Stage 2
So here are the 18 ideas (or three ideas per person) on the whiteboard. Unprioritised. No names against the ideas. This is after all a team activity. No room for ego-tripping mavericks. And as for me, my job is to facilitate all this. To steer and manage the process.
I’m not there to compete in a popularity contents. I, and people like me, have a job to do.
I then, thinking quickly and on my feet come up with nine relevant single or twinned words. Why nine? Why not? I like nine. Nine is a decent number. Here are the nine I used in this real-world example. The list is not – repeat not prioritised. They must be relevant, but not necessarily immediately so.
- Showroom appearance
- Receptionist’s appearance
- Receptionist’s voice
- Showroom temperature
- Brochure availability
- Refreshments availability
- Salesperson’s body-language
- Parking availability
- Desk tidiness
Stage 3
I then ask each team member in turn to create connections between the problem and their choice of any three of the nine words. For example, “What impact does parking availability have on the problem?” How important is your body-language in creating ease in the prospect’s mind?”
I don’t criticise the connection and I refuse permission for anyone else to so. I’m stimulating alternative thought processes. I’m not in the business of allowing a team member to sharpen their ego by ridiculing somebody else. No way!
Taking the contrary view – for a valid reason
I like rattling a few cages. I love the identification and elimination of self-delusions. One way I’ve found to be very effective is to invert the question. Possibly using double-negatives and/or counter-intuition if appropriate.
“What do we have to do to cut down the number of test drives?” could be one example. Yes, yes this is counter-intuitive. Good. Why not? We’re brainstorming after all.
The 6 Ps
I going to be a bit crude here. I hope the sensitive among you will forgive me. What I’m about to state here sums up the correct thinking. Simply this – Proper Planning Prevents Piss-Poor Performance.
The point being that team members are often asked to brainstorm a problem with no previous thinking time. In my experience (and it’s common sense too) If people have time to think about a topic, and let them chew it over then they’ll create more and better ideas – usually.
The importance of a goal, or two
In my direct experience – having chaired meetings and mentored novice chairpeople too – the simple act of giving people a quantity goal before starting the brainstorming session produces a larger set of (usually) quality suggestions / ideas when contrasted to not doing so.
Some might opine that it’s a good idea to set the goals a little higher than you expect to achieve. I’m not of that view. I stick by what I said earlier – by which I mean every team member must (and I insist on this) supply three (no more and no less) ideas. Six team members = 18 ideas, with no duplication.
I then set myself the goal of nine (always nine; I feel comfortable with nine) appropriate relevant single or twinned words, for the reasons described earlier in this three-part series.
Epilogue
I practice what I preach.
By this I mean that when I’m brainstorming on my own (yes, I too confront problems. Sigh – seemingly every day) I make myself write down three ideas. And then I look at the problem from the perspectives of each of those nine words.
The only variation is that observation shows that the stimulus that comes from each person contributing their first of their three required suggestions inevitable catalyses the other team members to be more creative than hitherto. Clearly when I’m on my own, and not being either schizophrenic nor suffering from multiple personality, I can’t do that. So I set myself the task of nine ideas. And then I select what I believe are the best three of that nine.
You might wonder how I make that selection. Simple. Or rather it is now that I figured it out.
I look at each idea in turn and estimate what the extent of the damage might be if that specific idea is implemented – and turns out to be a complete failure. That usually distils it down to the three least worst options. It works for me and might well do for you too!
Thank you.
If you want to talk to me directly about any of the above then you’ll find me happy to receive your call on 07870 192618 during weekday working hours.
