box” strategies can be achieved through ▲▲ Flip chart Brainstorming. Brainstorming is a problem solving technique employed in an effort to create a broad range of unique ideas/ ▲▲ Masking tape solutions to problems or issues. Engaging groups of 5-10 participants, ▲▲ Markers (various colors) tapping into their knowledge and experience, in a structured process, ▲▲ Sticky Notepads can result in a real collaborative effort. How does it work? Ideas for Engagement Small groups should be organized, consisting of people with diverse When working with a group that has backgrounds, to focus on a specific problem/issue to generate unique/ not experienced brainstorming it is creative solutions. Each group should assign a facilitator and a recorder. recommended that you warm them up by
- 2. About Peak Focus, LLC practicing with an issue that is unrelated to your People. Performance. Profitability. mission. This will give them the opportunity to be very creative without pre-judging their own Peak Focus gives you the tools to grow, develop and suggestions. strengthen your team. With a mix of resources that we’ve created ourselves, as well as several powerful tools we’ve You can also warm them up by asking them to write carefully assessed and believe in, we combine our passion as many ideas on one sheet of paper or one idea per and experience to guide companies and individuals sticky-note (provide them with as many sticky notes toward optimized performance. Select your team as they need) and make a contest out of it. This will members with confidence, help your key players develop help to break the “judgment barrier.” their soft skills, and learn how to coach your entire team more effectively by engaging the experts at Peak Focus. Once the actual brainstorming begins, make sure you have plenty of wall space to display all of the flip For more information and access to free resources, please charts sheets. This will keep the ideas flowing as they visit our website at www.peakfocuscoach.com view the ideas that have already been presented. When the ideas stop coming and the group is silent Engage With Us for a few minutes the first phase of brainstorming is complete. Free tools, resources & updates About the Author LIKE us on Facebook Jerry Scher - Founder and Principal at Peak Focus, LLC Check out our blog Jerry is well known as a business builder, c-level executive, conference speaker, trainer, facilitator, coach, Follow us on Twitter entrepreneur, and mentor. Regardless of the title, the end result Follow us on LinkedIn is the same–Jerry makes the people around him significantly more successful through his ability to simplify the complex, ask the right questions, and develop appropriate solutions to keep businesses and individuals moving forward. www.peakfocuscoach.com Peak Focus LLC © 2009 -2012 • All rights reserved. Unauthorized duplication in whole or in part without permission is prohibited.