Brainstorming - the good, bad and ugly

When you are in marketing you are always as good as your last idea. You can come to the table time and time again with innovative thoughts and opinions, but you always want to push yourself to be better every time. Coming up with these ideas in business are not just about you... they come from a team of people with this great art of group think.

Which leads us to, everyone's favourite, the brainstorm. 

Now if you're in the business world these days you know the brainstorm is the new sliced bread. Every company has a brainstorm. 

From as simple as... "Let's brainstorm ideas for the Christmas party!" to as important as... "Let's brainstorm cost cutting measures so we hit our bottom line"

I work in Experiential Marketing. Brainstorms truly are our bread and butter. We are huge proponents of what I like to call "crazy group think"where we take an ordinary idea and together make it an extraordinary idea. That said even in an industry like ours, there are different opinions on the brainstorm process.

Some of the things I tend to hear are..

• Who do we invite to make this successful?
• They always just go off topic!!! How do you CONTROL a brainstorm?
• How do you do this without wasting everyone's time? Nothing as annoying as a silent brainstorm..
• It's always the same 5 people talking. Maybe we should just email them next time!
• Who the heck has the time..

So I did some research to find some answers here. And here the steps I've accumulated to a great brainstorm.

• Research and Prep is Good! Give your attendees some time, tools and documents so they can prepare as much as possible prior to the brainstorm. As we know ideas take time to strike, no need to put anyone on the spot

• Open your Mind: Here's the thing. If you're running the brainstorm it likely means you are the subject matter expert. Now for brainstorms to go successfully you need to get out of your own head. Escape the negative self talk "oh that's never going to sell to the client, they're way too conservative for that" And be open to ideas you wouldn't have thought of. I mean, isn't that the point?

• Create a Positive Space: What I learnt really impacts the ability to brainstorm effectively is: intimidation, laziness, judgement. Creating a positive space is allowing others to comfortably speak their mind without feeling negativity which will continue your conversation more effectively.

“Creativity is so delicate a flower that praise tends to make it bloom while discouragement often nips it in the bud. Forget quality; aim now to get a quantity of answers. When you’re through, your sheet of paper may be so full of ridiculous nonsense that you’ll be disgusted. Never mind. You’re loosening up your unfettered imagination—making your mind deliver.” - Alex Osborn, BBDO, "Your Creative Power"

• Be Selective: You know, sometimes it's ok to be selective. People always feel there needs to be a sense of inclusion when it comes to brainstorms. But it's ok to only invite specific people. If the brand is for 25-35 year old men, people who fit this demographic within the office will give you the best value of information, right

• Narrow Down: A session at Google taught me something very important - your first brainstorm can be open to others to collect as many ideas as possible. Step 2 is to take the most important people on that project - the account lead, the creative lead, the project manager etc. and narrow down those ideas by actually researching them and quantifying them. This is where your "ahaa" moment usually comes about - this is where one person's ordinary idea of 'what about the colour blue?' Turns into 'blue lagoon in the depths of the ocean' .. something bigger, better, crazier, and more extraordinary.

Need more? Check out this video for more awesomeness

Go ahead! Host a brainstorm! If you do it properly, I know you'll get that gem that you need out of it.

In Search for Creativity...

So in my search to understand the root of ideas and creativity, I've been reading and learning thoughts from people far more successful than I (of course in hopes that I join their ranks one day)
My talented boss put me on a 21 day video training program hosted by Robin Sharma that I watch every morning while I work out (yes I'm in the 5am club, yes it's still hard, yes it's working!)
Today's session was on Personal Leadership and Creativity.
It was bang on what I'm looking to enhance and discover through my journey so I wanted to share.

Innovation and creativity, he said, is seeing what everyone else sees but in a way that they don't see it (I paraphrased a bit). You see the situation full of possibilities and opportunity.
In order to see in those creative eyes you need to know a few things:

1. Awareness: understand what's in side of you and believe that you have a "creative reservoir". Important too is to know how to show that creativity in an authentic form of expression.

2. Creativity doesn't happen when you're thinking about the problem: Go for a walk, eat a great meal, listen to some music. Sometimes it does have to strike, but the beauty is that it can strike just about anywhere.

3. Embrace the importance of rest: I suck at this. But I'm embracing it! As type A as you are, you need a night to yourself, it's just how it is.

4. Capture your best ideas: I didn't think I'd ever be a journal-er. But my brain has too much going on and in order to keep it all in check, I journal. Not saying you should do that too, but grab a napkin or your phone and write down that idea. You never know when you'll need it.

5. Constant change means constant creativity: This is as simple as moving seats every once in a while, but as complex as getting the heck out of your city and taking a drive somewhere new and exciting. New things are inspiring... most of the time.

6. Exercise: I know I know, everyone says this. But it's true. Just go for a run or something, you'll get through it, I promise.

7. Innovation is the response to a difficult problem: I hate the word problem. And being in client service we know NEVER to say problem. It's a dirty word. It's always.. the opportunity is. Why? Because frankly speaking there's always something to learn and learning leads to innovation. Dealing with the opportunity of a lack of light at night, helped create the innovation of the lightbulb. Just saying..

8. Stay curious: Curiosity did not in fact kill the cat.. it made him creative, and inspired, and if he were human probably quite wealthy.

9. Take risks: Sometimes you have to try in order to see it happen. No one found genuis by sitting in their comfort zone. Get out of your box, flock into the unknown, dance your way through it.

10. Create the environment for creativity: Be in places that inspire you, talk to people that teach you, open your mind to your surroundings.

Now I believe everyone can be a "creative". And that's my journey - to spell it out and learn life's secrets. 

If it's your journey too, the next time you look at the sunrise.. really LOOK at the sunrise. See how it's never the same two days in a row. The colours blend together so effortlessly. And the depth of the sky goes on forever. Seeing a normal thing in a different way, that inspires creativity.

Till next time friends, inspire yourself.

What is creativity?

Creativity.
It's a word that doesn't define you but defines your ideas.
It defines your soul, your being, your adventure.
Your left side of the brain can be awoken, can be a friend.
A creative life is an inspired life.
It's when you see the wind blow through the trees and notice the movement.
You see the sunrise and notice how the colours blend together.
You see the shapes and lines on page but realize connected they are an image.
I believe in the power of creativity.
I believe that if we all bind together and allow our brains to escape the box we've put them in, we can achieve greatness.
Allow yourself to imagine, to dream, to inspire.
Paint the sky with the colours of your mind. See the images your brain is feeding you. Escape the shackles we place on ourselves with the 2 dimensional eyes we look through.
High definition colour is far better than the black and white you learn to see when you sit in that box.
Escape the box.