Brainstorming Tips

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1. Questions are the best way to get brainstorming started. A question opens up the doors of thinking.

2. Use open ended questions so that you and all participants can let their thinking go in multiple directions.

3. Use one of the brainstorming questioning tools to inspire more questions and more ideas.

4. Start brainstorming sessions with one of the silent or on one's own brainstorming before opening up the brainstorming session to discussion and listening to others' ideas.

5. Once the sharing of ideas starts make everyone comfortable about using each others' ideas to extend and combine. Ideas are the result of the combined thinking rather than belonging to just one person.

6. During brainstorming put on hold all value judgments of ideas. Most of us know not to voice any negative comments because it stops the free expression. What some may not realize is that even complimentary comments can do the same thing. If someone says "Oh, what a great idea!" Others in the group suddenly compare their unspoken ideas to that one that was complimented or may feel like no more ideas are needed since a 'great' one was found.

7. Use a different brainstorming technique each time you get together to keep the sessions fun and productive.

8. Be sure all ideas are recorded. Even the ones that seem far fetched at the time can turn into something good later especially when thought about in other contexts or combinations.

9. Give everyone a small pad of paper and pen as they leave the brainstorming session. The process will continue to spawn ideas as your participants go on to their other tasks. Encourage them to keep writing down any ideas they get and to send them in or bring them to the next session.

10. Tell your participants to keep pen and paper and a small light (even one of those pens that lights up is a good idea) next to their bed. While a person sleeps, the brain is still sorting through thoughts and ideas and if he or she wakes up with an idea they need to write it down. We tend to think that the idea is so good we will remember it in the morning and that just doesn't happen. So write it down right away!

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