This week, the Creative Leap looks at some alternatives to the traditional brainstorm

This week on the Creative Leap we’ve had loads of feedback on our post about alternatives to traditional / standard brainstorming. 

We all know that a group brainstorm that doesn’t allow for individual thinking time, no prep, no stimuli, no insights and no facilitation is not a brainstorm, it’s just a crap meeting. But somehow they still pervade. 

Whilst group brainstorms really only cater to and accommodate extraverts, there are a whole host of alternatives to try.

Since it got so much love, I thought I’d share one of our favourites - a brainstorming app that everyone can support – with no room-booking needed, no vying for airtime and no talking necessary. 

It’s an idea generation tool that even introverts love and let’s everyone have an input. We’ve all been to those meetings where one or two people dominate the floor, drowning out quieter members of the team.

One of the best ways to level the playing field is to use a free app called Candor (UseCandor.com).

It works because individuals are asked to submit their ideas – via the app – before the meeting, which does many positive things:

1/ It gives EVERYONE a chance to put their ideas forward.

2/ It gives every idea equal billing, as they are organised and shared by the session organiser, rather than the people who came up with them. In other words, any show-boaters won’t get to steal the limelight.

3/ It will help your team to produce more diverse and creative ideas, aims to tackle bias and reveal people's unbiased points of view – plus it’s time efficient.

4/ Once the ideas have been shared, the people who submitted them can either remain anonymous, or individuals can be encouraged to expand on what they’ve suggested – whatever works for your group.

Either way, voting rounds quickly identify the ideas the group wants to pursue – and, for once, a quieter voice might have his/her moment to shine. This can all be done online or used in advance to generate a number of ideas and have a mental declutter!

So, start by getting everyone on the team to download it, then send your question/problem to them (via the app) before your next brainstorm and give it a whirl. 

Pick any problem that needs addressing and tell everyone you’re itching to try out the new app because it will help make brainstorming sessions miles better, easier, happier, democratic, prolific – take your pick.

If you do want to then get together and collaborate to develop the ideas generated then you can sort them into themes, and share them in advance with the group or pair people up to ask them to work up one of the ideas, then come together. Try it and see how you get on.

Here’s a sneak peek at some of what we’ll be sharing in the Creative Leap this coming week:

• On Monday play ‘War Games’ and consider your competitors from the big boys to the whippersnappers and find their weakness.
• Meet Claire your creative agony aunt. On Wednesday ask me anything in relation to creativity – tackling the blank page, blocks, selling – and I’ll try to answer.
• Later on in the week, turn your inner critic (that saboteur in your own head) into your inner coach

You can sign up anytime during the month of February for inspo and creative hacks into your in-box. Hope to see you there. 

Join the Creative Leap! Our free online programme. 

We’ll be sharing our team’s favourite resources on this free programme, gleaned, learned and practiced over our combined careers spanning over 25 years working in PR, planning, scriptwriting and coaching. 

Sign up for a daily day dose of creative inspiration, brain food and ways to tackle the blank page, delivered to your inbox.