We can all agree, creativity isn’t a linear process, and brainstorming is a great example.

In a good session, ideas abound, leaping off each other, morphing into different viewpoints and even bordering on the ridiculous sometimes! (…as it should be…)

Brainstorming is about the good, the bad, and the downright ugly, or silly, or “what the heck did he just say?”.  You need a mix of people who bring different perspectives. It’s the antithesis of group think. You want people to expand on the ideas of others. You need people to disagree and push the envelope.

Recognize the benefits of a healthy discussion

So, one thing that really gets us is when we see the creative process trying to be hashed out in an email trail.  It’s a counterintuitive method to a very dynamic process. Do you really think “Reply All” is going to serve to foster a cooperative, creative, thought-provoking environment?

While email has made certain aspects of business more efficient, it utterly stymies the creative process.

How many times have you crafted an email and said to yourself, “Does that sound right?” before sending.  You’re hoping the right message gets across, so think about how flat your ideas will fall when trying to develop a list of creative concepts, if there’s no context along with it, no platform for it to grow, no environment in which it can thrive.

Brainstorming thrives on in-the-moment collaboration

When dealing with a single issue, email serves a purpose to move the process forward and dispense information, keeping all those interested in-the-know. There’s no doubt that email makes communication easy, but that doesn’t make it the right method for every business process.

Can you use email to disseminate the results of a proper brainstorming session and ask for feedback?  Of course, but only after you’ve collaborated with other individual in a way that enables idea growth. You need that interpersonal connection and organic idea exchange among those involved during the initial brainstorming process to really develop a set of concepts you can work with.

Collaborate even when lacking ’physical’ presence

If your goal is to create that ‘out-of-the-box’ thinking, you need to stop and make the time to do it right.

This doesn’t mean that we have to take planes, trains and automobiles to be in the same room every time.  In fact, our clients span nine time zones, so we use a range of collaboration tools.  Today’s technology, from basic conference calling and Skype to screen-sharing and interactive digital whiteboard sessions, removes any excuse to not connect personally…somehow.

Ironing out creative differences, understanding people’s viewpoints as well as basic, immediate feedback is part of the process to get the necessary input needed to bring a project to a successful conclusion.  And for creativity, this just can’t be done in a linear fashion via something like a static email trail.

And once your team is together, reference these “5 Tips to Better Brainstorming” to make the most of your time together.