Brainstorming: Head for the nearest soundproof basement

Typical corporate brainstorms usually start off with at least one hand tied behind them. Most of them I’m aware of start with an open forum of free interchange stimulated by a moderator who knows a lot abut stimulating un-rooted ideas, and little or nothing about the client sponsor’s business.

The moderator says at the outset “no ideas are off base today” and “no rules, no hierarchy here today, everybody’s thoughts are just as good as anybody else’s,” and “there’s to be no criticism or comment about anyone else’s idea.” In spite of the rules all the destructive dynamics of interpersonal corporate interaction are immediately triggered. None but the most reckless will feel free to share ideas indiscriminately in front of rivals, superiors or unknown quantities.

The participants are not only intelligent, they’re also every bit as street smart as pickpockets.

Somebody once said, “There’s no such thing as a bad idea.”

Well they’re wrong.