Whether you are looking for a new approach, trying to fix a problem or need a creative solution, engaging your team in a brainstorming session is a great way to generate new and innovative ideas. There are several ways to go about it, my favorite being the ‘popcorn’ method where participants throw out ideas as they come to mind, feeding off of each other’s thoughts and energy.
There’s a few guidelines for conducting an effective session that include not judging any ideas and encouraging wild and crazy input. And although you don’t need any special qualifications to participate, it’s important to have an energetic facilitator that can engage everyone and keep the ideas flowing. In addition to generating ideas, brainstorming strengthens teamwork, provides a forum for employee voices to be heard, increases buy-in for ideas that make the ‘short-list’ and is a great way to bring some fun to everyday tasks.
Additional methods and guidelines can be found in the Brainstorming Tool Summary. It’s just one of the many tools in the Everyday Excellence Leadership Toolbox designed to help leaders leverage ordinary tools to achieve extraordinary results.
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