Brainstorming is Bollocks
Katharina Scholtz
I’m fairly sceptical about self-help books – perhaps because my mother keeps encouraging me to read one (let’s not delve into that one). What’s interesting about How to Change Your Life in 59 seconds is that it's based on 'scientific research' into effective habits, rather than the ideas of self appointed life experts. One thing questioned in Richard Wiseman's book is the practice of brainstorming. Apparently it’s a load of bollocks. As quoted in the Times Online Article:
“The problem with brainstorming, says Wiseman, is two fold: a group setting can inhibit certain individuals from putting forward original ideas (as well as encouraging uncreative but charismatic members to dominate); and groups tend to allow themselves to be monopolised by just one idea”
Fair enough. Loud people are loud, one cannot dispute that. Apparently we should rather pre-plan ideas and bring them to the group. Alternatively you could embrace nature - having a pot plant on your desk, according to Japanese Psychologists, “resulted in a 15 percent increase in ideas from male employees and more flexible solutions to problems by women”. Spending some time lying on your back is apparently also proven to increase creativity. Power nap here I come.
Would you like to defend the brainstorm? What works best for your idea generation?
Image by Jon
Comments
I think Wiseman has a point - although I do think there are exceptions. There are a couple of people that I personally brainstorm very well with, we feed off each other and grow ideas that way.
BUT I agree that brainstorming can sometimes be ineffective unless everyone involved feels like they are at the same level. i.e their suggestions and idea will be taken seriously by the group.
I have worked with people that love brainstorming and those that hate it and liek with a lot of thinsg in life if you are not in it with all your heart, then it wont succeed.If the people, you qualify yourself to brainstorm with are of like mind and then have one in the mix that is not, it can be quite effective , bouncing ideas off each other helps grow an idea , nuture it into something , to create a big idea together rather than - its my idea no its our idea then there is no one to blame when it sucks and everyone to blame when its great, was once said by a wise man - John Hunt
It's probably one of those works for some and not for others thing... having said that I think the one person dominating thing can happen quite easily.
Charlie on 24/07/2009
I tend to agree. I think one of the most problematic parts of brainstorming is groupthink (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Groupthink)
Socially we tend to place group cohesiveness over effective thinking.