BRAINSTORMING NEW IDEAS
Posted in Organisations - Articles on Volunteering
When searching for new ideas on recruiting, retaining and recognizing volunteers most people often use the brainstorming technique in a group.BRAINSTORMING FOR THE LOUDEST PEOPLE
This can be a powerful technique for generating new ideas but people often think of a brainstorming session as a free-for-all with no boundaries. All this means is that you end up with the loudest, most dominant people saying the most.
BRAINSTORMING NEEDS GUIDELINES
So to make it more effective here are some useful guidelines to give you maximum benefit...
1. set a time (10 minutes) and have a timekeeper
2. have a scribe write down every idea - quickly
3. allow no negativity, no criticism and no evaluation of ideas
If you disagree with something, suggest the opposite as an idea
and move on
4. absolutely no discussion of ideas until after the brainstorming
has finished - once you start discussing, the ideas will dry up.
YOUR GOAL IN BRAINSTORMING
Your goal is to generate possibilities and to keep the ideas coming. There will be time later to discuss, explain and analyze.
So keep to these guidelines and you and your group will generate more creative ideas much faster.
Adapted from the book Count Me In! 501 Ideas on Recruiting Volunteers via Dr Judy Esmond
