1.5 - About University

H OW TO BRAINSTORM1. Ask the workgroup or team to brainstorm; explain the goal of brainstorming, and whyit will be helpful. Try to illustrate by giving an example or telling a story of the powerof 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 evaluatewhile brainstorming.”) [☛ 10.8 Ground Rules]4. Have someone visibly and succinctly record all ideas on a whiteboard or flip chart. Useonly key words to keep the ideas moving. You need to record only enough words toreconstruct 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 withlong explanations.7. Invite everyone to contribute. Encourage fun and out-of-the-box ideas. Humorunleashes innovative ideas. [☛ 10.7 Getting Participation]8. Don’t evaluate ideas until brainstorming is finished (the most important ground rulewhen brainstorming).❑❑❑H INTSSome distinguish between unstructured brainstorming, as described here, and structuredbrainstorming, whereby participants may write down ideas first and then expressideas 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’sbrainstorm idea, treat the amendment like a new idea, and write it using the newwords. Otherwise, it may feel like evaluation.Brainstorming has been used extensively in organizations. As such, it may have developeddysfunctional norms in some organizations. In these situations, use an alternativeprocess and call it something else.H OW 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 STRATEGYBrainstorming is one of the best-known and most widely used leadership tools today. A coupleof variations on this technique are:• Use a more structured approach. Ask each participant to jot down a few ideas on asheet of paper, and then go around the room with each person presenting one idea ata time, in round-robin fashion, until all the ideas have been presented. No evaluationtakes place until all ideas are expressed. However, clarifying and building or expandingon another person’s ideas are both okay.SECTION 6 TOOLS FOR CRITICAL THINKING AND INNOVATION 197