In my last post I introduced my first five tips for a successful Just:: Invent session:
- Get people fired up in advance
- Isolate the challenge(s)
- Set expectations
- Share the context for the challenge
- Allow for venting
Now here’s the second part to complete my Ten Top Tips on ideas-generation:
6. Use stimulus
People’s ideas are only as good as the stimulus they have to work with. We use techniques that really do work, like “Related Worlds” (harnessing the experience of others and relating that back to your challenge) and “Random Objects” (based on the simple art of selecting a piece of stimulus that has NOTHING to do with your creative challenge and then deliberately forcing a connection). If you’re Inventing with people who have done a lot of these types of sessions, work hard to present/package it in a different way. For example, show relevant multimedia content, get someone external to come in and talk about their experiences, or use something like guided meditation. The options are endless – and will bring the right energy to you as facilitator and to your band of merry Inventors.
7. Be ready
Invention requires the right environment. Spend time getting yourself in the right headspace to run the session. Put some space between you and what you’ve just been working on; stick your headphones in and go for a walk outside or sit and read something unrelated, somewhere quiet. Prepare your voice and be ready to perform – how you conduct yourself during the session is critical to its success. Get your Inventors in the right headspace too – use “energisers” at the beginning to get the blood pumping and the vocal chords warmed up, and “state-breakers” at strategic times to change the energy in the room and best facilitate what you want to achieve. Importantly, make people physically comfortable and enable them to “feel” creative, including using the space differently throughout the session. Get rid of unnecessary furniture – collaborating creatively is not facilitated by shouting across a boardroom table!
8. Be a facilitator, not a dictator
Your job is to empower the group to come up with ideas, not to come up with them yourself. Ask open questions – be probing but non-judgemental. Listen. Nurture people and ideas. Give lots of positive, immediate feedback to build on initial ideas and make them better. Ensure everyone has a say. Don’t make decisions about ideas as you go along, relax and see where they go. Don’t try to control the creativity – have faith that the ideas will come (even if that only happens in the last ten minutes of the workshop). Be playful – model the creative behaviour you want to see from your Inventors.
9. Own the energy
As the guy or gal at the front of the room, people will look to you to set the energy and tone of the session. Tap into how people are feeling and be prepared to change tack, technique or focus if you feel it’s needed. Keep the energy flowing – take things outside if people are flagging or take an impromptu comfort break to figure out your next move. Never slavishly stick to what you’d planned – put yourself in the driving seat and have the courage to take things in a different direction if you need to.
10. Give people outputs
People want to see the results of their hard work. Always spend time “Greenhousing” some of the ideas (building on them to make them even better). Capture the ideas effectively – use flip charts or polyboards, drawings, collage, coloured pens etc to make the ideas look attractive. Always give them a name. If possible, allow participants to vote for the best ideas and critically assess them. This stage always makes people feel good about what has been achieved in the time they have spent with you and will keep them coming back for more.
Go on, have a go (and remember to let us know how you get on!)