3 tips on breaking down barriers to great brainstorming

It’s Thursday at 2:43 p.m.  You’ve spent the greater part of the day pitching your client’s new product to targeted media, updated three status grids and have begun developing content for an upcoming Facebook promotion.  The clock hits 2:45 p.m. and an Outlook reminder pops up.  The ritualistic weekly calendar invite entitled “Brainstorm” flashes across your screen.

One of the many skills required of PR professionals is the ability to quickly switch gears from manager and taskmaster to creator and innovator.  The challenge soon becomes how to become motivated and inspired within a matter of mere minutes?  And how do you create and foster an environment of creativity while balancing seemingly never-ending client deadlines and status meetings?

Merriam-Webster first defines “brainstorm” as “a violent transient fit of insanity,” and secondly as “a sudden bright idea.”  While round table sessions designed to produce the latter have become industry standard, there’s also a hint of truth to the first definition.  Admittedly, a thrashing flash mob mosh-pit in your conference room would most likely be frowned upon by HR, but shaking things up and kicking off ritual brainstorms with a respectable degree of “insanity” isn’t always a bad thing.

Two weeks ago, the Cohn & Wolfe Austin team stimulated our slumbering synapses by heading offsite where we’ve never brainstormed before…an improv class.  There, we participated in a three-hour course focused on breaking down barriers that prevent creativity, emphasizing the importance of positive reinforcement and eliminating the internal “No!” inside ourselves that stems from fear of failure.  We soon learned that improv isn’t just for actors … following are three lessons we took away from the session applied to our everyday work.  For better brainstorming, integrate just a touch of “insanity” and try out these tips yourself.

Remove your ego from the brainstorming process

Brainstorming isn’t a competition … it’s a chance for collaboration and true collective ideation.  All attendees are “equals” – there are no titles and no wrong answers.  Each and every idea should be equally embraced and valued.  The brainstorm host is responsible for communicating these “rules” up front and encouraging ongoing creative flow.

Adopt the “Yes, and…” mantra

To encourage further discussion and create an environment where everyone feels comfortable contributing, use the “Yes, and…” approach.  Negativity, in all its forms, is forbidden.  You never know if an idea, regardless of how far-fetched or ridiculous it may sound, will spark an idea in another team member’s mind and lead to the winning concept.  Every idea is an opportunity.

Evaluate later

“I like that idea, but it’s out of budget.”  “We actually tried pitching that idea two years ago and it went nowhere.”  “Oh, they won’t go for any themed programs.”  Sound familiar?  We’re sometimes so close to our clients that we prematurely evaluate ideas as they’re being contributed – a sure-fire way to kill the energy and the ideas in a brainstorm.  Before you head into your next brainstorm, make a conscious effort to separate yourself from your current work and give yourself the freedom to voice any of your ideas and reserve judgment of others’ ideas.  After the brainstorm, the core account team can and should take time to evaluate and challenge all ideas to see which ones rise to the top.

Above all, remember there are only good ideas.  Emphasize this guiding principle before every brainstorm and reinforce it through collaborative warm-up exercises.  Or maybe even turn on some Metallica before your next brainstorm and see what happens…and wear a helmet.