HowtoConductaSuccessfulCreativeBrainstormingSession"Brainstormingisanintegralpartofthebusinessprocessatallorganizations.Itcanleadtoadynamicandvaluableexchangeofideasandexcitingnewinitiatives,"saidEdwardT.Reilly,AMA'spresidentandCEO."Poorlyexecuted,however,itcanfosterresentment,internaltensionandbecounterproductive.Allparticipantsinabrainstormingsessionneedtoremember,it'snotpersonal-it'sbusiness."Reillyoffersthefollowingbestpracticesonhowtoconductasuccessfulcreativebrainstormingsession:Establishtheroleoftheleader.Theleaderactsasfacilitator,monitoringtheflowofideastoensurethateveryonehasachancetospeakandnooneinterruptsanother,andthatdiscussionstaysontrackanddoesn'tveeroffontoomanytangents.Theleadershouldencouragechallengeanddebate-they'reproductive.Hostilityisnot.Definethetaskathand.Allgroupmembersmustclearlyunderstandwhattheultimatebusinessobjectiveis.Beforesolutionsaresuggested,allavailablefacts,trendsandchallengesshouldbereviewedanddiscussed.Statethegoalofthebrainstormingsession.Theroleofthebrainstormingsessionneedstobeclear.Thepurposeistogenerateideas,initiallywithoutconsiderationfortheirmerit.Createapositiveculture.Membersshouldfeelfreetocommunicateopenlyandhonestly.Ithelpstoselectaneutralsetting.Findaroomwheretheteammemberscanslipofftheirjackets,grabsomerefreshmentsandgettowork.Recordideas.Aflipchartorablackboardenablesmembersofthegrouptoseeeachideaandbuildononesthatinterestthem.Rotatenotetakerstoenablealltoactivelyparticipateintheideationprocess.Encouragetheflowofideas.Thereshouldbenoevaluationearlyintheprocess.Membersshouldnotlookfortheelusive"right"ideaimmediately.Thegoaloftheteamistogeneratelotsofideas.Therightonewilleventuallyemerge-almostalwaysfromoneideabuiltonanother.Carefullymonitorverbalandnonverbalcommunication.Listentoallmembersofthegroup.Also,watchfornonverbalcommunications.Thiswilloftentellyou,evenmorethanwords,howmembersfeelaboutthegroup'sprogress.Selectthebestidea.Periodicallysummarizethegroup'sprogress.Oncethegroupwindsdown,reviewtheideas.Focusdiscussionfirstonpositiveattributesofeachidea.Onlythenfocusonthenegativeaspects.Throughaprocessofelimination,identifythetopideasandthenmakeafinalselection.Chooseanideathatfullymeetsthetaskobjectiveandthatallmembersoftheteamarewillingtosupport.HowtoMakeSoundBusinessDecisions"Businessisallaboutdecisions-decisionsyoumakeasanindividual,ateammemberorateamleader.Thereareconsidereddecisionsthatcomewiththeluxuryoftime,likemarketingplansandbudgets,andthenthereareotherdecisionsthatarethrustuponyouandhavetobemadeinstantaneously,"saidAmericanManagementAssociationPresidentandCEOEdwardT.Reilly."Everydecisioncanbeimportanttoyourbusiness-andyourcareer."Reillyoffersthefollowingtipsthatwillhelpyoumakesounderdecisions:Beforeyoumakeadecision,carefullyweightherisksandrewards.Don'tact,orreact,withoutgivingthoughttotheconsequences.Youwanttomakethoughtfuldecisions,notrecklessones.Don'tletyouremotionsinfluenceyourdecisions.Toooften,suchdecisionswillbewrong-andregretted.Afteryouhavespoken,youmayfindyourselfeitherbacktrackingortrapped.Seekbalanceandmoderationinyourdecisions.Youdon'twanttobeknownassomeonewhoisindecisiveorisimpulsive.Colleaguesexpectdecisionstobemade-itcanbefrustratingnotknowingwhatcoursetotake-buttheyalsorespectsomeonewholistensandweighsinformationbeforemakingadecision.Makedecisionsfortherightreas...
