What are the most common mistakes when facilitating a brainstorming session?

1 Mistake 1: Not defining the problem clearly

One of the most important steps in brainstorming is to define the problem or challenge that the team is trying to solve. A vague or broad problem statement can lead to confusion, irrelevant ideas, or lack of focus. To avoid this mistake, you should prepare a clear and specific problem statement before the session, and share it with the participants. You should also encourage them to ask questions and clarify any doubts or assumptions about the problem.

2 Mistake 2: Not setting the rules and expectations

Another common mistake is to assume that everyone knows how to brainstorm effectively, and that no rules or guidelines are needed. However, without some structure and direction, brainstorming can become chaotic, unproductive, or dominated by a few voices. To avoid this mistake, you should set some ground rules and expectations for the session, such as how long it will last, how many ideas are expected, how to share and record ideas, and how to respect and build on each other's contributions.

3 Mistake 3: Not encouraging divergent thinking

One of the main goals of brainstorming is to generate as many diverse and novel ideas as possible, without judging or filtering them. However, sometimes facilitators can unintentionally stifle divergent thinking by imposing their own preferences, opinions, or criteria on the ideas. To avoid this mistake, you should refrain from evaluating, criticizing, or rejecting any ideas during the session, and instead encourage participants to explore different perspectives, angles, and possibilities.

4 Mistake 4: Not facilitating participation and collaboration

Another key aspect of brainstorming is to involve everyone in the team and create a collaborative and supportive environment. However, sometimes facilitators can fail to facilitate participation and collaboration by not paying attention to the dynamics, feedback, and energy of the group. To avoid this mistake, you should monitor and balance the participation of different members, invite quiet or shy ones to share their ideas, acknowledge and appreciate everyone's input, and foster a positive and constructive atmosphere.

5 Mistake 5: Not following up with action

The final common mistake is to end the brainstorming session without any clear action plan or next steps. This can result in wasted time, effort, and creativity, as well as frustration and disappointment among the participants. To avoid this mistake, you should summarize and review the main ideas generated during the session, prioritize and select the most promising ones, assign responsibilities and deadlines, and communicate the action plan to the team and other stakeholders.

6 Mistake 6: Not learning and improving

The last mistake is to treat brainstorming as a one-time event, rather than a continuous process of learning and improvement. This can limit the potential and value of brainstorming, as well as the growth and development of the team. To avoid this mistake, you should collect and analyze feedback and data from the brainstorming session, identify what worked well and what can be improved, and apply the lessons learned to future sessions and projects.

7 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?