How to Brainstorm for Better Ideas

Brainstorming is a good way of thinking of new ideas. Aside from coming up with new things to do, it’s also excellent at rearranging one’s thoughts. Brainstorming can be done alone, yes, by yourself, using your brain to move around your ideas to come up with better ones. Brainstorming is particularly known to be a storm of minds, bouncing ideas from one another in the hopes of coming up with something new. If you are in the process or want to conduct a brainstorming session, then please read our tips on How to Brainstorm for Better Ideas.

Get Rid of Yes Men

When you want something new and something fresh, don’t include the people who always agree with you. Sure, it feels good when you have employees that always say yes to your every word, but if you are in need of ideas that are out of the ordinary, summon people who have the guts to contradict you. People who clash with your ideas usually have thoughts of their own.

Invite Positive People

Yes Men and Positive people have a difference. Yes men can be positive but they don’t bring too much input, while positive people don’t usually always agree with you but they don’t shoot down every idea that is generated on the brainstorming session. Another way of saying this is, don’t invite the negative people. They can be useful when you have generated a lot of ideas, but for now, leave them on the other side of the door.

Treat Every Suggestion with Fairness

When someone presents his concept, don’t be quick to judge. Avoid judging ideas right away and give them a chance to grow on you. Remember, all revolutionaries where laughed at for coming up with crazy ideas.

There are No Bad Ideas

In brainstorming, there will always be bad ideas, but nonetheless, they are still welcome. Bad ideas are necessary because they keep the session going, it keeps the momentum of the discussion moving along. It also serves as good fertilizer where good ideas can get their sustenance.

It’s Not About Quality, It’s Quantity

The main purpose of a brainstorming session is to come up with ideas. It doesn’t matter if they’re good, bad, or just plain nonsense. Your goal is to come up with lots and lots of ideas until a certain deadline. When the time is up, then that’s the time to go through all of them.

Fuel the Storm

Avoid having brainstorming meetings after lunch or 1 pm to 3 pm when everyone is sleepy. Do it at a time where everyone is still pumped up from their morning coffee or a few hours before lunch. To be more effective, brew a pot of hot coffee and use lots of sugar.

Write and Draw

Write everything down on paper and draw ideas on a white board. Having a physical and visual representation of ideas are good inspirations for people to come up with more ideas. No electronics allowed which means no phones, computers, and tablets. No distractions.