Focus On The Future

BRAINSTORMING

Ninth TOOL: Brainstorming

A MEANS TO TAP COOPERATIVE THINKING IN GROUPS

USES:

·       Joint Planning Development

·       Issue Resolution

REQUIREMENTS:

·       A Leader responsible for Guiding Development

·       Commitment to cooperation by each Participant

·       A hand-off process, if either the Leader or a Participant can no longer function  

OPENING SEQUENCE:

·       Leadership: Identify an Individual who will Guide the Effort

·       Rules: Designate Principles for Interaction

·       Team: Identify a Set of Individuals Committed to Cooperation

·       Timing: Designate a Schedule of Activity

·       Initiate: Draft a Document that Tracks Development

DOCUMENTATION:

·       Topics: Name the Nature and Focus of Interaction

·       Issues: State potential Barriers to Progress

·       Roles: Identify Responsibility for Topic Development, Issue Resolution and/or Coordination of Efforts

DEVELOPMENT:

·       List: Build a set of Potential Steps to be taken Together

·       Vote: Capture Mutual View of Development Steps

·       Compile: Draft an Outline of Cooperative Actions

·       Progress: Communicate Actions Taken and Results

POTENTIAL RESULTS:

·       Cooperative Action

·       Issue Resolution

·       Limiting Non-productive Behavior

e.g. Ending “Do-loop Debates” that do no lead to Mutual Effort