How do you foster a positive and supportive atmosphere in a brainstorming session?

1 Define the purpose and rules

Before you start the brainstorming session, make sure you have a clear and specific purpose for it. What is the problem you are trying to solve, the goal you are trying to achieve, or the question you are trying to answer? Share this with your team and explain why it is important and relevant. Also, establish some ground rules for the session, such as respecting each other's opinions, avoiding criticism and judgment, building on each other's ideas, and staying focused and engaged. You can also use some icebreakers or warm-up activities to break the ice and get everyone in a creative mood.

2 Encourage participation and diversity

One of the main benefits of brainstorming is that it allows you to tap into the collective wisdom and creativity of your team. However, this can only happen if you encourage everyone to participate and share their ideas, regardless of their background, experience, or position. As a facilitator, you can do this by asking open-ended questions, inviting feedback, acknowledging contributions, and ensuring equal speaking time. You can also use different techniques and tools to elicit diverse and divergent ideas, such as brainstorming in small groups, using sticky notes, mind maps, or online platforms, or applying constraints or challenges.

3 Provide positive and constructive feedback

Feedback is essential for brainstorming, as it helps you evaluate, refine, and select the best ideas. However, feedback can also be detrimental if it is negative, harsh, or discouraging. As a facilitator, you can provide positive and constructive feedback by using praise, appreciation, and recognition, as well as suggestions, questions, and clarifications. You can also use a rating or voting system to prioritize and rank the ideas, and explain the criteria and rationale behind your choices. Moreover, you can involve your team in the feedback process, and ask them to share their opinions, insights, and perspectives.

4 Manage conflict and disagreement

Conflict and disagreement are inevitable in brainstorming, as people have different views, preferences, and expectations. However, conflict and disagreement can also be productive and beneficial, as they can spark new ideas, stimulate debate, and challenge assumptions. As a facilitator, you can manage conflict and disagreement by maintaining a respectful and civil tone, listening actively and empathetically, acknowledging different perspectives, and finding common ground. You can also use humor, stories, or examples to lighten the mood and diffuse tension. Furthermore, you can remind your team of the purpose and rules of the brainstorming session, and focus on the positive outcomes and benefits.

5 Celebrate and follow up

After the brainstorming session, it is important to celebrate and follow up with your team. Celebrating can help you acknowledge the effort and contribution of your team members, boost their morale and motivation, and strengthen their bond and trust. You can celebrate by thanking them, giving them feedback, sharing the results, or rewarding them. Following up can help you keep the momentum and interest of your team members, communicate the next steps and actions, and solicit their feedback and suggestions. You can follow up by sending them an email, a summary, a survey, or a meeting invitation.

6 Here’s what else to consider

This is a space to share examples, stories, or insights that don’t fit into any of the previous sections. What else would you like to add?