The basics of brainstorming - how to structure sessions to get the best results

Brainstorming sessions don't automatically produce results. Without structure, the results can be mind-bogglingly bad.

Have you ever left a meeting with the glum certainty that the results didn't deliver the objectives you had in mind when you set it up? Did the attendees let you know that they were uninspired and could have spent their time more productively just taking care of their assigned tasks for the day?

Magazine people are pressed for time and frequently complain that they spend too much of it in meetings. Meeting organizers, in an attempt to save time, often skip developing an agenda, assuming (or hoping) that the attendees will come prepared with visions of issues supported by common strategies. Unfortunately, this rarely happens.

The results? An editorial planning meeting conducted without an agenda can send writers in directions that neglect major themes. Or, say ad sales management holds a meeting on sales techniques to address objections by prospective advertisers. Without an agenda, the meeting may create only dissension and debates.

You can do better. You can uncover the sometimes buried creative resources of your department and build team consensus on issues and assignments yet to be developed. But you need the right tools. These tools are structured concepts that present specific steps, solicit total participation, and keep activity within a stated time limit. These tools help your team get results through focused communication and creative thinking and analysis.

Getting starred

Ground rules are the essential underpinning of any successful brainstorming session: (1) Clearly state the idea to be brainstormed. (2) Have participants brainstorm individually--i.e., have each person write down his or her ideas. (3) Record all ideas accurately by having participants give one idea per turn in a round-robin. (4) Never criticize or rationalize. (5) Encourage spontaneity by assuring that no idea is "too wild." (6) Encourage participants to piggy-back on others' ideas. (7) Let everyone know it's okay to "pass." (8) Make having fun a key byproduct of the session.

The results of such a meeting? New approaches to interesting and well-targeted editorial headlines and subheads; creative strategies for dealing with difficult clients; new ways to build circulation lists; or a new and much needed slant on your reader that will enhance your marketing story--and so on.

Also essential to a successful brainstorming session is a pre-meeting strategy devised by a focused facilitator. You, as the facilitator, must ask yourself several questions: Do the participants need to be committed for you to implement the results successfully? Can the group's synergy contribute to quality ideas and decisions? Who are the best candidates to attend the session? Will they think about the questions prior to the session? Will there be a diversity of viewpoint? Are participants open-minded? And finally, do they have time to attend?

When these questions are answered, start to strategize the content of the meeting and create a simple agenda to be delivered within a week of the brainstorming session. This gives the participants time to confirm attendance, review the format and consider the content.

On the agenda, spell out the opening objectives, the problems to be discussed and the time commitments for creating solutions, assigning tasks and following up on results. Designate a note-taker and, if possible, use the "U" seating configuration, which is an effective way to encourage interaction.

As the facilitator, you must remain neutral at the same time as you act as the driving force behind discussion. Your neutrality is your credibility, and your credibility keeps you in control.

Your key responsibilities are to provide direction, activate the discussion, head off irrelevancies and deal with any deadlocks that may arise. As the facilitator, you also target researched agenda items, decide where the session will be held and who will participate, and provide all necessary resources.

As a driving force, you need to come to the session prepared with questions that will lead to results. To keep ideas coming, you need a set of key questions that will stimulate discussion and keep the session in high gear. Typically, these questions ask for feelings and/or opinions. For example, "What are some of the other ways to get at ... ?" Or, "What is your thinking on ... ?" It is also a good idea to paraphrase already-stated ideas. For example, "Before you go on, do you mean that ... ?" and to encourage participation by using questions like, "Sarah, could you answer Jim's question?"

A successful session means that decisions will have to be made and agreed upon. You and the group will need to decide which of the ideas should be acted on, what the next steps are, who will be responsible for carrying out the steps, and what the deadlines are. If there is no clear agreement, you can try to get consensus by voting. Opposing solutions should be presented briefly by their champions, while the members of the group listen--and then vote. Another method is to have the group rate each point against agreed-upon criteria. The ratings are reported and the results are added. The idea with the lowest rating is then dropped. This process is repeated until an obvious choice remains.

Conclude by reviewing the decisions made, what follow-up action is needed, who is responsible, and when the results are due.

Taking the role of the brainstorming facilitator as seriously as you take other management responsibilities is key to delivering a successful brainstorming session. Tremendous benefits can result for your department, and can heighten your reputation for management effectiveness. Staying focused on the strength and power of the group will bolster departmental quality, and enhance mutual respect among your team members.

Chris Morgan is a Los Angeles-based ad sales and marketing consultant who specializes in active team-oriented sales training.

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