In his book Creative Thinking in the Decision and Management Sciences, James R. Evans points out that “intellectual playfulness” (that is, having fun) is one of the most critical elements of the brainstorm process.
Having fun or adding humour is important because it frees people from negative thinking, but at the same time, stimulates thinking that will go beyond the pedestrian. Humour allows people to have fun with the problem, or look to different solutions – often unusual solutions. This doesn’t mean to have a laugh-fest without purpose. It means allowing people to explore new avenues and thought in a risk-free environment.
In short: if it’s not going to be fun, forget it.
Some simple tips:
- Create the right environment by having food and beverages. Much like a car needs petrol to run, the brain needs fuel to stimulate creative thinking. Personally I prefer food/drinks which contain natural stimulants, such as caffeine or sugar. I get heaps of people who ask if they can serve alcohol. Generally no. Alcohol is a depressant, which means it slows down brain activity. But as someone who never turns away a glass of pinot noir (just in case any of you are thinking about holiday presents for yours truly), alcohol is a nice thing to add at the end of the brainstorm for celebration.
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