These rules sound simple, but in reality they are often violated, which negates the effect of teamwork. There are several reasons and psychological features that prevent you from fully opening up during a brainstorming session.
When conducting a brainstorming session, it is important to take into account the psychological characteristics of its participants. Not everyone can calmly reflect in the conditions of brainstorming. There are factors that make this process ineffective.
1. Fear of superiors
Studies show that people feel squeezed at corporate meetings where there is management, and a chief executive or director is often present at a brainstorming session.
An employee is afraid to express a bad idea out loud and make himself worthless in the eyes of his superiors.
Therefore, many people prefer not to express their ideas for fear of disapproval.
2. All attention to extroverts
During a brainstorming session, extroverts freely share ideas, while introverts process information silently.
Studies of brain activity have shown that the path that information passes through the brain of an introvert is longer and more complicated than the same path in an extrovert. Introverts need more time to think and analyze. Before a valuable idea is formed and expressed out loud, extroverts will already make a decision.
3. Fear of new ideas
Modern society does not get tired of worshiping creativity and innovation, but this does not negate the fact that the brain is very rigidly isolating itself from any innovations.
Researchers from the University of Pennsylvania and the University of North Carolina noted that everyone likes practical ideas that do not go beyond the usual. This property of the brain protects us from uncertainty in life, and it is very difficult for a person to deal with it. We perceive the wrong decision painfully.
Everyone subconsciously strives for safer options and rejects risky ones, even if they are very innovative and creative.
Very often, in brainstorming, they value only the result, not paying attention to the process. It is believed that there must be a tangible result in the final of the assault: a brilliant idea or several, and if there are none, then the event will be considered unsuccessful.
In 1926, the famous English theorist Graham Wallace divided the creative process into five stages:It is proved that setting strict limits on the time of the creative process does not lead
People consistently go through all the stages, but there is one problem: the incubation period does not have a clear time frame. It is unlikely that evolutionarily we have the idea of brainstorming in 40 minutes.
An idea can "mature" in the subconscious for a day, a week or a month. Many creative people admit that the best solution to the problem does not come immediately, but after a long search.
A prolonged incubation period can lead to stress, because you do not suspect when inspiration will come, and deadlines are running out. Good ideas just don't have time to be born.In fact, brainstorming is when you continuously think about solving a problem for some time. In this case, it does not matter whether it happens in a team or alone.
Take time to think about the issue, and you will be able to work freely, without fear that you will not be understood or judged by colleagues. This liberates and stimulates creativity, and unlimited time will help you safely pass the incubation period.
It is recommended to come to a team brainstorming session after thinking a little: one or two ideas are enough. Research by the University of Toronto has shown that team brainstorming is more lively and active if the participants are prepared.
Here's what will help make team brainstorming more effective:
Thus, if you prepare well and give your team enough freedom, brainstorming can be valuable, but it should not be considered as the only possible option.
On the contrary, the team will be an excellent addition to individual work on the problem, will help to diversify your thoughts, listen to other people's ideas and formalize what was spinning in your head.
