Much thinking out of the box begins with someone recommending a brainstorming session. But brainstorming sessions usually occur after someone has pushed the panic button. Seldom are they planned with meeting specific goals and objectives. These panic-driven and short-term brainstorming sessions, while providing a quick fix solution for the problem at hand, do little to develop a culture that thrives on thinking out of the box. Brainstorming sessions directed toward the organization’s future potential require providing a means for reaching that future. But a single session will most likely not meet the requirements. As a newly appointed manager you play a key role in determining not only your department’s future but also the organization’s future. A brainstorming session limited to two or three hours where participants only make suggestions will not provide much benefit if the issue is important.
For brainstorming any major issue I recommend the Gaynor approach, which requires isolation for extended periods of time without interruption and without a time limitation and requires the thoughtful development and analysis of alternative scenarios. The objective of a brainstorming session should be the development of a plan that can yield the expected solution. Several sessions may be necessary to reach a final acceptable plan. Answering the four questions suggested by Kepner and Tregoe requires people knowledgeable about the issues and capable of doing the research to find the information that may be lacking. Brainstorming does not begin with a group of people pushing a particular agenda. It involves purposeful inquiry and exploration of new ways to accomplish some objective. You need the right people and preparation for the session.