Practical business planning skills are essential to the survival of businesses of all sizes. Statistics have shown almost 70% of established business partnerships will end in a forced closure. Wise business managers have learned brainstorming is an effective way to utilize the resources of their employees to find the business growth solutions they seek. Here are some tips and facts about using brainstorming as an effective tool for company growth:
1. Reasons for Brainstorming
According to Indeed, brainstorming can improve the ability of your employees to communicate and collaborate. Hearing many people’s ideas allows everyone to see the project from multiple perspectives. Employees who participate in brainstorming sessions are more likely to feel emotionally invested in implementing the team’s eventual solutions.
2. Begin With Individual Ideas
According to Lucid Chart, after explaining the proposed project or problem to the group, managers should then use brain writing. Brain Writing provides a set period of time for all employee participants to write down their spontaneous ideas without discussion or critique. After the time is up, the ideas might be anonymously shared and discussed with the group, or sent to an online destination to be evaluated by management. Using the latter method to evaluate ideas will allow remote employees to contribute their input by submitting it through an online portal.
3 Allow Everyone to Contribute
One of the most popular types of brainstorming is called Round Robin. The brainstorming session begins with the leader providing information about the reason the session has been formed. After that, each person will be asked to give their suggestions and solutions. The discussion will then proceed by asking each person at the conference table to speak, in turn.
4. Turn the Focus Around
Asking employees to answer questions in a brainstorming session can be very effective. To spark more creative ideas, some companies have used questioning as a brainstorming tool. To clarify, this method would prompt employees to ask questions about the project, like, “Will a cartoon character add value to our ads?” Asking employees to change their focus to questioning can allow the group to consider the project in a new and different way.
5. Imagine Other Perspectives
If your employees can’t imagine what they want to use as a marketing approach, you might try an approach called Figure Storming. This approach asks participants to suggest what an ideal client might seek. Ask the team to create an imaginary client (or think of a real person they may know of in the client’s company.) Once the group has that individual in mind, they can propose ideas that they imagine the designated person would be looking for.
6. Offer Solutions to Employee Mental Health Problems
According to Harvard Health, if employees are struggling with depression, it can affect their ability to focus on problems and suggest solutions. Statistics show almost 265 million people around the world struggle with depression. Therefore, wise managers who value employee participation should offer an employee mental health program. Posting a notice on the employee bulletin board about the mental health program can effectively encourage employees to participate anonymously.
7. Consider Employee Recreation Opportunities
Some managers have found they can improve the quality of the company’s teamwork – and, subsequently, their brainstorming – by forming recreational teams. For example, according to Zippia, females comprise over 28% of professional golfers. Therefore, a company whose employees are predominantly female may benefit from forming a women’s golf team. By doing so, their camaraderie often results in better collaboration during brainstorming activities.
Brainstorming is often the spark that ignites and lights the fire of a business’s growth. Encourage your employees to participate in these brainstorming activities. Assist them to be their best during these sessions by providing resources for their mental health. Most importantly, let your employees know you consider their input a valued company asset.