One of the major challenges with brainstorming an idea is that people want to immediately evaluate the idea. It’s like playing “whack a mole” where creativity gets squashed with every suggestion.
I was recently working with a team that loves to play “whack-a-mole”. While I stated the traditional brainstorming ground rules, I also added one more to prevent this tendency to evaluate every single idea:
“Be curious.” Rather than pass judgment on the idea, be curious. For example, you could ask, “Tell us more about that idea” or “How would that work?” These types of questions prompt us to think deeper about the idea – and might prompt even richer ideas!
One caveat though….the curiosity must be based on an effort to learn more about the idea so the team can build on the idea or spark a new idea. It is NOT a passive-aggressive way to pass judgment!
So next time you are in a brainstorming session, add a little curiosity into the discussion!
Related Articles:
13 Ways to Cultivate Curiosity in Your Team
Be Curious in Approaching Team Conflict
How to Brainstorm a List at a Meeting
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Kristin Arnold
KRISTIN ARNOLD, MBA, CSP, CPAE-Speaker Hall of Fame, CPF | Master has been facilitating meaningful conversations between executives and managers to make better decisions and achieve extraordinary results for 30+ years. She's a leading authority on moderating panel discussions and passionate about finding the perfect olive to complement a vodka martini.
