50minutes - The Power of Brainstorming: The key to generating powerful and original solutions

Since it was first used in the 1940s, brainstorming has produced conclusive results. Its creator Alex Osborn (1888-1966), the director of a large American advertising agency, developed the method of the meeting. In doing so, he was trying to respond to the demands of his clients who were looking for creative ideas for their advertising campaigns. Since then the method has evolved and, in proof of its effectiveness, been adopted by a great number of companies.

Brainstorming is based on two premises:

• Each person is gifted with a certain degree of creativity and can be a source of new ideas.
• We tend to not express these ideas, partly out of social conformism, but also because our rational side often quickly comes out on top. Consequently, we must do everything possible to counter this double influence which deforms our ideas.

Logically, brainstorming is also based on a double movement. First of all, pure ideas are gathered, which calls on our creativity, then these ideas are processed rationally, which is based on analysis. This is the foundation of brainstorming, and you should always keep it in mind.

The role of the group leader is essential, but often neglected. They are in charge of preparing the brainstorming session, ensuring that it runs smoothly and obtaining the final result. They do not manage the content, but the form: they are therefore not strictly speaking a participant, as they do not put forward ideas. This neutrality is recommended: if you want to occupy this role, this entails withdrawing from the discussion.

During the meeting, the group leaders main tasks are to:

• ensure that the participants fully understand the aim and the issues of the brainstorming session;
• stimulate creativity with the help of different techniques and see that everyone can express themselves;
• get the group back on track if they lose sight of the aim and manage possible conflicts;
• supervise the analysis phase and see that the group selects the most suitable solutions to achieve the aim set;
• see that the time set aside for the meeting is kept to.

The most important qualities of the group leader are observation and listening skills. They must be able to make the group feel comfortable, while at the same time commanding respect. This role may seem difficult at first, but it can be learnt.

Extra information

In order for the group leader to focus fully on their task, they will ideally be accompanied by an assistant, whose only duty is to note down the ideas put forward.

Behind a brainstorming session, there is an objective to achieve: this can be an idea for a new product, the creation of a new graphic chart which illustrates the companys values, the optimisation of production, etc. If you are working for a client, they generally set the objective themselves. Your mission is then to suggest suitable solutions to them. You should plan the meeting and determine the working methods to be used based on the goal to be reached.

Paradoxically, the more specific you are in your mission statement, the more you will force your team to be creative to overcome the constraints. For example, how can you persuade 20-25 year olds to buy a range of products? How can you establish a particular product in the South?

The other cornerstone of brainstorming is the group itself. A common error is to call on staff from a single department of the company. Conversely, you should look for participants with varied profiles. For technical innovation, you could bring together designers, engineers, sales representatives, accountants, etc. To return to the example of selling a product to 20-25 year olds, you should include people from this age range in your group. In some circumstances, you will have no choice: the group will be dictated by the clients or by the context of the company (for example, an SME with few employees).