Every company always has problems that must be solved together. You can't rely on your personal mindset to achieve success. What you have to do is brainstorming. The brainstorming event on teams has been carried out, there are still possible obstacles because there are no solutions in sight. But brainstorming is so much nicer than deciding something on your own.
If you have never done a brainstorming meeting before, this article is for you. Let's take a look how important brainstorming is for your company, and how to do perfect brainstorming.
Why is brainstorming important in teams?
Meetings or brainstorming is a perfect way to build trust and unity among the team and bring up new ideas in a non-judgmental environment. With the diverse thoughts of each employee, it will generate new and unique ideas and all can contribute to the company progress.
When brainstorming on teams is going well, team members can feel open and feel more comfortable with co-workers, which can improve productivity, communication, and generate valuable collaboration.
Every meeting is expected to produce creative solutions together. Before knowing how to brainstorm, we must know some brainstorming methods.
What are the 4 methods of brainstorming?
Many think that gathering in ordinary meetings and sharing ideas includes brainstorming. In fact, there are several types of brainstorming you need to know.
- Stop and Go brainstorming
Team members are divided into several groups and given time to make solutions without evaluation. When a group engages solutions, all team members can do a short period of evaluation. The process continues until all groups submit alternative solutions, and a short period of evaluation until the meeting is over. You can set how long per group delivers a solution, according to the meeting time you plan.
- Brainwriting
Each meeting participant must have a brainstorm idea and write it down before sharing it with the group for further thinking. The ideas don't have to be mature and well-planned, because the team can help perfect the idea until one of the team members provides the best solution or idea.
Requiring every employee to have an idea is a good thing, because it can trigger employees to think about the progress of the company, and not just sit idly by in meetings without making a contribution.
- Philips 66 brainstorming
Divide team members into groups of six people. Each group has six minutes to brainstorm before presenting it to the larger group. Each group will choose a spokesman with the best ideas until all groups submit ideas.
- Reverse brainstorming
It's a creative problem-solving technique, with the meeting leader presenting a problem, and each employee can provide opinions, solutions, and brainstorm to get different points of view and produce different solutions.
How to do a perfect brainstorming on teams?
Doing brainstorming is expected to generate many new ideas and unify the team's minds. Traditional brainstorming has challenges and drawbacks, which poor brainstorming will not benefit because it wastes time and energy. There are several things you can do to avoid poor brainstorming on Teams. Use these tips to do the perfect brainstorming meeting.
- Short and focus
Meetings cannot be held for too long, because the group must stay focused. Aim 15-30 minutes to brainstorm, and 5-10 minutes to present solutions. Don't take more than an hour at a meeting, because people can't stay on track if the discussion is too wide or the meeting time is too long.
A shorter meeting requires that the group is better prepared with the meeting material, and has prepared ideas before the meeting begins.
- Choose small group wisely
Too many people in a meeting is not good. Choose a small group and no more than 10 people. Invites from several teams from several divisions, so you can reveal new ideas and hear problems from various divisions. With a small number of people brainstorming, the flow of the meeting is more focused, and everyone has the opportunity to be heard and communication runs smoothly without anyone talking to himself or going out of context.
- Clarify problems
The brainstorming team must understand what they are going to accomplish. Clarify the problem, and there must be a member to act as an intermediary if the discussion goes too far. Set the boundaries with any constraints or requirements for solutions.
For example, the solution must be in accordance with the specified time and with a certain budget. The more problem boundaries you put to reach a solution, the more focused the brainstorming results will be. Don't forget to tell the group about the brainstorming information 2-3 days beforehand, as well as the goals to be achieved during the brainstorming session.
- Each member need to prepare individually
Small group with a choice of the best people in each division must contribute equally. Don't let brainstorming turn into groupthink and there are some members who don't share ideas or just follow the flow. Invite the group to prepare individual ideas with the material you previously provided.
Everyone needs to think up ideas alone before the group meets together. After each of them has submitted their brainstorming ideas, they will be able to effectively collaborate and identify the best solutions.
- Appreciate meeting members
Be a good facilitator to achieve a successful brainstorming meeting. Act as a mediator when the conversation goes off-topic or widens and creates new problems. Clarify the brainstorming rules, and ensure everyone has the opportunity to contribute.
Don't forget to give corporate souvenir such as mugs, pens, notes, or t-shirts as appreciation for each member when they have taken the time to brainstorm on teams and get new ideas for office development.
- Record the brainstorming contents
Each member is required to record all the contents of the brainstorming starting from problems, ideas, and some important conversations. After the meeting will be closed, one of the members will convey all the important points from the beginning of the meeting to the conclusion. Several important points can be read back to the next brainstorming session.
Now you understand several brainstorming methods and what you need to prepare to achieve perfect brainstorming on Teams. Hope you can find the best ideas and perfect solutions for every problem presented.
