According to Business Jargons, brainstorming can be defined as a technique to stimulate creative ideas and solutions through a group discussion. Simply, a process wherein a group attempts to find a solution for the specific problem, by aggregating all the spontaneous opinions or suggestions given by each group member individually.

The most important part of a brainstorming session is what happens after it ends. Whether you’re going to be brainstorming as a large team or going solo, here are 5 tips that Simon Bailey, General Manager of Royal Palm Hotel gives us to organise a successful brainstorming session.

• Create the right environment. Organising a brainstorming session at your regular office environment is often not the best decision. This is because you sit at your desk almost every day. Make sure you and your team are relaxed and de-stressed during your brainstorming session, as stress can really hamper creative thinking. Rather have your brainstorming session take place in a different work environment where patterns of creative thoughts are more likely to emerge.
• Establish ground rules. In order for the session to run smoothly, the facilitator needs to establish some ground rules at the beginning, and stick to them throughout the session. Ground rules are important to avoid conflict and ensure smooth communication between all participants.
• Define the problem. The group leader/facilitator should outline the problem requiring a decision. The problem is clearly stated such that the members can easily understand it and focus their direct attention on it. Once the problem is defined, the participants are asked to share their opinions through which the problem can be tackled. The aim here is to get as many ideas as possible.
• Collect your ideas and plan your follow up. Whatever means you use to collect everyone’s ideas (whiteboard, mind map, PowerPoint etc.), make sure you follow up on them after the session. The output of the session can consist of a list of the most favored ideas and any themes that emerge as well as the unfavored. All these ideas should be taken to a strategy session and looked at in more detail by a smaller group.
• Wrap it up. Once everyone has spoken and are happy with the ideas that have been generated, the facilitator should explain the next steps and what will happen to the group’s ideas. All participants should also receive a summary of the top ideas generated during the session.

The simplest reason to hold a brainstorming meeting is to increase the volume of possible ideas which then lead to actions. There are many advantages to brainstorming, and it can be used in any industry and to solve most problems where a solution may not always be obvious.

List of Pros of Brainstorming

• It helps you come up with great ideas. Brainstorming gives vison and perspective that may have not existed before. It challenges you to become more creative. By sitting down with your co-workers, you’re forced to think critically and imaginatively and come up with ideas that make you stand out and be noticed. You can also take the concepts and opinions that other people bring to the table and build on them to come up with great solutions.
• It encourages comradeship. Brainstorming creates a way for your co-workers to interact with each other in a “neutral” ground thus creating a foundation for a stronger working relationship. It may not instantly turn people into best friends, but it at least paves a way for them to get to know each other better.
• Promotes equal participation. Brainstorming gives everyone a chance to air their opinion without judgement and in turn avoids conflict.

In order for your brainstorming session to be effective, it needs to be approached the right way. With every set of pros there are cons. Fortunately, in this case, the pros far outweigh the cons.

The main downsides include:

• Neutral facilitator required. Brainstorming requires a non-biased leader who will take control of the session and ensure it reaches a reasonable conclusion.
• Time consuming. Sometimes brainstorming sessions can take hours or even days before a neutral agreement is reached.
• It’s not always the right choice for everybody. Brainstorming can be effective in some situations, although there are times when it’s not the right technique to use. The key here is to identify when and where you should do a brainstorming session and determine if the people around you will benefit from one.

A creative block can happen to even the best brains on the planet and brainstorming can be the solution, but only if it is done right.

For your next brainstorming session, book at the Royal Palm Hotel who offer a range of conferencing options and provide advice on hosting a successful one. Contact 031 581 8000 or visit www.royal-palm.co.za.