Run a Brainstorming Session Like a Pro

We’re here to help by showing you how to run a brainstorming session like a pro by following a few simple steps:

Determine your brainstorming technique. There’s no “best” way to brainstorm. You can use several techniques that work best for you, your group, and your circumstances. If everyone’s in the same place, brainwriting is ideal because it’s easy to collect the group’s ideas as they toss post-it notes into a pile or take turns sharing their list of ideas on a whiteboard. If you’re not sure how to get started, starbursting can help by asking questions that will get you to your solution. Choose a technique that works best for you and run with it.

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Decide on a tool you’d like to use. Regardless of the technique you prefer to use for your brainstorming session, you need to decide on a tool. If everybody is in the same room, paper and pen work really well. There’s nothing wrong with everybody making a list, throwing scraps of paper in a pile, or even writing everybody’s ideas up on a big whiteboard. The problem comes if you’re spread across the country. In that case, you can create a sharable online document that keeps track of everyone’s ideas with live updates. No matter where you’re located in the world, it’s easy to access the group’s ideas and collaborate.

Keep it short and sweet. We’re all busy. Even when it comes to spending time with friends and family, there gets to be a point when we need to move on with our brainstorming sessions. Come in with your objectives and keep things moving. One of the best ways to keep your session moving forward is by letting everyone know from the start that you’re setting a timer. Whether it’s for five, 15, or 45 minutes, set your timer and stick to it. Don’t let your session go beyond your established time, or things will start to deteriorate and go much longer than anybody wants. If you decide you need more time, set up a time to meet again.

Welcome quantity over quality. It’s often said that there’s no such thing as a bad idea or a dumb question, that’s especially true with brainstorming sessions. Welcome any and all ideas, questions, comments, and concerns from the group. Bring in quantity over quality to make sure that you have a larger pool to choose from. Think about it this way: cooking is easier when you have more ingredients available. Your ideas are your ingredients, and you’ll be using them to bake a solution to whatever problem you’re trying to solve.

Keep communication open. Brainstorming sessions can sometimes have moments that feel like a wake. Things get very quiet and somber as the group tries to break the ice or think of their own ideas. These moments can be difficult because nobody wants to be the one to speak first. Establish early that communication is open. It doesn’t matter if you have your group take time individually to brainstorm their own ideas or if the group is working together. As the session leader, you might need to keep things going and play emcee to keep the room moving.

Don’t allow any criticism of ideas. There are few things that are more defeating than having somebody shoot down your idea. It doesn’t matter how good or bad you think it is before you vocalize it, having somebody say it’s a terrible idea doesn’t create an environment that promotes more off-the-wall thinking. Let the group know that criticism won’t be allowed because you need to welcome as many ideas as possible. Your brainstorming session should be the place where you throw everything against the wall and then decide later what you would like to stick to.

Whether you’re planning the trip of a lifetime, deciding how you’d like to remodel your home, or brainstorming new holiday traditions, holding an effective brainstorming session is the first step to get those creative juices flowing.