Episode: 650

Episode Title: Brainstorm Better

What goes into a better brainstorm? Let’s talk about what makes brainstorming effective, coming up next on The Perna Syndicate.

Ep 650 show:

This is The Perna Syndicate—hello and welcome! How’s your game when it comes to brainstorming at work? Does your team enjoy the process, or is it something they secretly dread? 

According to the latest research by Coda, 58% of employees say that in-person meetings are the best way to brainstorm, followed by virtual meetings which are favored by 21%. Messaging platforms garner just 10% of the votes for the best brainstorming method, with group-editable documents coming in last at 5%.

It seems clear that the best ideas are generated when people can be inspired by the energy of others in a live setting. Creative, innovative thinking is most effective when done in real time with others, whether that’s in person or virtual. 

Brainstorming can be fun, but only if everyone has a voice. Women were 15% more likely than men to say that their input was not considered during these meetings. For this demographic, feeling unheard (and thus unvalued) could be a big source of irritation. 

That’s why it’s important to make sure everyone has a chance to share their thoughts. After all, collaborative creativity is the point of brainstorming. When everyone has a voice, everyone has a reason to bring their best ideas. 

And that’s a recipe for a better brainstorm, every time.

Thanks for being part of The Perna Syndicate this week! As always, I welcome your comments and questions. Get in touch with me at MarkCPerna.com at any time. Until next time, I’m your host, Mark Perna. Take care!