Energizing Brainstorming Ideas - Last article we discussed how to proactively set up the right conditions by dealing with resistance up front. Once these concerns have been dealt with, the group will be more ready and willing to enter into brainstorming unimpeded. 

Nevertheless, other factors such as boredom or fatigue may hinder the group's progress. Below are some ideas I have used to rekindle participation:

• Create name cards that identify functions (i.e. operations, HR, IT, etc.) and/or types of stakeholders (i.e. customer, shareholder, supplier, CEO, etc.) and place them in an envelope.  Have participants each take a card and then speak from that perspective.
• If confidentiality is a concern, use Post-It notes or index cards for collecting ideas. Participants write one idea per Post-It/card then pass it to the center of the table where:
  1.      All ideas are scribed on a flipchart for review, or
  2.      Post-Its/cards are randomly reassigned for reporting out
• Have participants engage in a "cocktail circuit," which involves sharing ideas with numerous partners. All participants are asked to stand up and find a partner to share their ideas with.  Before transitioning to the next partner, participants can plagiarize what they liked about what the last person said and add it to their discussion with the new partner. Timing for each pairing should be no more than 5 minutes. At the end of the circuit participants split into subgroups and combine their ideas.
• Have people throw around a ball. Whoever catches it blurts out whatever idea occurs to them.
• Have everyone stand around the flipchart with a marker per person. Going around in a circle, each participant scribes an idea.
• Post flipchart paper around the room, scribing one issue/idea per sheet as a headline. Participants roam around the room with markers, writing any idea that falls under or is connected to the scribed headline.
• Use a metaphor to describe an issue. If, for example, the issue is "How could we improve the way we run our meetings?" have the group think of a metaphor that would symbolize an effective meeting  (i.e. a basketball game). The group quickly discusses some of the key activities of playing basketball (i.e. passing the ball).  Relate these activities to your meeting by asking, "How can we pass the ball more effectively?
• Throw out twenty nouns or verbs, one at a time - anything goes! Then, using the topic you're working on (i.e. Quality), draw out the relationship between the issue and the words on your list by stating, "Quality is like x in these ways..." Have the group think of all the ways that quality is like that brainstormed word.
• Along the left side of the page, vertically write down a topic  (e.g. 'facilitation') for brainstorming. Have participants brainstorm as many ideas using each letter of the topic name as cues for other words.  For example, in defining "facilitation," people may come up with friendly  (f), increasing awareness (a), collaboration (c), etc.
• Have each person draw a picture of what the topic means to them, without anyone speaking to each other. Set a time limit for this and, upon completion, have participants present their pictures with the others voicing what they see or feel the picture represents.
• Have a participant volunteer an idea. Others then embellish or build on that idea.

Creating Closure on the Brainstorm

Quite frequently brainstorming leaves us with lots of great but similar ideas. If the intent is to end up with a unique list of ideas to be prioritized, the following process may be helpful:

• At the end of the brainstorming session have the group review all the output and open the discussion to any questions for clarification.
• Then determine where any duplications or similar ideas overlap. Eliminate redundancies and have the group attempt to merge similar ideas together.
• Ratify any merging of ideas to ensure people can live with the resulting statement

I hope that the above ideas will inject some energy into your next brainstorming session!

Michael Goldman is President of Facilitation First, a company thatspecializes in providing professional meeting facilitation and training.Visit our website at www.facilitationfirst.com for more information orcall us at 416-465-9494. To subscribe to our free newsletter, email us at news@facilitationfirst.com