Duuuuude, that brainstorm was like...totally rad man!

Brainstorming sessions are a fairly well known idea in a variety of industries and occupations; however, the way that a brainstorm is facilitated can drastically influence the quality of idea and outcome. 

A bad brainstorm can feel much like a middle school locker room, complete with apprehension, humiliation, and a general unwillingness to participate.

On the flip side, a good brainstorm has the capacity to shape a new project into the next award winning campaign or idea.

I recently stumbled across an article by Robert Sutton written for Bloomberg Businessweek in which he outlines eight tips for better brainstorming.  Check out the article here.

In essence, brainstorming should be a comfortable, warm environment in which people feel completely free to bounce new ideas, get creative, and build off of past experiences or work.

Brainstorm sessions are also a great way to tap into your team’s diverse resources and backgrounds.  I can guarantee you that each individual you work with comes with a unique set of talents, hobbies and passions which can lead to some pretty awesome creative thinking.

Be sure to go read the article above and start thinking about your own creative process.  How do brainstorming sessions happen at your company?  Leave us your thoughts in the comments.

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Geoff Renstrom
Twitter: @savestheclash