The Brainstorming in the New Normal

Every business needs a plan to act as a guide and ensure that the business will run as expected. Indeed, the business owner may have started the business with the idea of what kind of products and/or services will be offered. However, the work does not stop there. As the business starts, there will always be a need to look back at the plan and check if what was written has been followed. But of course, even if you create a dynamic business plan, there will come a time that the business owner would need tweaking so that it goes with what is needed. The market needs can change often and every business should be able to go along with the flow, otherwise, being left behind would simply mean devastation on the business.

A business can only succeed if all the people are working side by side. This means that from the very start, the people that a business owner should hire would share the same vision like his. This way, it would be easier to manage the business and eliminate misunderstanding and promote productivity. Working from home has become the “new normal” among some of the employees. Luckily, our technology today allows us to do more even if we are at home. We are very thankful for apps and software programs that have made virtual meetings possible. And this indeed is such a helpful tool in being able to help become “business as usual”, particularly when there are important matters that need immediate attention.

What is brainstorming?

Brainstorming is a way of exchanging ideas and engaging employees that create a conducive workplace for cooperation and teamwork. Through this, it encourages building better relationships among employees and improved communication that can help one another in providing products and services that answer the needs of the market.

Brainstorming builds self-esteem, thus, employees’ morale is heightened since they feel that their opinions or suggestions are being heard and valued. When employees feel this way, it stimulates creativity of the employees. Sometimes their individual ideas can create a surprisingly better suggestion for a particular project or whatever the brainstorming is all about. Hence, with all the great ideas it may even lead to a change in the direction of the business.

How To Brainstorm Effectively

This could be an exciting moment for some, while others might dread it Those who feel enthusiastic about having their next brainstorming session surely has a lot of things in their mind. To create a successful brainstorming session, here are some tips to guide you:

     1.  Start with a challenge or topic for the brainstorming session, such as, “What if we…. How can we….. ?” This would make it easier for everyone to generate ideas when they have a guide on what to think about.

     2.  Never push your employees to think of what they could contribute and force them to spill it out right there and then. It might be helpful to give them a head’s up about what the session would be tackling so they can come up with something and present it to everyone during the session. Getting them on the spot may not produce the best results since it has been thought of in haste.

     3.  Allow everyone in the room to share their thoughts. Although giving some limitations may hinder your employees from extracting their creative juices in spilling out, it is best to set the boundaries and inform the employees of the extent of what needs to be talked about. In doing so, they do not spend so much time thinking of other things which may not be significant.

     4.  Brainstorming once or twice a month is healthy. But never make each session more than an hour since it can create boredom and lose the employees’ enthusiasm. If great ideas are pouring in, extending it to another hour would be alright.

     5.  You may be looking for something in particular, but instead of focusing on the quality and immediately strike your employee if you think that he shared a bad idea, it would be best to gather everyone’s idea and opinion and then tackle each one’s pros and cons until you reach a final decision. Rapid ideation allows each one to share their thoughts which allows everyone to explore all possibilities. For example, one idea may not be as grand as the other but when two or three ideas are harmoniously joined together may come out as a huge surprise.

     6.  Once you have gathered all the ideas, get clear on the criteria. This means that there is a need to dissect each idea given to determine if it is feasible, if it has a customer value, if it creates an impact on the business, or if the investment return would not take a long time.

     7.  Once you have selected an idea, let at least 2 of your team members take action in implementing it. Pairing them creates a sense of accountability and shared commitment. Act as their guide along the way.

Realistically, there isn’t much of a difference between brainstorming in an office or conducting it online. The support for one another should just remain despite any situation. Ideas never cease even if you are at home. And to be able to gather various ideas from your employees in making the business prosper during these times is essential to keep the business afloat.

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You may contact Armando “Butz” Bartolome for questions and more information.

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