For a while, it seemed as though every business plan had to include a brainstorm. Countless theories and definitions followed. Has the term become an empty buzzword, or can a session still produce something useful?
In PR and communications, brainstorming remains valuable when it is used well. Bringing people together to suggest ideas and explore a problem can help a team move beyond its first, most obvious answer. Here are four benefits.
1. It brings a fresh perspective
Working alone from a brief, you may eventually find yourself returning to the same kinds of ideas. That is understandable, but it also shows why involving other people can help.
Everyone approaches a problem differently. In a group session, those different perspectives meet and new connections emerge. One suggestion might inspire another, opening up an angle you would not have considered by yourself. You also have the opportunity to explore those new directions together.
2. It encourages critical thinking
Generating a list of suggestions is one stage of the process. Turning that list into an innovative, well-considered plan is another. A useful brainstorm makes room for both.
Once the ideas are on the table, the team needs to assess them against the objectives and the results it wants to achieve. What would make this approach relevant to the audience? Is it practical? How does it support the brief? That discussion helps develop an interesting thought into a strategic communications plan.
3. It takes you beyond familiar thinking
Creative thoughts do not always arrive in a neat order. Sometimes several possibilities appear at once, and it is difficult to explain what you mean. A brainstorm asks you to put those thoughts into words so other people can understand and respond.
That can take effort, particularly when an idea still feels unfinished. Yet articulating it helps give it shape. Questions from colleagues can reveal what needs more thought and where there is a promising detail to develop. Stepping outside a familiar way of working can lead to a more concrete idea.
4. It strengthens teamwork
Coming up with ideas can feel personal: you are sharing your own thinking and asking others to engage with it. At the same time, a group brainstorm depends on cooperation and openness.
Participants need to listen, build on suggestions and trust one another enough to contribute. Done well, the process helps colleagues understand each other’s strengths and ways of thinking. It becomes an opportunity to practise working together as well as to solve the immediate problem.
Use brainstorming where it adds value
These benefits do not mean that every question requires a brainstorming session. Used automatically, it can become an exercise that consumes time without giving anyone a useful answer. It is most valuable when there is a real challenge to explore, such as a strategic plan or an original campaign concept.
At Progress Communications, we use brainstorming when a client brings us a question without an obvious ready-made solution. It has helped us develop unusual, inventive approaches to campaigns and events. The important part is following the creative discussion with decisions and a workable plan.
For practical advice on running a session, read our five tips for a productive PR brainstorm. If you would like an outside perspective, speak to our PR teams in Antwerp or Amsterdam.
Julie Roelants
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