You're struggling to come up with fresh ideas. How can you use creative brainstorming tools to break through?

You're struggling to come up with fresh ideas. How can you use creative brainstorming tools to break through? You don't need to add any creative brainstorming tools. You need to remove two things. 1. Remove judging. Nobody is to negatively judge any idea. At all. Everything has value. Everything should be explored - with fun and openness. 2. Remove any negativity about being wrong. Welcome it. Look for wrong ideas. Look for crappy ideas. Look for stupid. Crazy. Bonkers. The greatest ideas are just on the other side. If you do the above, you will feel like a child. Aged 5. This is the last time that most of us were free from (worrying about) being judged and being wrong. And it is exactly where you need to be. Mychael.

you don't always have to start with a problem sometimes you start with an ideal a headline that describes where you want to be it can be like a movie title, an album name that becomes your North Star of sorts and it's much more fun to then create your "chapters" that ladder up to this aspiration

Utilize creative brainstorming tools to generate fresh ideas by fostering collaborative thinking. Platforms like mind mapping or idea boards encourage team contributions. Set clear objectives, create a conducive environment, and leverage diverse perspectives to break through creative blocks and inspire innovative solutions for your challenges.

Don't start with what your skills are. Start with what problem(s) you can solve for others. The more common the problem, the bigger the need for your services. People are interested in solving their problems.

To break through a creative block, use brainstorming tools like mind mapping to visually organize thoughts, or try the SCAMPER technique to explore new angles by modifying existing ideas. Online platforms like brainstorming apps can facilitate collaborative sessions, offering fresh perspectives. Setting time limits for rapid ideation sessions can also spur creativity under pressure, helping you generate a wide range of ideas quickly.

sh*tstorming y'all 1. come up with an awful product 2. brainstorm all the ways this awful product is amazing 3. pick your favorite and pitch it to someone by focusing on what makes stuff awful (while having some laughs) you'll open up your thinking in ways you might not expect

For effective brainstorming, cultivate a trusting environment. Initial ideas may sometimes seem silly but exploring them with a collaborator can refine them or park them for future use. It's a dance between explorative play and rigorous editing. Embrace the divergent and convergent process – many meetings go pear-shaped when participants lose track of these stages – allow ideas to breathe before rushing to conclusions. For creative inspiration, cast a wide net. While familiar references are helpful, unexpected sources often yield gold... I found that a glass vase sparked an intricate ecology concept; makeup shots inspired an award-winning campaign for a heavy industry client. Be a magpie, stay open-minded... and remember to breathe.

Dr. George Land calls Divergent thinking the gas and Convergent thinking the brake. Do you know when you hit both together? Brake Stand, Burnout, Burning Rubber. A lot of noise and commotion but you're not going anywhere. Same happens when you try to diverge and converge at the same time. Go for wild ideas, bad ideas, ideas that will never work. Don't allow yourself or others to criticize or edit the ideas until later. Bad ideas are often still bad ideas. But, by sharing them you can spark an idea from there that changes absolutely everything.

How is everyone else solving this problem? How can you put your own spin on it? What is your UVP (unique value proposition)? Can you do something faster? Or better?

You know that feeling when your phone battery is in the red, and you still have an important call to make? That's what brainstorming with low energy is like Your creative energy is just like your phone battery It runs out quickly All the methods mentioned above are good - as long as the people brainstorming are fully charged It's all about staying in a 'flow state', and this requires high-quality energy I recognise my creative energy as creative loops They last between 7 and 40 minutes They are sprints, not marathons They are loops because I want to start strong and finish in a way that I can begin the next loop where I ended the previous one The best thing is you can stack loops like plates One loop rest Rinse & repeat

Remember there is not one absolute way to solve an issue for your audience. This is what makes brainstorming such a key part of the experience. Get your thoughts on paper, circle any common themes that stand out, and build around there. In other moments, a partner may not be available in which case you can find subgroups of other strategic minds to provide you with inspo or even tap into AI platforms like Chat GPT or Google Bard for their thoughts on your industry. Brainstorming is primarily a method for identifying commonalities and turning them into a solution that speaks to an audience reality.

The most important rule: Don’t limit the brainstorming participation only with your marketing team. Bring in team members from IT, Sales (Pre & Post), Customer Sevice, Finance, Supply Chain…get a holistic view of the ‘postives’, ‘negatives’ and more importantly your customer’s pain points. Such discussions itself gives you a new perspective and gets you insights to build your ideas. Allow each member to participate openly without any hesitation, don’t judge ideas and suggestions in that room. Allow the word cloud to flow. Try it and experience the magic of collaborative creativity.

For me it works 1. Create a simple mind map of your current ideas. Put them in note and see where and how to make changies 2. Review any notes or ideas you’ve jotted down during the brainstorming session 3. Briefly immerse yourself in something unrelated, like reading a short article or listening to music. This mental shift can break the pattern and stimulate creativity 4. Sit in office and lisen to everyone what they have to say and you will find ideas that changes your mindset

Em minha carreira, utilizei esses três métodos em momentos diferentes e obtive em cada um deles uma relevancia, que acredito, pode contribuir para o artigo: Brainstorming 6-3-5: Seis participantes escrevem três ideias em cinco minutos em folhas de papel rotativas, gerando um total de 108 ideias após seis rodadas. Técnica SCAMPER: Os participantes aplicam verbos como Substituir, Combinar, Adaptar, Modificar, Proporcionar, Eliminar e Rearrumar às suas ideias para gerar novas perspectivas. Analogias Cruzadas: Os participantes identificam analogias de outros domínios que possam ser aplicadas ao problema para gerar novas perspectivas.

Fill yourself in a room of people who are not the same as you. Different roles, generations, and company tenures, all provide excellent tools for building original ideas. Don't sit within toxic positivity, but also don't be dismissive or criticize someone's work. Furthermore, don't try to dismiss by asking pointed questions or complex questions trying to stump someone. Assume you are all there to achieve the best possible outcome and help make ideas better. Be willing to leave your ideas behind. Idea generation is not a competition. If one of your ideas or opinions is not taking movement, be willing to shelf it for some time as a way to respect the time of others. Schedule a follow up if you feel strongly the idea should be considered.

Collaborating with a diverse group is highly effective in enhancing creative brainstorming. This approach brings together varied backgrounds, skills, and perspectives, enriching the ideation process. Key strategies include encouraging equal participation from all members, fostering a respectful environment where every idea is valued, avoiding premature criticism to maintain creative openness, building upon and refining each other's ideas collaboratively, and keeping an open mind with a positive attitude throughout the session. This collaborative dynamic not only generates a broader range of ideas but also aids in refining them into innovative solutions, leveraging the collective creativity and insight of the group.

Follow and comment on other people's LinkedIn posts related to your topic/business. You can even send out some DMs asking for ideas. Finding a mentor is an excellent way to fast-track your success - whether for your business or for finding new creative ideas.

You can also use ChatGPT for collaboration. ChatGPT generates some ideas. You give feedback. ChatGPT refines them. You ask to use the refined idea and turn it upside down. ChatGPT comes up with some fresh perspective. You can use this fresh perspective for new concepts.

When you are reviewing ideas, do it in a way that clarifies what the idea is. Don't try to force your interpretation of someone else's idea into the recap of their words/suggestions. Ask questions that help you understand the power of their idea (not the holes or gaps that may exist within the recommendation). Then, as a team identifying a SWOT for the idea and how it relates to the purpose or the problem that you are addressing. Sometimes excellent ideas are put back on the shelf because the cons outweigh the pros. Also, in search of originality, don't limit yourself to embracing and exercising what is not new. "The best artists are thieves." So, don't avoid the power of addressing what is already in place.

Reviewing and refining your generated ideas you should employ criteria like relevance, originality, impact, and feasibility for evaluation. Utilize visual aids such as matrices and charts to compare and prioritize ideas and incorporate voting systems for collaborative decision-making. This process involves both divergent thinking (generating multiple ideas) and convergent thinking (focusing on the most viable ones). Incorporating digital tools for idea mapping and allowing for breaks to encourage the incubation of ideas can further enhance creativity. This structured yet flexible approach ensures that brainstorming sessions are not just productive in generating ideas but also in refining them into actionable, innovative solutions.

Some of your (or ChatGPTs) ideas will suck, and some will suck less. Explore the ones that suck less to see if they are viable. Make sure they still solve the problems that people are having and if they are cost effective. Ask for input, ideally from an industry expert, but even a friend's input is better than nothing.

Sprints not marathons Short and sweet sessions Listen to your mind and body, you will get tired quickly When you work tired nothing happens A short break recharges the mind Open a window Go outside Walk up and down the stairs Then when you are not working or focusing on a task consume inspiration Feed your mind with creative food Rest Binge watch a TV show Go to a gallery Go down a YT rabbit hole Explore videos you don’t normally watch Speak to a friend Do some cooking Play with your kids toys There is a concept called “the slow hunch” It means we keep ideas simmering away in your heads for a long time Inspiration keeps them active If you force it it won’t happen Be free and it will work out

Longer meetings does not equal fresher ideas. It may help for an idea to evolve, but it is important to foster a culture of idea sharing and idea inspiring to help keep the minds of your creative idea generators fresh and fearless. Encourage your team to take breaks throughout the day, be creative about where and how you have a brainstorming meeting (standing, walking, at an Applebee's...) and understand that the best ideas are not forced but instead instinctual. Also, be sure to not shut ideas down, this creates an environment of fear and sometimes the best ideas might be kept in someone's journal because they don't feel comfortable sharing.

Lisa Bodell has a great course on LinkedIn Learning called "Unlock Your Team's Creativity". She goes into detail on how to execute many different types of brainstorming exercises. Lisa is easy to listen to and I'd highly recommend watching this 39 minute video if you are looking for some team exercises to practice.

Lo más importante es hacerte preguntas y buscar las respuestas. Compartir con otros también ayuda, pero es importante cuestionar las respuestas que obtienes.

Moments when creativity seems to be on vacation on the other side of the universe and fresh ideas are not flowing- in my experience- these are great opportunities to take a break from the task and refresh "the rules" that you play by. Some things that I like to bring up to the group: - We always assume that everything said comes from a good intention. - We enjoy listening to others. - We are grateful for having a diverse group with so very rich backgrounds. - We love to learn about the past to change the future. - We love a story! Usually, someone remembers a good and funny story... be prepared.