I’ve been in too many creative meetings where someone tossed out a wacky idea and got slammed for it. “Bob, what a stupid idea. That will never work.” “It’s too expensive.” “That’s nuts – what are you thinking?” You’ve heard the lines before. The problem is, when you slam someone’s idea – especially early in the process, here’s what happens:
That person shuts down. He or she won’t be so willing to share another idea.
Why is that a problem? Because their next idea could be the one that’s gold. It could be the one that saves the project. Plus, in many cases, what seemed like a crazy idea at first, is the perfect solution later on.
In a brainstorming session, get ALL the ideas on the table. Encourage, motivate, and inspire your people. Don’t criticize, intimidate, or embarrass anyone. Because making fun of a crazy idea now could easily shut down the future idea that could change everything.
