| Ever lost for ideas while working in a group? One | | | | exercises for you and your group to practice:1. |
| of the most often-used technique for generating | | | | Ideas to start a business with less than $100 in |
| many ideas is Brainstorming. Alex Osborn, a | | | | the bank.2. Generate ideas to make an effective |
| partner in an advertising agency, developed | | | | advertisement for a business.3. To improve sales |
| brainstorming techniques years ago in 1941 to help | | | | of a new product.4. Generate ideas to get people |
| his employees to come up with many, many | | | | to buy what I am selling (for example, Health |
| ideas for their advertising business.To enable | | | | Products) instead of flowers for Valentine's Day.5. |
| Brainstorming to be effective, there are certain | | | | To find ways to get rid of excess products (for |
| rules to follow. One of the most important is that | | | | example, food, flowers and others) that will be |
| no one should make any judgment about | | | | rotting in a week's time.Just a note for Solo |
| anyone's ideas. There should be a FREE-FLOW of | | | | Warriors:Brainstorming is usually done in a group |
| ideas (that's why Brainstorm is put under the | | | | for obvious reasons. In any case, if you are ever |
| WATER Element category!) and everyone's ideas | | | | caught alone with an IDEA FLOW blockage, you |
| are to be respected and taken into account.Let's | | | | can still brainstorm alone by jotting down ideas on |
| go through the steps of setting up an effective | | | | paper or laptop. The same rules apply and that is |
| Brainstorming session:1. Get into small groups of | | | | to jot ideas as they flow without considering |
| less than six (it was found to be more effective) | | | | whether they are good or bad. The evaluation of |
| and select a leader and a recorder (they may be | | | | your responses can be done later after you feel |
| the same person).2. The leader must explain the | | | | that the flow of ideas is subsiding.The Stone Soup |
| focus topic and goals of the Brainstorming session. | | | | LegendThere exists a tale, handed down from |
| In short, he/she must make sure that everyone | | | | times long ago, of two travelers on a pilgrimage. |
| is clear on the topic being explored.3. The leader | | | | Hungry and tired from a long day's journey, they |
| should spell out the rules of an effective | | | | come to a small, impoverished, medieval village, |
| Brainstorming session. These will include:There are | | | | where they decide to rest by the side of the |
| no WRONG ideas!Everyone plays a part to | | | | road. One of the travelers builds a small fire, upon |
| contribute.No laughing and poking fun at people's | | | | which he places a large pot, while the other, |
| ideas. No CRITICISM!Do not discuss or argue | | | | having drawn water from the town well, fills the |
| about the ideas given.The person in charge must | | | | pot and places into the vessel a simple stone. As |
| record all ideas without any biasness.4. It is also | | | | the two men sit by the fire, bringing their "stone |
| important to set a realistic time limit. This is to | | | | soup" to a boil, the local villagers become inquisitive |
| prevent wastage of precious time and the group | | | | of the curious antics of these strangers. |
| members tend to be more motivated to give | | | | Eventually, several townsfolk decide to investigate |
| their best, without delays.5. Start the | | | | the matter and approach the two travelers to |
| brainstorming.6. Usually, anyone can contribute | | | | engage them in conversation.Shortly thereafter, |
| their ideas at any time, without any restrictions. | | | | there is heard the sound of merriment, as the |
| But, there are groups that use a small game to | | | | visitors, who turn out to be quite friendly, share |
| enhance the effectiveness of their Brainstorming | | | | their tales of the lands and people they have met |
| sessions. This includes getting the leader to start | | | | throughout their journey and pilgrimage with the |
| the Brainstorming session by throwing a tennis ball | | | | local villagers.Finally, a young boy asks the |
| to another member for his turn to give an idea. | | | | travelers "But why, pray thee, are you boiling a |
| And in turn, he/she will pass the ball to another | | | | stone?"One of the pilgrims replies, "So we may |
| member for his turn to give another | | | | eat stone soup.""It must be terribly bland!" says an |
| idea.Whatever it is, there are no real hard and | | | | old woman. "But I have a cabbage, which will add |
| fast rules about this. As long as ideas are | | | | some flavor!""And I, some carrots, which will add |
| continuously flowing from each member, the | | | | color!" says another villager."Some potatoes!", |
| objective is met.7. The recorder should write | | | | offers another, until, shortly, by the contribution |
| down all responses and enable the other | | | | of a little by many, a hearty stew was made, |
| members to see them. This help a lot in the | | | | upon which the entire village and the weary |
| brainstorming as sometimes, ideas of others can | | | | pilgrims dined... and while doing so, shared their |
| help spark more original ideas form the rest of | | | | tales, talents, and camaraderie throughout the |
| the group.8. Usually after the Brainstorming | | | | night.The very next day, the travelers (who by |
| session, the group will need to go through the | | | | now could be called "strangers" no more), |
| results and begin to evaluate the ideas | | | | continued their journey, leaving the little town, and |
| given.Certain questions to ponder upon include:Are | | | | its people, behind. But the villagers never forgot |
| there ideas that are similar?Can some of the | | | | them, and the lesson they had learned. In fact, |
| ideas and concepts be grouped together for | | | | during the hardest of times, in such a time as this |
| clarity?Are there ideas that are really impossible | | | | tale, that little village thrived, because the |
| to use at this point of time (maybe due to lack of | | | | townsfolk never forgot how to make "stone |
| resources or other reasons)?Putting Your | | | | soup". |
| Elements to Work:Here are some Brainstorming | | | | |