Episode 8
In prior episodes we discussed the importance of mental fitness, how to build it, how to quiet saboteurs, and how manage stress, set boundaries, and manage difficult people. Now let’s dig into the sage power of innovate, to help us become more creative! The innovate power can be likened to brainstorming with a very specific approach.
Quantity Over Quality
As with any brainstorming session the focus is idea generation and generating as many ideas as possible.
Build a brick wall between idea generation and idea evaluation. The brick wall creates freedom and safety for people to name whatever comes to mind without fear of being shut down or judged. This allows creativity to soar. There may be some outlandish ideas, but sometimes those crazy ideas lead to really creative and doable solutions.
The 10% That’s Right
When we brainstorm, our saboteurs would have us focus on what’s wrong with an idea. When using the innovate power, we intentionally look for what is at least 10% right about an idea and build on it. There’s a very specific structure that may seem restrictive, but it’s designed to keep the team focused on idea generation, not idea evaluation.
One person names an idea.
The next person says, “What I like about that idea is …” and they say what they like, and offer another idea.
Keep repeating step 2 until the brainstorming session is complete.
Caveats
Don’t lie. Don’t say you love that idea, because you may not. But you can always find the 10% that you do like, and that’s what you name. After you say what you like about that idea, magic happens as you build on it with your own idea or spin.
Feel to introduce a whole new thread when the prior thread when you feel so inspired! Become a bit crazier if the ideas feel confined or add more realism if the ideas feel too outlandish.
Application
Brainstorming is useful in many situations. A keynote I heard proposed that leaders plan how they will develop relationships with each individual on their team and how they will help all team members developing relationships with each other. The idea of intentionally making and measuring SMART goals around this was juicy, so this was the focus of our brainstorming in this video. Our ideas start at 4:53.
Putting Creativity into Action
Now that you’ve generated all these ideas, go to the other side of the brick wall and start evaluating them. Choose the ideas you want to put into your plan, build SMART goals around them, and assess, learn, and pivot as needed. This allows for continuous improvement and strengthening of our relationships and teams.
If you’re a leader or aspiring leader looking to maximize results for yourself or your team, let’s talk. I offer coaching, mental fitness, and willpower programs that are proven to increase performance, improve relationships and create more peace of mind. These programs are especially powerful for building strong relationships among teammates. Email me at lisa@lisabrewercoaching.com or book a free consultation!
In the meantime, I hope you’re inspired to experiment with this creativity practice!