Fun with brainstorming
Photo by Braydon Anderson on UnsplashThink about fun times you’ve had, or reflect on how young kids get totally engrossed in the fun they’re having. What were the characteristics of those moments? They probably include things like going with the flow, not being self-conscious, not worrying about looking silly, being in the moment, etc.
Why am I asking you about fun?
One of the best ways to solve problems as part of a team is by having fun.
If your team is stuck for ideas, tapping into the characteristics I mentioned above can open the door to all kinds of ideas during brainstorming sessions. Even the most analytical folks can get into the swing of things (the change in mental outlook will probably be refreshing!).
Here’s what happened when one company did this …
A large food retailer in the UK wanted to “shake up” its portfolio of stir fry foods, so they created a wok made from bean bags. The team members acted out being a stir fry, with different people being different ingredients – beansprouts, oil, chicken, black beans, pea pods… you get the picture. Although they were a bit uncomfortable at first, they soon became less self-conscious and hurled themselves into their wok (pun intended!). In the debrief afterwards, there were some enlightening observations that led to changing how the ingredients were prepared in the factory, and instructions for consumers preparing the meal at home.
Ideating is the second phase of the Light Bulb Thinking™ framework. This article on Motivating Remote Teams has some useful tips for brainstorming in the WFH era.
With the right support any individual, team, and organization can learn creative ways to solve problems. I'm hired by visionary organizations to help their teams think in new ways together, and to guide leaders in designing a kickass culture of innovation. Let's have a conversation if you want to see what tapping into creative potential could look like at your place of work. Contact me at Ellia@ThePotentialCenter.com to arrange a call.
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