01/ 06/ 2006
by Tamara E. Holmes
With all of the daily responsibilities a small-business owner faces throughout the year, getting bogged down in the details and losing sight of the big picture is easy. So the slowdown that occurs during the holiday season and directly afterward provides an excellent opportunity for business owners to brainstorm ideas for the rest of the year.
During the holiday season, people naturally think about the new year and how they can improve their lives over the next 12 months. By taking advantage of this natural phenomenon, you can tap into your employees’ desire to create powerful change and success in the coming year.
To get the most out of brainstorming, create a brainstorming team made up of different factions of your business. If you're a sole proprietor, invite colleagues you trust to brainstorm with you so you can get multiple perspectives.
Once your team is in place, determine the outcome you desire. For example, are you looking for new ideas to try in 2006 or trying to figure out a better way to handle a business challenge? If you don't set a brainstorming goal for your team, everyone won't be on the same page, and you're less likely to get the answers you need.
If your brainstorming team can meet outside of the office, the change in scenery may inspire creativity. If not, meet at a location where everyone can see one another and speak informally, such as across a conference room table.
You should select a leader to keep the conversation flowing and ensure that everybody’s ideas are heard. By selecting an employee who is not at the top of the food chain for this role, you'll provide an air of inclusion, making employees feel more comfortable sharing their ideas.
When the discussion begins, it’s important that all participants share their ideas. Some of the most creative people are introverts, meaning they do not feel comfortable speaking up in large groups. Don't miss out on their ideas by paying attention solely to the more verbal group participants. To draw out the introverts, you might simply ask each person to take turns sharing ideas rather than asking for volunteers. Or you can ask everyone to write down five ideas and pass them to the group leader who will then read them out loud.
Since brainstorming is about creating new ideas, set few limitations on those taking part in the process. You don't want to tell people to “be realistic” or come up with only ideas that have a clear implementation plan. You want people to think outside of the box so you should encourage employees to express themselves, even if they don't know how to make their ideas a reality.
The information gathered through the brainstorming session is key, so designate someone to write down everything being said. Once you complete the brainstorming session, hold follow-up meetings to determine how to implement the ideas.
While brainstorming is good to do at any time of the year, the reality is you need time not constantly interrupted by the daily obligations of a busy workweek. With the holiday slowdown, you have the extra time coupled with the promise of a new start for a new year. That makes for a creative beginning to 2006.
