Comments on: Brainstorming - Don’t Shoot the Messenger too Quickly

By: Liz

Liz — Wed, 30 Apr 2008 21:25:55 +0000

3M’S approach sounds great.I myself am constantly thinking crazy and wacky idea’s and the times i do open up and describe them, i find myself inspired by myself when someone approves. I think more companies should implement this idea as its those crazy ideas are the one’s which make crazy impacts.

By: Will

Will — Sun, 29 Jul 2007 13:53:28 +0000

Ben,

I hadn’t heard that before. It’s a great idea. You really only need one positive comment to start the dominoes falling the right way. That technique also helps bring others into a discussion about what is being proposed by others, not strictly focused on their own ideas.

Thanks.

By: Ben Casnocha

Ben Casnocha — Sun, 29 Jul 2007 05:27:15 +0000

3M used to (maybe still does) have an interesting policy called “angels”. At brainstorming meetings, after somebody threw out an idea the next person had to be the angel for the idea and say something positive about it. In other words, the first comment after a new idea has to be positive to prevent the automatic shooting-down of ideas that sometimes happens in group environments.

By: Will

Will — Sun, 22 Jul 2007 14:34:11 +0000

Yeah John, I remember those days. Of course, you were almost always right and me, wrong Your comment is a great description that’s hard to disagree with in terms of how PEERS should work. I think that’s what the difference is, though . . . when peers interact, brawling is effective. The slugfest *is* the process and it’s a great one in which everyone has to understand their position further in order to defend it, as you’ve said.

The difficulty comes about when there is hierarchy involved. A judgmental boss can prohibit such a healthy argument from taking place just because he/she is a boss in the first place. Most employees will have a natural fear or some reprisal if they become too aggressive. This might wane as the employee becomes more comfortable with an open manager, but it likely will never completely disappear.

So, I completely agree with you in terms of how peers interact. I think the manager:employee relationship that exists in most places kills the effectiveness of the knock-down-drag-out argument, though.

By: John

John — Sun, 22 Jul 2007 03:28:23 +0000

Wusses I say. I’ve heard this so many times and it makes so much sense, that perhaps it’s time to question the validity of it. Will and I go way back and we have collaborated on many projects (when much younger), projects that during inception, resuled in many heated arguments over the approach. We were both quite passionate about our positions and were not restrained in disagreeing with the other. Instead of backing off on an initial suggestion though, it would make me muster all my energy in defending my idea, if I was unable to, then perhaps it just deserved to be shot down.

It was not unusual for Will or me to switch sides on a particular idea, and in the end only the ideas that withstood our combined attacks survived.

There is one important element though; the rejection is directed NOT at the person that puts out the idea, but at the idea itself. Anyone in the room is allowed to shoot down or champion an idea as they see fit. People are channeling ideas, once out in the room they are there for anyone to adopt, or not. Unfortunately, most people can’t help but personalize the process, which I think is where the problem lies. People want to have the winning idea. What should be engendered is wanting to have the winning arguments.

I think it helps to have some contrarians in the room. Someone willing to champion the idea that is being torn to shreds, even if it was not their own. I like to think of it as two debating teams, where at a moments notice; one can switch side because you have good point to make for the other side.

I think this “pass no judgment” form of brainstorming is just feel good junk.

It’s Brainstorming not Brainspringbreezewaftingoverthefieldofflowers.
Think rugby, the first goal of rugby is to inflict pain, on yourself or others it does not matter. Tear apart or defend any idea put out there, just make sure you have a good intellectual brawl in the process.

It’s not so much the ideas that are important at the end of a brainstorming session, but the sum of all the pros and cons of each idea. If you’re not geared up for heated debate or argument, maybe you need not attend a brainstorming session.

- John