Unlocking Creativity: Principles and Practices of Running a Successful Brainstorming Session

Brainstorming is one of the most widely used tools for creative problem-solving, and its origins can be traced back to advertising executive Alex Osborn in the 1940s. Osborn’s method revolutionized how teams generate ideas by promoting an open and nonjudgmental environment. Today, his guidelines remain highly influential in driving innovation and creativity across industries.

Understanding and applying Osborn’s principles can significantly enhance the effectiveness of brainstorming sessions for senior business leaders, especially those managing complex projects. Alex Osborn’s brainstorming process uses four foundational principles, each designed to maximize the generation of ideas and foster creativity within a group. Let’s break these down:

1. Defer Judgment

The most critical principle in brainstorming is the suspension of Judgment. Osborn believed that premature criticism stifles creativity and discourages the sharing of ideas. In a brainstorming session, all ideas are welcome — whether they seem practical, unconventional, or even far-fetched.

Practice Tip: Set a ground rule that no one may critique, dismiss, or evaluate ideas during brainstorming. Reinforce the idea that there are no “bad” ideas, only suggestions that can lead to better ones.

2. Encourage Wild Ideas

Creativity thrives when there are no boundaries. Encouraging outlandish or seemingly impossible ideas helps participants think outside the box. Wild ideas often spark discussions that lead to viable solutions. The more extreme the suggestion, the better it catalyses further creativity.

Practice Tip: Kick off your session with an icebreaker that invites playful or outrageous thinking. Icebreakers set a tone of openness and prime the group for unrestrained creativity. For instance, ask participants, “What would we do if we had unlimited time and resources?”

3. Build on the Ideas of Others

Osborn’s process promotes collaboration over competition. Brainstorming aims to combine and build on ideas rather than work in isolation. This principle fosters a sense of collective ownership and collaboration, often leading to ideas that no participant could have developed alone.

Practice Tip: Use phrases like “Yes, and…” to build on others’ ideas rather than shutting them down. For example, if someone proposes a bold idea, encourage the group to explore how it could be made feasible instead of immediately questioning its practicality.

4. Aim for Quantity

In the brainstorming phase, quantity is more important than quality. The rationale is that the more ideas you generate, the higher the chance of landing on a truly innovative solution. Quantity breeds creativity by pushing the group to explore more possibilities before narrowing to the most feasible ideas.

Practice Tip: Set a specific target for the number of ideas the group should generate, such as aiming for 50 ideas in 30 minutes. Targets push participants to stretch their thinking and avoid quickly settling on easy or apparent solutions.

Now that we’ve established Osborn’s core principles, here’s a step-by-step guide to implementing them in your brainstorming sessions:

1. Prepare the Groundwork

Preparation is key to the success of a brainstorming session. Define the problem or challenge the session aims to address and ensure it’s clear and well-understood by all participants.

• Clarify the Problem: A focused problem statement helps the group stay on track. For example, if your team aims to improve customer experience, frame the problem as: “How might we create a more seamless and enjoyable experience for our customers across all touchpoints?”
• Select the Right Team: A diverse group with different perspectives often generates the best ideas. Include participants from various departments or backgrounds to bring fresh insights.
• Set the Agenda: Share the agenda and guidelines (Osborn’s four principles) beforehand so participants know what to expect. Providing context helps them come prepared with preliminary thoughts.

2. Create a Positive, Judgment-Free Zone

At the start of the session, remind everyone of Osborn’s first principle: defer Judgment. Emphasize that this is a space for generating ideas, not critiquing them.

Practice Tip: Start with a warm-up activity to get people comfortable with creative thinking. For example, ask them to devise a list of absurd uses for everyday objects. This playful exercise sets the tone for an open, nonjudgmental environment.

3. Set Time Limits and Encourage Fast Thinking

Time pressure can boost creativity by forcing participants to think on their feet. Set a clear time frame for the brainstorming session, such as 30 minutes, to generate as many ideas as possible.

Practice Tip: Use a timer to keep the session on track but avoid making it feel rushed. Encourage rapid-fire contributions but be flexible if the ideas are still flowing at the end of the set time.

4. Encourage the Wildest Ideas

Throughout the session, actively invite bold, wild, and unconventional ideas. The goal is to push participants out of their comfort zones and encourage creative risk-taking.

Practice Tip: If the group seems hesitant, lead by example. Offer a deliberately wild or improbable idea to break the ice, signalling that “no idea is too out there” in this space.

5. Collaborate and Build on Ideas

Use Osborn’s third principle — building on others’ ideas — to fuel creativity. Encourage participants to listen closely and add to existing suggestions. Ideas evolve and grow when the team layers them with input from different perspectives.

Practice Tip: Introduce structured collaboration methods, like round-robin brainstorming. In this method, participants suggest ideas, and the next person builds on what the previous one said. Building on ideas ensures everyone contributes and ideas build momentum.

6. Capture Every Idea

Ensure the facilitator records all ideas, whether small or off-the-wall. Use a whiteboard, sticky notes, or digital brainstorming tools to keep track of contributions. The visual capture of ideas also helps stimulate further thinking.

Practice Tip: Use clustering techniques to group similar ideas as they emerge. Clustering lets you see patterns and themes, which can later guide the selection process.

7. Refine and Evaluate Ideas After the Session

Once the brainstorming phase is complete, it’s time to transition from quantity to quality. Use Judgment to select the best ideas. As a group, evaluate and refine the ideas generated, focusing on which ones are the most feasible, impactful, or aligned with your business goals.

Practice Tip: Use prioritization techniques like voting or a decision matrix to filter ideas. Narrow the list to the most promising ones, then assign ownership for further development.

8. Follow-Up and Action

Brainstorming is only the beginning. After the session, ensure the best ideas are carried forward and translated into actionable plans. Assign roles, responsibilities, and timelines to ensure that these ideas don’t remain just concepts but become practical solutions.

Practice Tip: Send a summary of the session to all participants, outlining the ideas generated, decisions made, and next steps. Schedule a follow-up meeting to check on progress and keep the momentum going.

Alex Osborn’s guidelines for brainstorming remain as relevant today as ever. By creating an environment where Judgment is deferred, wild ideas are encouraged, and collaboration is prioritized, senior business leaders can tap into their teams’ collective creativity. The principles of aiming for quantity and building on the ideas of others ensure that we approach even the most complex challenges with innovative solutions.