At Imaginologie, a division of Driven to Succeed, LLC, we start every brainstorming session by sharing with the group our Four Rules of Brainstorming. Our hope is that they are framing what we are going to do together in a fun and easy-to-understand way, as well as providing a few boundaries to keep the ideation moving forward as the day progresses. Below are the words I use when explaining the Four Rules of Brainstorming to our clients.
RULE 1: NO JUDGING
Most of us know not to be critical of others’ ideas. We’re much more likely to judge our own ideas, afraid to say them out loud in case they sound silly or dumb. Every great idea is laughable at first because it’s new. Be brave and share what comes into your head.
RULE 2: BRIDGING
Ideas rarely have one parent. It’s usually a collaboration. One person may start off an idea, and then a second person says "what if we do it this way...?" and a third person adds "...and we could also include…". And so it goes on.
RULE 3: QUANTITY, NOT QUALITY
This rule often disturbs business folks. For our session, we want LOTS of ideas, hundreds of ideas. We’ll sort through them later, looking for ones that make the cut. Quantity of ideas was a rule of thumb for Thomas Edison, and he was a master of brainstorming.
RULE 4: MISTAKE-FREE ZONE
For the next few hours, there is nothing you can do that is wrong. We welcome your work role and responsibilities to the table. I also invite the whole of you to join in, including your interests, hobbies, and life experiences. Relax, have fun, and enjoy yourself.
If your company's brainstorming sessions crave structure and the spontaneity that produces extraordinary ideas, I recommend seeking the help of an experienced market research firm, like Driven to Succeed, LLC, to help with your next brainstorming session. Contact us and we will help you begin to get those great ideas flowing.
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Driven to Succeed is an award-winning global market research and consulting firm that compliments data (the “what”) with empathetic research and conversations (the “why”) to uncover actionable insights so mid-market companies and Fortune 500 brands can innovate and grow. Our team has walked a mile in your shoes with over 100 years of experience in Market Research, Marketing, and P&L Management for global iconic brands and startup companies across diverse B2B and B2C industries. Learn more at https://www.DriventoSucceedLLC.com.
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