Eight Heads Are Better Than One
There are many things I enjoy about working in public relations-the fast pace, the people, the big ideas and the writing. But one of my favorite things to do is brainstorm. And yes, I know people brainstorm in many professions, but in the field of public relations, we are free to generate grandiose ideas.
Public relations professionals must be creative, and brainstorming is a huge part of our responsibility. All it takes is one small idea to serve as a catalyst for a large media pitch or event. There’s the brilliancy. Collaborative ideas that stem from brainstorming are the building blocks of great campaigns.
Here are some good brainstorming practices. These are not scientific, just personal observations.
Write Down Every Idea
It’s true that not every idea will be realistic, and some may not even be close to achieving your goals, but you should write each one down. This practice lessens intimidation for everyone, especially if people are afraid of being judged. Trust me, I mentioned something in a brainstorming meeting as an intern once and when it wasn’t written down, I felt deflated! The anxiety from that session stuck with me every time we had another brainstorming meeting. Thankfully, it made me determined to contribute better ideas, but at the time I was crushed!
Make the Ideas Visible
It’s not enough to just write the ideas down. You should also make them visible around the room. My favorite way to do this is using giant Post-it notes. Use colored markers to make the ideas stand out and write in large fonts. When you’ve filled one sheet with ideas, tear it off and stick it to the wall. I’ve noticed when the room gets quiet and I’m trying to think of something new, I review what we’ve already said-picking a word from one idea and then another to generate new thoughts.
Ignore Titles
Equality benefits brainstorming. If you can get a mixture of people in the room, from your “higher-ups” to your interns, you’ll practically guarantee variety! Interns often bring a fresh perspective. Sometimes their sheer enthusiasm can energize a room! Executives bring background. They know the client, what has been done and what will not work.
Eight People Max (Well, Maybe Ten)
Innovation Tools says six to ten people are ideal for brainstorming, so I just split the difference. The basic rule with this suggestion is yes, you want a large group, but don’t make it too big. Too many cooks in the kitchen make for a messy and unorganized kitchen. Keep brainstorming sessions efficient.
Have a Clear Objective
You want the team to work together towards one goal. It may be a general goal (national media pitch ideas) or a specific one (a media event to launch product X). Make sure the goal is clear to everyone. Write it down so when people are stuck, they can remind themselves what the team is trying to accomplish.
Most importantly, keep the idea generation and evaluation separate. You certainly may conduct them in the same meeting, but brainstorming should be fun. Save evaluations for the end of the session. Encourage each other. Compliment each other. It’s not a competition. It’s pure collaboration.
Happy Brainstorming!
Levente Smith
Public relations professionals must be creative, and brainstorming is a huge part of our responsibility. All it takes is one small idea to serve as a catalyst for a large media pitch or event. There’s the brilliancy. Collaborative ideas that stem from brainstorming are the building blocks of great campaigns.
Here are some good brainstorming practices. These are not scientific, just personal observations.
Write Down Every Idea
It’s true that not every idea will be realistic, and some may not even be close to achieving your goals, but you should write each one down. This practice lessens intimidation for everyone, especially if people are afraid of being judged. Trust me, I mentioned something in a brainstorming meeting as an intern once and when it wasn’t written down, I felt deflated! The anxiety from that session stuck with me every time we had another brainstorming meeting. Thankfully, it made me determined to contribute better ideas, but at the time I was crushed!
Make the Ideas Visible
It’s not enough to just write the ideas down. You should also make them visible around the room. My favorite way to do this is using giant Post-it notes. Use colored markers to make the ideas stand out and write in large fonts. When you’ve filled one sheet with ideas, tear it off and stick it to the wall. I’ve noticed when the room gets quiet and I’m trying to think of something new, I review what we’ve already said-picking a word from one idea and then another to generate new thoughts.
Ignore Titles
Equality benefits brainstorming. If you can get a mixture of people in the room, from your “higher-ups” to your interns, you’ll practically guarantee variety! Interns often bring a fresh perspective. Sometimes their sheer enthusiasm can energize a room! Executives bring background. They know the client, what has been done and what will not work.
Eight People Max (Well, Maybe Ten)
Innovation Tools says six to ten people are ideal for brainstorming, so I just split the difference. The basic rule with this suggestion is yes, you want a large group, but don’t make it too big. Too many cooks in the kitchen make for a messy and unorganized kitchen. Keep brainstorming sessions efficient.
Have a Clear Objective
You want the team to work together towards one goal. It may be a general goal (national media pitch ideas) or a specific one (a media event to launch product X). Make sure the goal is clear to everyone. Write it down so when people are stuck, they can remind themselves what the team is trying to accomplish.
Most importantly, keep the idea generation and evaluation separate. You certainly may conduct them in the same meeting, but brainstorming should be fun. Save evaluations for the end of the session. Encourage each other. Compliment each other. It’s not a competition. It’s pure collaboration.
Happy Brainstorming!
Levente Smith
What a great piece! I shared it with my co-workers. These tips for brainstorming are useful in any and every profession. Thanks.
Posted by: Csilla Smith | January 27, 2010 at 05:28 PM
What a great reminder! Having eight colleagues brainstorm certainly avoids the typical "group-thinking." The greatest ideas come from everyone and by acknowledging others' ideas is important as people need to feel valued. The more valued they feel, the more apt they are to contribute in future sessions.
Posted by: Karen Boyd | January 29, 2010 at 03:18 PM