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Brainstorms On Brainstorming: How To Get Better Results

This article is more than 10 years old.

Guest post written by Linda Stewart

Linda Stewart is CEO of Interaction Associates, a Boston-based global leadership development firm.

Brainstorming in business is garnering tough criticism in media circles lately, including in a new book by Susan Cain titled, Quiet: The Power of Introverts in a World That Can't Stop Talking. Cain and others are critical of what they see as an over-reliance on brainstorming— and with limited results.

But the debate about whether it’s “better” to generate ideas alone or in groups misses the mark. And brainstorming, specifically, is too important to cast in good or bad terms.

A more strategic option is to choose the best route to surfacing strong solutions to the challenges at hand. Let me explain by offering a gentle defense of brainstorming and some tips for avoiding groupthink.

Brainstorming is just one tool of hundreds available for generating ideas. But as the saying goes, “A fool with a tool is still a fool.” Brainstorming will not automatically produce the most ideas, or the highest quality options, relative to other idea generation techniques. But brainstorming is a perfectly good tool for certain outcomes. Success lies in selecting the tool with the end in mind.

When is brainstorming appropriate? Research by Binghamton University evolutionary biologist David Sloan Wilson demonstrated that, while individuals are brilliant at generating ideas when the content is simple, groups outperform individuals when the content is complex.

According to Wilson: “Cooperation is most beneficial for tasks that exceed the capacity of individuals. . . . Not only did groups outperform individuals overall, but their relative advantage increased with task difficulty.”

Wilson uses the examples of lifting a piano and screwing in a light bulb. You need a group to do one, but not the other. The lesson here is to match the process to the task. Stasson and Bradshaw’s research (1995) demonstrated this fairly obvious fact: If an individual does not have all of the information required for a good decision, then a group of people who can share information will be more effective. The desired outcome is not just a large quantity of ideas, but synergy. So, leverage the ability of diverse group members to build on and enhance others' ideas.

It’s not surprising that Susan Cain’s book critiques brainstorming from the point of view of introverts. The original groupthink research, “Victims of Groupthink,” by Irving Janis (1972), pointed out that groups produce sub-optimal results when different opinions or ambiguous situations are ignored. If we don't make it safe for everyone, including introverts, to express themselves, we can end up with groupthink - or worse, "nothink." On the other hand, well-designed collaboration brings out the best by honoring differences in style, and surfacing difficult and ambiguous issues.

In order to lead a productive brainstorming meeting, you need to manage information and interactions. A well thought-out process creates good relationships, allows free sharing of ideas, and leaves no introverts sitting by in silent dissatisfaction.

This brings us to something not always considered when talking about brainstorming ideas: generally speaking, you will want to implement the ideas you’ve generated. And brainstorming's highest value is not in producing the greatest number of ideas, but in

  • generating creative and innovative ideas, and
  • creating ownership for implementing those ideas.

In short: Brainstorming catalyzes synergy and ownership. That’s the pay-off.

And here’s a critical point: People who participate in a group process like brainstorming will have greater support for and ownership of the ideas. They’ll be inclined to lend more discretionary effort to seeing "their” ideas implemented, reducing the risk of failure. When you need the best ideas and shared responsibility for implementation, then brainstorming, followed by the necessary “narrowing” and “closing” stages of discussion, will lead to better results.

Some important tips for avoiding groupthink:

Know When to Brainstorm: Don’t always default to brainstorming. Reflect on the complexity of the problem. If it’s complex, convene a group of those who have expertise in the matter at hand. If the problem is simple, consider having team members brainstorm individually, and then bring in their lists to conduct an evaluation and “narrowing” process.

Consider the Investment: Think about how invested your team members must be in implementing the ideas generated. If the answer is “a lot,” convening people and gathering their input (including their concerns) is critical to success.

Draw Them Out: To draw out introverts, allow time for processing of ideas that are thrown out in the group. Be sure to capture what’s being said on a chart so introverts can see and think about the content.

Make It Safe: Create a safe space for disagreement. If your group tends toward conflict avoidance, model how to disagree respectfully. Create and get agreement on ground rules so people feel confident they can “talk back.” Even act as “devil’s advocate” to surface what others may be thinking.

Involve a Facilitator: Consider using a skilled facilitator. He or she can ensure introverts have a chance to share their ideas. A good facilitator can also help you navigate disagreements and stuck places. Studies have shown brainstorming groups generate more ideas with a facilitator on the job.

Lastly, what about employee involvement and its role in ensuring the success of an organization?

Highly involved employees go beyond mere employee engagement to actively share responsibility for the organization’s success. The strategic importance of that is best illustrated in a true-life story. A company’s CEO convened a cross-functional group to come up with a list a ways to achieve profitable growth. The group brainstormed, narrowed the list they had generated, and agreed on 42 ideas. They presented these suggestions to the CEO, who incorporated them into the company’s strategic plan. When asked what he thought of group’s work, the CEO said he was delighted. “Even if they weren’t the very best ideas, the fact that my employees own them will pay off for me,” he explained.

In the end, the sense of ownership and subsequent ease of implementation that group work creates may be its biggest advantage.