Innovation Management and Brainstorming Management
– why people hate to brainstorm!
By Kal Bishop
Creativity can be defined as problem identification and idea
generation whilst innovation can be defined as idea selection,
development and commercialization.
There are distinct processes that enhance problem identification
and idea generation and, similarly, distinct processes that enhance
idea selection, development and commercialization. Whilst there
is no sure fire route to commercial success, these processes
improve the probability that good ideas will be generated and
selected and that investment in developing and commercializing
those ideas will not be wasted.
One common method in the problem identification and idea generation
phase is the use of brainstorming. In fact, it is not unfair
to say that whenever managers have a problem to solve, they are
likely to herd people into a room with a flip chart and conduct
(usually an ineffective) brainstorming session.
There are a number of reasons why people hate brainstorming
sessions. Further, there are a number of reasons why proper brainstorming
management yields superior results.
a) Brainstorming dilutes ideas. Many individuals who think
that they may be onto the something find that their ideas become
diluted as a result of compromise.
b) The sum of ideas produced by individuals acting alone is
greater than the sum of ideas produced by those individuals acting
in groups. Thus proper brainstorming management includes asking
participants to address the problem and generate ideas before
the actual brainstorming session.
c) Large groups produce negatives such as groupthink, evaluation
apprehension and status deference which causes people to shut
down.
d) Idea generation is a cognitive process and relies on the
team leader having the skills to elicit that cognitive activity
from individuals. Often team leaders are assigned that role for
other reasons.
e) Large groups are often dominated by higher status and more
forceful personalities, thus lessening the impact of other participants.
Often team leaders do not have the skills to manage all people.
These topics are covered in depth in the MBA dissertation
on Managing Creativity & Innovation, which can be purchased
(along with a Creativity and Innovation DIY Audit, Good Idea
Generator Software and Power Point Presentation) from http://www.managing-creativity.com.
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Kal Bishop is a management consultant based in London,
UK. He has consulted in the visual media and software industries
and for clients such as Toshiba and Transport for London. He
has led Improv, creativity and innovation workshops, exhibited
artwork in San Francisco, Los Angeles and London and written
a number of screenplays. He is a passionate traveller. He can
be reached on http://www.managing-creativity.com.
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