Creative thinking is one of the most effective business tools to strengthen your team and boost company productivity. Well conducted business meetings are the sign of good leadership and forward thinking. The remarkable results you will achieve are endless if you adhere to the following simple steps:
How to prepare a meeting
As the saying goes “if you fail to prepare, prepare to fail”. There is no doubt that success lies in the process of preparation for the meeting. To begin, you need to gather all the relevant data pertaining to the issue or the project at hand, this is the first step to enhancing the problem-solving skills of the group participating in any brainstorming session. It is necessary to have a firm grasp on the problem before the process of searching for the solution can begin.
Choose a comfortable place for the meeting, preferably a quiet room that allows the team to focus on their purpose. Have a whiteboard ready to note down all the relevant ideas. This helps to avoid repeating the same issues and the visual aids serve as ready reminders of the topics being discussed. It’s a good idea to consider the possibility of inviting your business consultant, lawyer or accountant. They might help you to identify certain pitfalls that those within your team may not have considered. In most cases, you are not their only client, so they can provide a fresh approach to burning problems your team has been tackling.
Let the ideas flow!
The specialists pinpoint that the best size of the brainstorming group is between three to seven individuals, preferably equipped with different skills. Moreover, the most effective sessions should never last longer than 45 minutes. It is possible to host several meetings within the day, but it is essential that the team is allowed to have regular breaks. Many top companies go as far as audio or video recordings of their brainstorming sessions and meetings as a way to record what was discussed. However, don’t count on devices, be a good listener, take notes and pay close attention to every idea.
When the world famous business coach, Brian Tracy, conducts his brainstorming sessions, he uses a fascinating and easy trick. His philosophy is to identify the problem or a specific question to be answered and then to go around the table one by one. It doesn’t take a long time until all of the team are ready to share an impressive amount of ideas. The more the ideas flow the more the team’s creativity takes on wings and begins to fly.
The power of a skillful leader
A good leader is one who views himself as a conductor of an orchestra rather than the group’s decision maker. The objective is to generate a beautiful symphony of ideas, to blend the skills and abilities of those within the team, resulting in a harmonious and coordinated strategy. Be flexible and be open to new concepts and points of view. However, no matter how bright, fresh and innovative your team may be, stay practical, and stick to what realistically can be achieved within your current circumstances and resources. Avoid wishful thinking and make your team consider all the sides of the problem. Bear in mind that sometimes one brainstorming group is not enough, and you may need a second team to evaluate the achievements of the first group. As Tracy, claims:
”When it comes to evaluating the ideas pulled together from the brainstorming session in a later session, it can be helpful to bring together an entirely different group of people. This group will consider the ideas without the ego, involvement and emotional attachment of the original group. As a result, they will be able to assess the creative ideas far more objectively.”
Positivity boosts creativity
The atmosphere is everything. If you are able to maintain a positive and collaborative tone within the meeting this will inspire creativity and makes the entire team feel progressive. Provide clear reasons for decisions made as this will give guidance and clarity. Joke around, laugh and keep the team in a friendly mood. Even if the situation is hectic and a deadline is imminent, positive energy is the greatest motivator for you and your team. The Harvard Business School even suggests having some creative tools in a meeting room such as crayons or colorful pencils. Creativity boosts positivity and positivity encourages creativity. Allow your team to have fun, but control the topic and quickly manage their deviations. Thus, the meeting will result in finding the solutions your company is looking for.