At some point, every experienced brainstormer has heard the expression, “There’s no such thing as a bad idea!” In fact, it just might be the #1 “rule” of brainstorming.

But is it really true? Aren’t there at least a few bad ideas lurking in the shadows?

Most of us have at least a vague understanding of the expression’s meaning—but many of us just don’t buy it. In our SmartStorming training sessions, when we introduce this notion, a heated debate typically ensues. There is always one participant, and often many more, who challenge the notion that bad ideas don’t exist. “Of course there are bad ideas. If we all decided to jump out of the window right now, that would be a bad idea.”

Where It All Began
The “no bad idea” mantra is not a new one. Alex Osborn, considered by many to be the father of brainstorming, believed that in order to be successful at brainstorming, participants must “suspend judgment.” Osborn, like most savvy brainstorm leaders, understood the perils of what happens when people start criticizing ideas in the midst of a session. And most every effective group idea generation methodology continues the tradition.

So why do so many people feel so passionately that there are, indeed, bad ideas—ideas so bad they should be stopped in their tracks, prevented from wasting the time and energy of the group?

To learn more, we decided to post this question on LinkedIn, and see just how varied the responses would be: “We've all heard the expression, there are no bad ideas. Do you agree? If not, why? If so, what does the expression mean to you?” Here is a small sampling of the range of different responses:

• “Of course, there are bad ideas. When your product does not meet customer [expectations], it’s a bad idea.”

• “In the army they used to say the only stupid question is the one not asked. There are plenty of stupid ideas but everyone should have the opportunity to express [them].”

• “We are taught to encourage everyone to say only positive things to other's suggestions and keep everything nice and rosy. Unless you want to sit around a campfire, sing kum ba ya and make s’mores, this is ludicrous!

• “There are many bad ideas out there, like harming oneself or others, taking advantage of others, and making foolish financial and business decisions.”

• “Jumping out of an airplane without a parachute: a BAD idea… Buying MySpace for billions: a BAD idea.”

• “I've sat in brainstorming sessions where ‘there are no bad ideas.’ Um, there are. OK, some trigger innovative thinking. But, most just waste time. Unfortunately, many people just like to hear themselves talk.”

The debate, it seems, goes on and on.

So...are there bad ideas, or not?
Well, it all depends on how you look at it.

There are obviously ideas that appear unfeasible, impractical, irrational, harmful and potentially devastating. No one of sound mind would propose implementing such an idea, assuming they truly believed it to be “bad.”

The real question is not whether such ideas are “bad,” but rather, should those ideas be cast aside as soon as they’re voiced?

When searching for new, innovative solutions, it is important to give even ideas that resonate as undeniably “bad” a chance to be considered, debated and developed. As Osborn put it, we should suspend judgment. He did not say to eliminate judgment, just to suspend it. This would imply that we will eventually evaluate and judge whether some ideas are unacceptable, impractical or simply off-target. But we must suspend that judgment until an idea has had a chance to “percolate.”

Why "Bad" Ideas Should Be Allowed to Survive...for Awhile
First, and perhaps most obvious, rampant criticism in a brainstorm is offensive to many. When people’s ideas are quickly and consistently shot down, they become intimidated and are reluctant to share—not an ideal situation in a group idea generation session. It takes courage to put forth an idea that is imaginative or radical sounding. Negativity and judgment create an unsafe atmosphere for sharing such ideas.

Next, as a rule of thumb, the idea generation phase of a brainstorm should be spontaneous and free-flowing, where ideas are plentiful, offered spontaneously and without hesitation. The moment an idea is shot down, the free-wheeling momentum will grind to a halt. It can take a group significant time to get back into flow, if they are able to at all. So even if an idea has no value, the “cost” of killing it is too great, when considering the negative impact on the session’s productivity.

Finally, and most important, you never know when a so-called “bad idea” will contain the seeds of greatness within it.

We’ve seen it countless times in our work. A “bad,” even absurd idea is offered up, and within minutes it has transformed into a brilliant example of innovative thinking.
In fact, like many brainstorming experts, we make use of some very effective idea generation techniques that actually invite participants to come up with the worst, most ridiculous, even distasteful ideas imaginable—and then to turn around or transform those ideas into great ones. (Techniques like “180-Degree Thinking” or “Counter-Intuitive Thinking” take a similar approach.)

To get back to our somewhat extreme, “what if we all jumped out of the window” example…clearly this is a bad sounding idea. But from such an idea, one might develop an innovative emergency personal parachute product for individuals working in tall buildings. Or conceive an improved process for evacuation from high floors during a fire. A new “team hang gliding” extreme sports event. A breakthrough advertising concept where a group of people are able to fly after consuming a new beverage. You name it! Any of these, and an infinite number of other possibilities, could be born from the “bad idea” that everyone in the room should jump out of a window.

That is, unless the idea is shot down before the potentially great idea within it has a chance to blossom. And that is the point: to suspend judgment until an idea has had a fair chance to show all it’s got.

The Right Time to Kill an Idea
So when is it appropriate and even productive to reject an idea?

One of the most important concepts to understand about successful group idea generation is that there is a time to generate ideas, and a time to judge and select. These are two very different and distinct processes that require different thinking skills. During idea generation, thinking must remain free, spontaneous and free of any negativity or judgment. This is the optimal condition for generating the greatest breadth and depth of fresh ideas possible.

Later, once the idea generation process has been completed, it is then time to switch to the process of evaluating and selecting ideas, and subject the best ones to critique. It is during this phase in the session (or in a subsequent session) that ideas should be judged worthy or unworthy, practical or implausible, etc.

By keeping these two processes separate, you optimize your effectiveness at both.

Most of us enter a brainstorm with the goal of generating fresh, innovative, game-changing ideas. However if judgment and criticism are part of the ideation process, it is highly unlikely that goal will be achievable.

Suspend judgment. Even if you know, without a doubt, that an idea is bad—really bad, even horrible—let it live, just for awhile. You just might find a game-changer hidden inside!

Doesn’t that sound like a good idea?

This article is excerpted from our upcoming book, SmartStorming: The Groundbreaking 6-Step Process for Liberating Creative Genius and Harvesting Bigger, Better Ideas!

“You have to learn the rules of the game. And then you have to play better than anyone else.”
- Albert Einstein

Just hearing the word “rules” can be a turnoff for many people. After all, rules might mean that they are going to be restricted, limited, or told what they are and are not allowed to do. But rules are essential. Every well-conducted group activity in the world has rules—sports, games, meetings, legal proceedings, medicine, classrooms, even extreme kick-boxing death matches.

If a group of people are coming together to accomplish something, there must be some rules and guidelines established to ensure that the process runs smoothly and productively. This is precisely why Robert’s Rules of Order has long been the accepted guidebook for conducting orderly and productive meetings.

But nowhere is this more important than in a brainstorm, which can be fraught with perils, including…

Judgment/Negativity/Intimidation—Many people are naturally timid about sharing their thoughts, for fear of being viewed as foolish. Fear of judgment kills more ideation sessions than anything else, except perhaps...

Ego—Those people with the big, demonstrative egos are sure to assert the belief that their own ideas are golden, and everyone else’s are flawed. Just one such ego-driven individual in a brainstorming session is enough to make it crash and burn. Put two or more in the room, and you’re doomed.

Outside Distractions—iPhones Blackberries cell phones, iPads, laptops, and other electronics almost always lead to distraction, split attention and attention “leaks.” Offenders generally laugh off any criticism and chalk it up to “multitasking.” But research has shown that effective multitasking is a myth. The more tasks one attempts to accomplish simultaneously, the less effective he or she is at any of them. And nowhere is this more evident than in a brainstorm.

Off-Topic Conversation—Co-workers often take advantage of the opportunity to “catch up” with each other when they find themselves in a meeting together. Obviously this behavior is not conducive to effective brainstorming once the session is underway. The more time devoted to discussing the latest gossip or outside topics, the less will be focused on generating breakthrough ideas.

Fortunately, introducing “Rules of the Game” can eliminate, or at least significantly minimize such disruptive challenges. By establishing a list of rules and guidelines for participation before the session, writing them down and posting them prominently in the room, introducing them to the group and, most important, getting universal agreement from all participants to abide by the rules, your brainstorms have a markedly greater chance of achieving super-productivity.

Here is a list of some of the best-known and most effective “Rules of the Game” to get you started.

10 Brainstorming Rules of the Game

1. Suspend All Judgment—Criticism and judgment will inhibit participants from sharing ideas; ideas will be evaluated later on during the selection process.
2. There is No Such Thing as a Bad Idea—This is, perhaps, the most controversial truism in the world of brainstorming. Okay…yes, of course there are bad ideas. But not during the idea generation phase of your session. Why? Because even the worst sounding idea can contain the seed of a great idea within it. But you will never find out if that “bad idea” is shot down before it has a chance to be developed.
3. Maintain an Ego-Free Zone—A great idea can come from anybody at any time. In an effective group problem solving initiative, the originator of any idea is irrelevant.
4. Go for Quantity, Not Quality—For every 100 ideas generated, only a few will be truly original ones with real potential.
5. Embrace Wild, Audacious Ideas—You never know how far you can go until you’ve gone too far. It’s better to push concepts to the edge, than be too conservative.
6. Build Upon One Another’s Ideas—A group working collaboratively can generate bigger and better ideas than individuals working alone.
7. One Conversation at a Time—Side conversations create distractions and split the session’s focus.
8. Nothing is Impossible—Yesterday’s impossible ideas (flying, personal computers, 3-D movies, etc.) are today’s realities. “Think forward.”
9. No Texting or Emailing During the Session—Multi-tasking is a myth; texting distracts participants from the goal of generating ideas.
10. The Boss Speaks Last—When an authority figure participates in a brainstorm, his or her comments and opinions often sway or inhibit a group’s exploration of ideas. Ask respectfully that the boss hold comments until all others have shared.

What should the brainstorm leader do when somebody breaks the rules? Simply point to the rule being broken, and then gently remind the perpetrator of his or her transgression—or better yet, encourage the group to be self-policing and good-naturedly remind each other. Then simply guide the group back to the task at hand.

At first glance, the concept of “rules” might seem inconsistent with a spontaneous creative activity like brainstorming. But nothing could be further from the case. Rules actually provide greater freedom to your group, by creating a safe, open environment in which everyone will feel comfortable sharing.

So start playing by the rules in all of your brainstorming sessions. You’ll be amazed at how much more successful and productive they will be!

Who do you typically brainstorm with? The same group of people, time after time? Do you ever detect a certain “sameness” in the ideas generated?

Are you surprised???

The quality and creative yield of ideas in any brainstorming session will only be as good as the people who make up the group. In today’s highly competitive, innovation-driven marketplace, truly breakthrough thinking almost always depends upon high quality collaboration.

In his book, Group Genius: The Creative Power of Collaboration, author Keith Sawyer explains, “When we collaborate, creativity unfolds across people; the sparks fly faster, and the whole is greater than the sum of its parts. Collaboration drives creativity because innovation always emerges from a series of sparks—never a single flash of insight. This is the essence of group creativity.”

Group Creativity and Flow

The most productive brainstorming sessions occur when the group becomes so absorbed in their activity that they slip into a state of creative flow. Flow is that peak performance state athletes refer to as “The Zone.” It occurs when a group becomes single-mindedly focused in its creative problem solving activity, all sense of time, place, and self-consciousness (ego) disappear. Everyone feels highly alert and on top of their game. It is under these conditions that a unified sense of effortless collaboration emerges; the group begins to function as a single, collective mind that intuitively knows the best ways to build upon, amplify, or refine one another’s ideas.

Clearly, selecting the most appropriate and effective group for your specific challenge is the key to an enjoyable, super-productive idea generation session.

Creating a “Dream Team’ vs. Inviting the “Usual Suspects”

If you were a basketball coach with your eye set on the championship, you would want to assemble an all-star, powerhouse team of accomplished players. You wouldn’t settle for a mixed bag of amateurs that just happened to be nearby and were easy to recruit. To assemble this “Dream Team,” you would scout for the most talented athletes who possessed the specific skills, talent and experience your team would need to win.

Likewise, when faced with a tough business challenge, shouldn’t you carefully evaluate who in your organization or network possesses the best knowledge, skills and experience to successfully tackle the challenge? Shouldn’t your goal be to assemble the smartest, most capable, most creative problem-solving all-stars you can find?

Surprisingly, few brainstorm leaders invest adequate time or effort in this important step. They forego any due diligence scouting and more often than not simply extend invitations to the “usual suspects” (those who work in the same department or division, or work on the same product, service, account, etc.). Most don’t even consider the value of inviting “outsiders,” since they already know and feel comfortable with the usual suspects. After all, “the team” understands your product, service, goods, or process; and they understand the underlying issues, situation, and challenges, right? Aren’t these people the best qualified to help you develop innovative solutions to your problem?

Not necessarily.

Conformity/uniformity in thinking (groupthink), a lack of objectivity or perspective, internal politics or infighting, personal agendas, and a general aversion to risk-taking or radical new ideas are all common pitfalls experienced when the same group of people come together repeatedly to generate ideas. When participants work under the same conditions and circumstances, confront the same challenges day in and day out, repeatedly run into the same limitations or obstacles, and share the same assumptions about what is or is not possible, options can appear scarce—boxing in the group’s thinking abilities.

The power of diversity

Who you invite to your brainstorming session can have a dramatic impact on your productivity and the session’s ultimate success. When you deliberately recruit a diverse group of participants—an all-star team from different backgrounds, cultures, genders, age, talents, skills, knowledge, expertise and perspectives—you exponentially increase your group’s ability to deliver innovative solutions.

In Group Genius, Keith Sawyer also writes, “…when solving complex, non-routine problems, groups are more effective when they’re composed of people who have a variety of skills, knowledge, and perspective.” He goes on to say, “The reason groups are so effective at generating innovation is that they bring together far more concepts and bodies of knowledge than any one person can. Group genius can happen only if the brains in the team don’t contain all the same stuff.”

7 ways to enhance diversity in your groups

1. Invite a mix of generations. Boomers, Gen-X, Millennials… They each bring a different generational perspective, values and skill sets, cultural reference points, beliefs, attitudes and archetypes.
2. Invite a range of expertise, professional backgrounds, and specialties. Great ideas can come from anyone. People from any discipline, even one not directly related to the challenge at hand, may offer incredible insights and value. Chances are someone has already solved a problem similar to yours in a different company, industry or country.
3. Balance gender and social orientation. Just as different generations can provide a variety of perspectives, so can individuals with diverse personal backgrounds.
4. Invite people from different countries of origin. Thanks to today’s global economy, we are increasingly working side-by-side with individuals from across the country and across the globe. Capitalize on their diverse world viewpoints and cultural understandings. Cultural fusion is a powerful element of innovation.
5. Invite right- and left-brain thinkers. Yes, in the same group! Creative types and linear thinkers, artists and bean counters. You may not think they’ll mix well. But in fact, the Yin and Yang of linear/analytical and non-linear/creative thinkers can be an important element in the creative process.
6. Invite introverts and extroverts. Maybe add a dash of Myer’s-Briggs personality types. Look for individuals with different ways of perceiving and interpreting: feeling, intuiting, judging, etc. This will add a richer dimension to your group’s problem solving abilities.
7. Throw in one or two “wild cards.” An unexpected participant can stir things up and add a new dynamic into the mix. You can invite customers, clients, suppliers, kids, etc.—anyone who can provide fresh, new perspectives on your challenge.

It’s often said that “variety is the spice of life.” It just might also be the “secret sauce” in successful brainstorms. Take the time to assemble your brainstorming dream team. Rather than settle for “same old, same old,” try embracing the unexpected!

It works for the most innovative companies in the world. And it will work for you, too!

2012 will almost certainly be “The Year of Ideas.”

With a major national election on the horizon, cataclysmic changes in business, finance, society, culture—in both the online and offline arenas, big ideas will be in great demand.

The truth is, we live in a world of continuous change, where the “status quo” is, in fact, a state of flux. Organizations and individuals must continuously reinvent themselves in order to remain relevant.

Even your Facebook page format changes on a regular basis!

If you and your team are going to be masterful innovators, you are going to have to make use of the most widely practiced technique for idea generation—group brainstorming. The problem is, the vast majority of brainstorms are random, haphazard, poorly planned and ineffectively facilitated. And the results are usually just as disappointing.

Here are a dozen simple tips to help you squeeze maximum effectiveness from every brainstorm session—and experience the kinds of results that will keep you and your group at the top of your game.

1. Plan Ahead – Take some time to plan your brainstorms before you walk into the room. Nothing can have a greater impact on brainstorm success than simply considering what will actually happen during the session. How will you set up your challenge? What types of techniques will you use to engage your participants and keep energy high? How will you manage any potential conflicts? By planning ahead, you free yourself to be a masterful leader during the session… rather than the person at the head of the table frantically trying to make things work.
2. Invite Diversity – Tired of hearing the same old ideas? Then stop inviting the same old group to your brainstorms! Invite a stranger, or two. Seek out new and different participants who can bring a different, often surprising perspective to your challenge. And don’t worry if they aren’t experts in your topic. You have plenty of those already. Welcome the unexpected… and see how the quality and freshness of your ideas skyrockets!
3. Change the Scenery – Just as diversity in participants can stimulate new thinking, so can meeting in different locations. The same, familiar conference room or office can, over time, become mind-numbing. Move your team into a new space in 2012. How about outdoors? In a museum? At the mall? Use your imagination… and your team will find it easier to use theirs!
4. Go Crazy! – “Playing it safe” is no longer safe. In pretty much every industry and organizational environment, people today are looking for things that are new, unexpected, different and even shocking. Inspire your team to go for more wild and edgy ideas in 2012. Encourage them to think outside their comfort zone. The results will be exhilarating.
5. Become a Two (or More) Trick Pony – How many idea generation techniques do you know and use? If you answered, “None,” then you are just like the vast majority of brainstorm facilitators. Make a point of familiarizing yourself with at least two new ideation techniques in 2012. Don’t know where to find them? Just type “brainstorming techniques” into your favorite search engine and see what pops up. There are dozens, if not hundreds of proven techniques for stimulating the mind to think in new and different ways. Try some! They work!
6. Get More Stimulation – Creative idea generation is an associative process. In other words, it happens when we make new connections to existing information and experiences. The more information and experiences we have to work with, the more (and more exciting) connections we can make! Make it a regular practice to seek out new sources of inspiration (stimuli) to stock your team’s creative pond. Provocative imagery, art, music, advertising – anything that interests or excites you. Encourage the team to do the same and share. The quality and quantity of your new ideas will improve dramatically.
7. Channel Your Inner Steve Jobs – What made Apple’s late founder and creative catalyst such a powerful visionary was his unwavering commitment to innovation. You can do the same. Simply decide that you will never accept “good enough.” Practice thinking forward rather than thinking practical (safe). Strive for solutions that are not only viable, but that set you and your team apart from the herd. In short, unleash your inner creative genius!
8. Question Everything - We all tend to think of ourselves as “know-it-alls,” and walk around every day with firm beliefs about what’s right and what’s wrong, or what is and is not possible. But true innovators continually question their own pre-conceived beliefs, and those of others. This is the basis of the most creative question you can ask: “What if?” This year try questioning more of your assumptions before generating ideas. What do you know to be true about the challenge? In what circumstances might it not be true? And if it’s not absolutely true, what are the possibilities? You just might be surprised at how much you didn’t really know all along!
9. Trust Yourself More – After you’ve challenged all those pre-existing beliefs, trust your intuition. Make a commitment to yourself and your team to stop self-editing. If you think it, say it. Then see where it goes. Sometimes the craziest and most embarrassing thought leads to a game changing idea. So give yourself permission to think the unthinkable and say the unspeakable.
10. Cover All the Angles – The world’s greatest thinkers are those who can attack a challenge from many different angles. This is yet another example of “What if?” Develop the habit of intentionally exploring different viewpoints or perspectives. How would our customer approach this problem? How would our competition? How would Einstein? How would someone from another planet? How can we do this simply? How can we do it inexpensively? How would we do it if we had all the money in the world? You will be amazed at how different a challenge looks and feels when you look at it from a different vantage point.
11. Kick Out the Boss! – You read right. With all due respect for the bosses out there, no one can kill a brainstorm faster or more effectively than you. It’s not necessarily your fault (although it may be!) But some people just aren’t comfortable expressing wild ideas in front of authority figures—especially those who sign the check. So figure out a way to minimize the boss’s intimidating impact on the group. If they insist on participating, respectfully ask them to join the session later, after the team has generated a first round of ideas. Or better yet, suggest that ideas be shared with them after the session. They can always have veto power. But it does no one any good if potentially great ideas are never shared in the first place.
12. Choose Wisely – Generating ideas is one thing. Selecting them is another altogether. Develop a sound, objective process for evaluating and choosing your best ideas. What criteria will define a winning solution? Where can you combine or eliminate ideas that are similar in their approach. Remember, a great brainstorm can generate a lot of ideas. Be prepared to manage the selection process as effectively as you do the idea generation phase.

Successful brainstorms do not happen by chance. They are planned and executed by individuals who put in the time and effort to ensure things run smoothly. Make a resolution to be a masterful brainstormer in 2012.

It just might be your most innovative year ever!

Lesson 1: Why a Little Structure Goes a Long Way towards Brainstorm Success

The vast majority of people who regularly lead or participate in brainstorms report that the results they achieve in their idea generation sessions are all-too-often, disappointing. A lack of fresh ideas, minimal participation, dominating personalities and inadequate follow-through are among the most common complaints.

This is the first in a series of articles that will provide a basic understanding of the key principles necessary for brainstorming success. By simply considering and applying these concepts, you and your team can experience much more productive and enjoyable brainstorms.

Never before in history have ideas been so important, nor so plentiful. Ideas are everywhere these days! Big ideas, game changing ideas, groundbreaking ideas. All intended to fuel the ever-increasing consumer demand for innovation. Creative problem solving has become a daily activity for millions of eager and ambitious business people around the world.

The problem is, most don't have a clue what a "good idea" actually is.

All Ideas Are Not Created Equal

Think about it. Just what constitutes a good idea? That it is a breakthrough concept and fundamentally changes the way people do things? Like the Kindle did? Maybe you've forgotten the original Sony Bookman, a monumental failure. Obviously a digital book reader was a great idea in 2007 - not so much in 1991.

That it utilizes technologies in powerful new ways? Was the atomic bomb a good idea? That one is still being debated.

Because it's cheaper? The Yugo is considered one of the most disastrous car introductions in history.

Because it takes something familiar and "improves" on it? Like New Coke in the 80s or Crystal Pepsi in the 90s? Neither lasted a year.

Apparently new, better, improved, technologically advanced and all the other holy grails product developers and marketers seek are not what defines a good idea, at least not all the time.

So what are the characteristics of a good idea? Are they specific to the task at hand? Or are there consistent qualities that apply to just about any idea? More important, can they be defined before idea generation begins, to help guide us to the biggest, best idea possible? Or are they only evident after an idea has been conceived, implemented and tested - suggesting that generating good ideas is pretty much a matter of chance?

There are certainly common characteristics shared among all worthwhile ideas. But in most cases there will be more specific qualities that must be present for an idea to be considered highly effective for solving a particular challenge.

The Common Elements of Good Ideas

Different/Better - For a good idea to be good, it must be at least somewhat different from something else - whatever the new idea is attempting to replace. And it must offer some degree of improvement. Otherwise, it's just an okay idea or a bad idea. It doesn't necessarily have to be new (as in never before done - as in "innovative"), just different from what has been done before for the specific challenge.

Delivers Value - "Value" is an interesting word in that it requires two connected elements. First, the idea must do something better - faster, cheaper, easier, more elegantly, more powerfully, more effectively, more efficiently. But that improvement must also be something somebody actually wants. All of the examples given earlier (and pretty much every other legendary product or marketing blunder) failed because nobody really wanted the improvement provided, or at least not at the expense of something else more important. Value is, by definition, something "valued." And it is an essential component of a good idea.

Doable - A flying car or a home teleportation chamber would be nifty. But unfortunately both defy the currently accepted laws of physics. For an idea to be good, it has to be possible. It might seem obvious, but if you sit through enough brainstorm sessions, you will hear lots of impossible suggestions.

Acceptable Cost-Benefit - If the idea costs more to implement than it can deliver in terms of value, it is impractical. This applies not just to financial cost, but time, resources, energy, etc. If no one is willing to pay the price for whatever benefit the idea delivers, it's not a good idea.

Specific Criteria for Good Ideas

Of course, every challenge has its unique aspects and requirements. So in addition to the common elements of good ideas discussed above, it is important to determine what specific characteristics an idea must have in order to be considered "good" - and to do so BEFORE you begin generating ideas.

This is rarely the case in practice. In typical group brainstorms, for example, unless the session leader has been trained in advanced brainstorming methodologies, it is unlikely that he or she will have considered the objective selection criteria for ideas generated.

By taking the time to do this before ideation begins, and sharing those criteria with the group, everyone is on the same page. The team knows what their ideas will be measured against, and can consider this when generating them. Adding this one, simple step to the brainstorming process can result in dramatically better results, both in terms of quality and quantity of good ideas.

If you're like most people, you're coming up with ideas all the time. Some for challenges or opportunities in business, some for use in your personal life. Take a few moments to consider - ideally before you start thinking - just what a winning idea will look like.

You'll find it a lot easier to recognize one when it finally shows up.

Every day, in conference rooms around the world, tens of thousands of brainstorms take place. Workgroups come together (often with trepidation) to generate fresh ideas, solve problems, explore opportunities and identify new ways to achieve success. In fact, in a world where advancing technology allows more and more tasks to be accomplished by fewer and fewer people, the brainstorm is one of the few remaining collaborative business processes.

Some question the effectiveness of brainstorming, and for good reason. Most sessions aren’t planned or facilitated very well, and all-too-often deliver disappointing results in terms of the breadth and depth of ideas actually generated, as well as a less-than-pleasant experience for participants.

However numerous studies show that when brainstorms are conducted well, the opposite is the case – the process is consistently productive and gratifying. So apparently the problem isn’t brainstorming, it’s brainstorming as typically practiced.

So just what does the typical brainstorm look like? Here are several of the most common types of brainstorming experiences, each of which is a reflection of the personal style of the individual leading the session, the participating group and the prevailing business culture in which the brainstorm takes place.

Pressure Cooker
Don’t you realize that generating ideas is serious business? The Pressure Cooker brainstorm is intense, overly focused and not the least bit fun. In fact, just a few moments of spontaneous laughter or lightness is frowned upon, and the offenders are reprimanded for “not taking the task seriously.” The team has work to do; this is no time for play! Of course, the most effective brainstorms always contain a degree of lightness and joyful exploration and wonder. They are a creative process, after all. An overly serious environment reduces spontaneity and can literally inhibit or even shut down creative thinking. Try approaching even the most serious challenges with a sense of childlike curiosity. Think of brainstorms as “play with purpose.”

Margaritaville
The antithesis of the Pressure Cooker, in these excessively laid back, “no worries” brainstorms, everyone wastes away…their time, that is. No structure, no clear goals or objectives, no leadership skills, all contribute to an enjoyable, but otherwise worthless experience. The conversations veer repeatedly off topic, the fun and lightness referred to earlier escalate to the level of silliness, and little, if anything, gets accomplished. Many people fall into the Margaritaville trap because they believe that brainstorms, as a creative activity, should be loose and unstructured. But nothing could be further from the truth. It is a well-known fact among creative professionals that creativity without structure leads to chaos. The most effective brainstorms always provide an organized process to help keep people’s creative thinking focused and productive.

Friday the 13th
These high-stakes brainstorms inspire fear in even the most courageous of participants. There is danger lurking at every turn, and you never know who’s going to get their heads chopped off next—simply for sharing an idea that the resident “Idea Assassin” feels is unworthy of consideration. And not only are potentially great ideas systematically killed off…so is everyone’s enthusiasm and willingness to participate. These brainstorms typically start off uncomfortable and end up in utter discouragement. In contrast, high-powered brainstorming sessions are always “judgment-free zones,” where everyone feels safe to share even their most off-the-wall ideas.

Déjà Vu
Been there, done that. These brainstorming sessions feel eerily the same—as the last one, and the one before that and the one before that. Same people, same group dynamics, same areas of exploration, and worst of all, same tired, old ideas. When you remain in safe, familiar, territory and never venture out from the status quo, how can you NOT generate the same results? And when you have no fresh, new thinking, there is no innovation. Successful teams regularly inject their brainstorms with a healthy dose of diversity in personalities, background and points of view, plus new types of ideation techniques to engage minds in new and different ways.

Wrestlemania
Let’s get ready to rumble! This brainstorm style is a true battle royale, where two or more participants duke it out to decide whose ideas are best. Funny thing is, it’s always their own ideas they’re fighting for. Most of the time one or two strong, imposing personalities totally dominate these sessions, leaving very little room for others to share.  The conflict rages on throughout the brainstorm, and when the dust settles, everyone is emotionally bruised, battered and exhausted. In contrast, great brainstorms feel effortless. Teams quickly get into “the zone” and stay there. Time flies, and so do the game-changing ideas!

Of course, these are just a few examples. There are as many different styles of brainstorms as there are brainstorm leaders and participants. It is human nature to superimpose our own personalities, interests, beliefs, insecurities, preferences, etc. onto whatever we create, and brainstorms are no exception.

By all means, make your brainstorms your own. Research, learn and make use of your favorite ideation techniques. Try different icebreaker activities to get your group aligned and collaborating quickly. Just make sure that whatever you do, you always foster an environment where participants feel safe in sharing, where they can embrace and enjoy their creative spirits, and where the seeds of innovation can take root and grow.

"Birds do it. Bees do it. Even educated fleas do it." -- Cole Porter

Just in case you had any doubts, it seems everybody is doing it - brainstorming, that is. And just how are they doing it? Well, pretty much the same way everywhere.

The SmartStorming partners recently returned from Krakow, Poland, where we conducted our two-day SmartStorming Brainstorm Leadership Workshop at the 2011 Worldwide Partners Creative Summit. And the experience was nothing short of remarkable!

Not only did we meet and work with a group of very smart, talented and engaged professionals, we also learned a thing or two about group dynamics, multiculturalism, problem solving techniques and, of course, brainstorming.

Our workshop participants were marketing agency pros from around the world: Bulgaria, Finland, Germany, Poland, Saudi Arabia, South Africa, Ukraine. While there were many cultural differences, two things were the same: they all brainstormed on a regular basis and they all faced virtually identical challenges when doing so.

The Good

The group clearly viewed brainstorming to be critical business process, and recognized its  importance to their organizations. The direct link between brainstorming and the ability to innovate was clear to them.

brainstorming <-> creative problem solving <-> ideas <-> innovation

And so, all were eager to learn how to experience better results when brainstorming with their teams and clients, and were completely open to new and unfamiliar ideas and problem solving techniques.

The Bad

In her book, The Seeds of Innovation, Elaine Dundon identifies nine problems that are typically encountered with brainstorming as typically practiced.

1. Lack of process
2. Lack of a skilled facilitator
3. Lack of skilled participants
4. Listing of rules
5. No agreement on the problem
6. Lack of stimuli
7. Pressure to be creative on queue
8. Pressure to converge quickly
9. Lack of follow-up

And, perhaps not surprisingly, the majority of these challenges were voiced by the group during our opening discussion about just what causes brainstorms to fail.

The implications of this experience are actually quite compelling, and suggest that regardless of differences in culture, business practices and customs, geography,  personality, etc., what takes place in the room when a group of people get together to generate creative ideas, in the absence of a structured process and effective problem solving techniques, is pretty much the same no matter who you are or where you are. And that "pretty much the same" is all-too-often disappointing.

Perhaps most interesting to us at SmartStorming was that there seemed to be very little difference among the participants in terms of just how much direct training or self-directed learning the participants had on the topic of brainstorming. One might imagine that in some countries a greater emphasis would be placed on learning skills to help facilitate this important process. But this was not the case. As we usually find in the U.S., not one participant had experienced any meaningful training in brainstorming or creative problem solving.

The Promise

The good news is that while brainstorming as typically practiced is clearly broken, it's not all that difficult to fix.

The level of interest, participation and enthusiasm throughout the two-day workshop was very high. Even the most seasoned creative professionals in the group reported exciting revelations, specifically about how to turn "bad" ideas into game-changers; how to minimize shyness and self-consciousness among participants and facilitate spontaneous sharing; how to use different problem solving techniques and brainstorming activities to accomplish different objectives; etc.

And already we are receiving reports from abroad about the participants' first highly successful SmartStorming sessions back at their agencies.

Their brainstorming, it would seem, is fixed.

In the 1930s, when Alex Osborn "invented" brainstorming, he knew, even then, that certain skills and guidelines were necessary for the process to be successful. Many of those are directly related to Elaine Dundon's list of brainstorming challenges. But Osborn's new way of generating ideas was just so novel and exciting, it apparently took off on its own.

The legacy is a world that, today, depends heavily on brainstorming, but really doesn't have a clue how to do it.

But with a little effort and investment of time and attention, Alex Osborn's vision of highly productive ideation sessions quickly becomes a reality. And great ideas are no longer a rarity, they are the norm.

New York, NY 2/21/2011 - Innovative thinking and effective creative problem solving strategies are the defining qualities of today's most successful advertising and marketing agencies. So to help its member agencies remain at the top of their industry, Worldwide Partners, Inc., the world's largest international network of owner-operated advertising and marketing communications companies, will feature SmartStorming Brainstorm Leadership Training at its upcoming Second Annual Creative Summit, to be held in Krakow, Poland, on March 2-4, 2011.

SmartStorming is an advanced group idea-generation system that eliminates the fundamental weaknesses of traditional brainstorming. The only brainstorm leadership training of its kind, SmartStorming transforms workshop participants into brainstorming experts, armed with a range of problem solving techniques, creative thinking exercises, brainstorming activities and leadership skills necessary for planning and leading highly effective brainstorms.

“When you think about it, what is brainstorming? It's the first, essential step in the innovation process,” said Mitchell Rigie, partner and co-founder of SmartStorming LLC. “Unfortunately many companies don't have a clue how to brainstorm effectively. It's estimated that over 90 percent of the people leading brainstorms, in any industry, have had no training whatsoever in how to do it.”

Attendees at the upcoming WPI Creative Summit will soon be among the other 10 percent. Workshop participants will learn SmartStorming's systematic, step-by-step process for planning and leading highly effective brainstorms. Topics include: how to pre-plan sessions for greater success, how to stock the creative pond, how to manage challenging personalities, a wide range of creative problem solving activities and how to select only the very best ideas.

“This is the first time SmartStorming training will be offered outside the U.S. It's really an exciting opportunity to share our system, that's already being used by leading agencies in New York, with this outstanding global network of agencies,” said Keith Harmeyer, Rigie's partner at SmartStorming.

To learn more about SmartStorming and Worldwide Partners, Inc., visit SmartStorming.com and WorldwidePartners.com.