Put an end to brainstorming

It seems whenever companies or organizations need creative ideas there is a call for brainstorming.   People are brought together and then the ground rules are established.  No idea is a bad idea.  Let people finish their thoughts.  No judgement.  The list goes on.  

Then, an hour later, the session ends and what happens?  People go right back to telling people that their ideas are bad, listening goes out the window, and judgement runs rampant.

Maybe it is time to stop scheduling brainstorming and simply embed those ground rules into the culture.  Think about it.  Brainstorming may help generate ideas but it also does something else more significant - it illustrates just how dysfunctional companies, organizations, and even families might be.   It is almost admitting that without the rules during the session there won't be innovative and creative solutions.

End brainstorming and simply have your culture model those 'rules' every minute of every day.  You can't schedule innovation.

Ta da!  One less meeting on the calendar.