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The Executives Guide to

L di Effective
Leading Eff ti
Brainstorming Sessions

By: Amy Hedin, HumanPoint


Two heads are better than one.
Leading
g Brainstorming
g Sessions
Senior leaders can achieve amazing returns from holding effective brainstorming
sessions with their teams.
teams

Some benefits include:


 Gaining buy-in
buy in
 Team building
 Empowering individuals and team
 Helping team take ownership
 Innovation and creative problem solving
 Enhancing decision making

We have created this article as a tool to help senior managers lead effective
brainstorming sessions. The goal is to provide ideas and guidelines without
limiting a manager
manager’ss creativity and unique style and approach. We hope
you find thsee ideas helpful.
Prior to Session

1
1. C t an agenda
Create d and
d send
d it outt with
ith pre-workk so everyone
comes to the session prepared.

22. Pre-script questions in order to uncover the most information


in the least amount of time and to stay on-track.

3. Invite a person to take notes or use flip charts to capture


group ideas.
ideas

4. Set up the room so that every person can see one another—
square table.
5 Steps for Effective
Brainstorming Sessions
Step
p 1: Establish Ground Rules

• No cell phones
• No criticizing
g others ideas
• Everyone must participate
• No judging others or censoring ideas
• Keep the momentum by adding ideas
versus stopping
i to discuss
di one idea
id
• Dig deep and keep track of every idea
Step
p 2: Create a Trusting
g Environment

• Review ground rules and encourage people to


participate
• Thank p people
p for their input
p
• Explain that your role is to capture group ideas and
provide input—not to judge or critique ideas
• Review agenda and desired outcomes for the
session
• If you are didiscussing
i sensitive
ii topics
i askk group to
maintain the confidentiality of ideas discussed
Step
p 3: Effective Questioning
Q g
• The goal with pre-scripting questions is to uncover as much information with
the fewest amount of questions.
q
• Begin with the end in mind. Ask yourself what you want to accomplish in the
session and script questions that lead your group down the path to your
desired destination.
• Start the discussion with an easier question to warm up audience.
• Use questions to keep the ideas flowing:
– What else?
– What about?
– How else?
– What more can we add?
• Restate a question with a different action word to uncover additional information
information.
– In what ways can we acknowledge our employees for a job well done?
– How else can we reward employees for a job well done?
Step
p 4: Capture
p – Don’t Criticize
• Ass the
t e facilitator
ac tato you a are
e tthere
e e to eencourage
cou age idea
dea
sharing
• Do not rate or criticize p
participants
p comments
• Simply ask clarifying questions if something is
unclear
• Have an attitude of curiosity not criticism
y
• Don’t allow anyone else to censor or criticize
ideas
• Write down every single idea—not just the ideas
you like
Step
p 5: Effective Facilitation

• Keep the conversation going.


• If it stalls, ask the group for any additional ideas.
• The
Th best
b t ideas
id are nott always
l the
th first
fi t tto come out.
t
Keep rooting until you find the treasure.
• Don’t allow one person to dominate the discussion.
Encourage the quiet people to contribute.
• Thank people for their ideas.
• Don
Don’tt move on to the next question until you and the
group are satisfied with the quantity of ideas.
• Maintain a high level of energy and enthusiasm—make it
f !
fun!
Post-Session
Post Session Tip
Organize Ideas Immediately After
S
Session
i
• Take flip charts or notes and organize answers into
categories or a more systematic format—while the
information is still fresh in your mind
• Send ideas to the group and to anyone that was unable
to attend asking for additional input
• If relevant,
l askk participants
i i to rate top 5 or top 10 ideas
id
• If additional research is required on anything--assign to
individuals’ and book a follow-up session
• Keep input providers in the loop on progress
About HumanPoint: HumanPoint is a boutique executive
coaching firm located in Bellevue, Washington focused on
helping
p g senior level leaders to improve
p the performance
p of
their organization. We provide collaborative coaching services
in order to empower these leaders to strategically plan and
execute critical objectives. Contact us and tell us what you
are workingg on and lets team up p and tackle it together
g to
get faster results.

About the Author: Amy Hedin, HumanPoint's founder, is a


dynamic speaker,
speaker coach,
coach consultant,
consultant and trainer.
trainer She works
with executives in technology, construction, biotech, retail, and
hospitality, as well as military organizations to help improve
the performance of their employees and achieve superior
outcomes Her goal in starting HumanPoint was to empower
outcomes.
individuals and companies to reach their God-given potential.
Amy's clients describe her as dynamic, engaging, genuine,
and insightful. She lives in and travels from Bellevue,
Washington.
Washington
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The copyright
py g of this work belongs
g to HumanPoint. All rights
g
are reserved. The work may be printed, shared, but not
altered.

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