How to lead a brainstorm

Getting helpful context

You are probably leading a session because you have some existing passion or knowledge about the topic. This is helpful, but the entire team may not have the same context.

Before you think about how the session should run, consider why this is an important conversation to have. Why is this top of mind now? Where are we heading? What isn't working about the current situation?

These questions can lead you to find data, examples, or stories to frame the conversation. This also gives you a better idea of what format the session should take.

Deciding on the format

There are limitless ways to run a brainstorm, but here are a few common formats we use:

• Open Discussion: This is an open forum where anyone can just talk. This is helpful for not putting constraints on the conversation, but it can also be so open-ended that not as much can be shared. It also only allows for one thread of conversation at a time. It's best when everyone participating is well-versed in the topic.
• Whiteboard Session: This is something in between the ideation board and the open discussion. It is not constrained by a flow, but the goal is to write out the ideas. This is best when the result of the session is a diagram or list.
• Ideation Board: This is a structured way to get ideas out of every person. It does not allow for as much open discussion, but it does give ample room for every person to share their ideas. This is best when you want to make sure every voice is heard.

Choosing a format is more of an art than a science. It's best to think about the goal of the session and the context of the team to decide which format will be most helpful.

Create space for all voices

Some people think fast, some people think slow.

Some people love talking, some people love listening.

Some people say the first thing that comes to mind, while others wait until they are confident with an idea before they share it.

Creating space for all voices to be heard means we can utilize the full potential of our collective mind. Catering to one type of personality will squash the ideas of others.

A few tips to help draw out all voices:

• If you (the leader) are talking more than anyone else, you are talking too much.
• If you haven't heard from someone in a while, ask them what they are thinking.
• Use open-ended questions ("how" or "what") to draw out more ideas.

Often, the best ideas come from the least likely people.