In his book Discover Your Inner Economist: Use Incentives to Fall in Love, Survive Your Next Meeting, and Motivate Your Dentist
(which I find infuriating and backward but a fun read nonetheless),
Tyler Cowen mentions his economically based assessment that group
brainstorming is self deception. In his view two brains are more
diluted than one, and the only reason we like to brainstorm in groups
is to let others do all the work for us while we sit back and pretend
we're participating.
Sorry Tyler Cowen, but that's just not true. Over the past two days, I've been lucky enough to get soaked in two brainstorms (one with two people, and the other with four--both very successful and gratifying).
In both instances, something particular to group brainstorming happened: one flimsy little idea grew exponentially and exploded into hundreds of new ideas. The little ideas whirled about, settling on different people's back burners, and the larger and more solid ideas bounced off one another like determined sumo wrestlers. The strongest of the bunch merged into one big idea again, but this time solid like a chunk of metal. And then the brainstorming members set to work chiseling away at it until it was a beautiful sculpture.
Thinking alone, my idea had only a few directions it could take. I was pretty stuck and uninspired. With the group, ideas were suddenly shooting out of my head uninterrupted. That's what brainstorming is supposed to be; something new and unexpected has to happen. It's almost like a chemical reaction--there's oxygen and then there's hydrogen, then all of a sudden there's water.
Of course, there are also good brainstorming sessions and bad brainstorming sessions. Cowen writes that the worst thing to do is make people share their ideas one at a time or to set a time limit. This part I'll agree with. In my experience, the best things happen when ideas can flow uninterrupted. Here are the guidelines I keep in mind:
IN THE IDEA GENERATING PHASE
- The number one rule is not to criticize anything in this phase.
- Have someone jot down all the ideas (choose a fast writer).
- Keep an eye out for people who have been cut off-- be sure you ask them what they were about to say.
- Don't call on anyone to speak unless they look particularly ready.
- Give a lot of positive feedback to stimulate more ideas.
- Try to lead the group into a rhythm or a steady pace.
- Ask follow up questions to get juicier ideas.
IN THE IDEA SELECTING PHASE
- Determine if someone will have final say and make sure the selection process is clear to every member.
- Discuss what the needs and resources are.
- Review all of the ideas that have been presented.
- Here you can discuss how effective and doable you think each idea will be (but, of course, never actually insult an idea)
- Once an idea has been selected, make sure everyone understands what it is and feels comfortable.
THE IDEA DEVELOPMENT PHASE
- Now that you are down to one idea, you can begin tearing it apart a bit more fiercely.
- Determine who will play what role in the idea and exactly what resources are needed.
- Put together a clean outline and work out all the kinks.
- Decide when the idea will be implemented, by whom, and who else should know about it.
THE IDEA ENJOYMENT PHASE
- Enjoy!
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