Steer Innovation & Strategy

In the field of project management, innovation is the name of the game. Our job is to take ideas from a twinkling in the team’s mind and help mold it into reality. Keeping our projects and innovations on track starts with leading effective strategy and brainstorming sessions. Today I will share with you three do’s and three don’ts that you can implement today to have a brainstorming session that will keep your team’s innovation flowing.

DO: Set Expectations & Prepare

One way to ensure that your brainstorming session gets off to a thundering start is to give everyone plenty of time to prepare. Rather than joining a meeting and being asked to come up with stellar ideas on demand, give participants some notice and guidance before the meeting. Let them know that you will be using the time to develop some ideas. Let them know what the goals of the meeting are. Allowing the team to prepare will give participants time to gather their own thoughts and develop ideas they can share during the allotted session time.

DON’T: Lose Focus

Brainstorming sessions often tend to be free-flowing and organic. This free-form nature allows for an open exchange of ideas and enables collaboration. One of the drawbacks of this process is that the conversation can turn down proverbial side roads and various tangents. One way to keep the group focused is to begin the meeting by clearly outlining goals. Throughout the meeting, gently steer the conversation back on topic as needed. Redirection can be as simple as saying, “I appreciate this conversation. Let’s keep in mind that we have 15 minutes left in our session to accomplish [insert goal].”

DO: Give Everyone a Voice

Have you ever been in a meeting where one person or a handful of participants dominated the conversation while other participants had a hard time getting a word in? It can be a tricky and potentially uncomfortable situation! When one or a handful of meeting participants steer most of the conversation, the team does not get to hear all participants’ thoughts and ideas. To support giving everyone a voice, keep track (even if only mentally) of who has had an opportunity to speak. If you notice that participants who haven’t had a chance to share, ask them by name for their thoughts. 

DON’T: Dismiss Ideas 

Nothing takes the wind out of a team member’s sails quite like another contributor shooting down their idea before it can even be fully articulated, am I right? When I lead brainstorming sessions, one of the expectations that I set early on is that all ideas and voices are welcome. Off-limits words and phrases include: “Really?,” “That’s a stupid idea.,” “That would never work.,” and other similar expressions. Does this mean that all of the ideas we hear will be good ideas? No, but consider this: Many good ideas begin as a kernel of thought that is a bit rough around the edges. Only after working this kernel-thought through in collaborative conversation can we identify whether or not an idea has merit. This cannot happen in a dismissive conversation.

DO: Set a Time Limit

Brainstorming and strategy conversations can often take on a life of their own. Before you know it, your meeting time has run over, and participants are still making the rounds. While the energy generated by the team is a wonderful thing, it is best to set a specific time frame for the conversation and conclude when that time has elapsed. This framework helps to keep the meeting and discussion focused. It also helps to prevent the conversation from spiraling into tangents and splitting hairs. Brainstorming conversations should remain high-level. If the meeting time comes to an end and more discussion is needed, schedule a second session to keep the energy and ideas fresh.

DON’T: Overlook the Obvious

Sometimes the simplest solution … is the best solution! When a team gathers to generate ideas, it can create an atmosphere that makes participants feel like a complicated solution is required. Group-think can sometimes lead to overcomplicating a solution. To avoid this, consider dedicating a portion of your meeting time to “brain dump” all of the “obvious” solutions. As all of the ideas are presented, it may become clear why one of the “obvious” solutions was obvious in the first place.

Brainstorming and strategy sessions can be powerful tools to drive innovation. When used effectively, all team members participate in advancing the project, product, or cause of your organization. Consider using these Dos and Don’ts strategies in your next brainstorming session to lead the conversation and embark on your newest project with a pocket full of great ideas.