Innovation Management and Brainstorming Management ? why people hate to brainstorm!

Creativity can be defined as problem identification and idea generation whilst innovation can be defined as idea selection, development and commercialisation.

There are distinct processes that enhance problem identification and idea generation and, similarly, distinct processes that enhance idea selection, development and commercialisation. 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 commercialising 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.

You can also receive a regular, free newsletter by entering your email address at this site.

Kal Bishop, MBA

**********************************

You are free to reproduce this article as long as no changes are made and the author's name and site URL are retained.

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.

---

Knowledge Management: More Than Just Know-how!

People sometimes interchange the terms "know-how" and "knowledge", but there's a world of difference! Systems vendors are falling over themselves to sell you so-called "integrated knowledge management solutions", but these are rarely more... Read More

No Time to Focus on the Big Picture? Try Focus Management

E-mail, voicemail, "got a minute?" interruptions, multiple projects and competing priorities. Whether it is in work or in life, we all understand the importance of "seeing the forest for the trees."... Read More

Improvements In A Large Public Electric Utility In South America

The company decided to develop and implement an improvement program. The main thrust was to propose strategies and alternatives for the implementation of a quality program.Later on, the company declared the "Year of... Read More

Avoid Outsourcing Pitfalls in the Injection Molds and Stamping Dies Markets

When looking to outsource overseas for Plastic Injection Molds or Stamping Dies there are many things to consider. Usually price is the first thing to be looked at, that's probably why you're looking... Read More

Human Resource Communication Pays Off

Human Resource Communications and Corporate Communications ? are they one in the same? Both plan and develop written communication strategies to further the understanding and perceptions of their audience. Both provide counsel and... Read More

Multiple Channels, Multiple Times

I've just been reading about the frustrations of a Human Resources manager. He's tired of having to answer the same questions about benefits over and over again.I understand that, having been on both... Read More

A Man and His Razor

It is vain to do with more what can be done with less. William of Ockham This is Ockham's famed Razor. A shorthand version of the razor might be, "keep it simple."... Read More

When Politics Prevent Innovation - Or? Still Fighting Battles and Losing Wars

The objective is to beat the competition and make money. Everything a business organization does should be focused on that simple objective, with interpretation through various Vision and Mission Statements. However if we... Read More

Difficult Employees-Poor Performance - 10 Tips for Dealing with it in the Workplace

I personally struggle with the term 'managing people' - because I firmly believe that people cannot be managed ? only processes and systems can. How many times have you heard it said ?... Read More

Communicating Effectively In The Workplace: Four Vital Steps

Ineffective communication is a major, yet avoidable, obstacle to business productivity. And yes, it can be avoided. Given the will, the bleakest of situations can be turned around for the better. Management must... Read More

MANAGING CRISIS; when you?re too good at it

When you are acclaimed for excellence during times of crisis you may not feel so good in a non-crisis environment. You may not shine so bright, perform so well, be quite so acclaimed.... Read More

Performance Appraisal - Ten Stupid Things Managers Do To Screw It Up

Performance appraisals aren't fun. But a lot of the time they are agonizing because managers do really dumb things, ending up destroying a process that is important to everyone (or should be). Appraisals... Read More

What 80% of Businesses Don?t Know: Tips for Improving Your Working Capital Management

What is the number one way to prevent failure in business? Take a minute to really think about your answer. What comes to mind? Increasing patients or customers served? ? Effective marketing? ?... Read More

Keeping Meetings On Track

We all have been in meetings with certain people who get our blood pressure to rise or just make us feel what a waste of time. Here are some of those people and... Read More

Motivating For Higher Performance

Employee motivation is probably the most important single manageable factor for success and profitability of all the facets of specialty store retailing. It is too vital to be handled on a hit or... Read More

Hiring Great People And How to Be One Yourself: Five Secrets

Bad news.Your senior vice-president, your marketing director or your accounting department head has decided to retire, move to Okinawa or start his own business??and you're left staring, horrified, at a polite letter of... Read More

Why Businesses Fail - And What You Can Do About It!

Have you unintentionally set your business up for failure?No one sets out to fail! Most business owners read all the statistics (maybe more than once) before they open their doors. Many know the... Read More

Workplace Violence - People are Dying Going to Work

Workplace violence has become a tragic reality today. From minor instances of harassment to homicide today's workplace is littered with danger.Violence can be described as the unjust or unwarranted use of force and... Read More

The 10 Realities of Change

I've seen several articles that begin with lines like "the only constant today is change." I assert that change that is constant can't really be called change. It's simply a new reality. It's... Read More

Intercultural Management

The role of a manager is evolving in response to the needs of companies operating on the international stage. The complexities of globalisation brought to the area of management are great and require... Read More

Pricing Strategy for Retail Flower Shops

When you create your profit and loss statement to assess the health of your business, you will see:Sales minus Cost of Goods Sold equals Gross Profit.You pay for all of your expenses with... Read More

Negative Self-talk is Too Expensive

I'm always fascinated by the people who lift huge weights, particularly in competitions like the Olympic Games. There are events for men and women and they get up on stage to lift a... Read More

How to Leverage Your Strengths for Peak Performance

Ask almost any business leader how to most effectively develop people and build teamwork and you'll hear, "tap into employees' strengths." Yet when it comes to their own careers, many managers still focus... Read More

How to Dodge Distribution Difficulties

It happened again. I ran into an old friend while registering for the World Masters Games last month and as we were catching up, she complemented me on a necklace I was wearing.... Read More

Competion or Cooperation?

It has been said, there is no better way to hone your skills and improve your performance, than competition. Competing with others, or even with your self, fosters continued improvement, striving for even... Read More

Bar Charts Brought to Life: Index of Interactive Information for HTML and PDF

Bar Charts and the Information ChallengeWhether one is an unknown entrepreneur or Donald Trump, an elementary school teacher or a university president, a 6th grader researching other countries or a government leader visiting... Read More

Lead to Succeed: The Seven Essential Steps to Work Leader Success

In my book "You're In Charge?What Now?" I use a mnemonic to describe the seven essential steps to work leader success. The mnemonic is "L.E.A.D.E.R.S" and each of these letters represents an essential... Read More

Interviewing Candidates: 3 Ways to Avoid Snap Judgments

Have you ever hired the wrong person? If so, perhaps you are an emotional interviewer?An emotional interviewer tends to make judgments on first impressions. In a matter of minutes, an emotional interviewer may... Read More

Dont Let Your Measurements Mislead You

Don't Let Your Measurements Mislead You There aren't too many words that can strike as much fear and loathing into the hearts of your internal customers, and sometimes your... Read More