Team meetings, marketing summits and other groups for ideas can be a great way to assemble the best and brightest ideas available. Unfortunately, many people have disdain for brainstorming sessions and others may not know how to properly engage in the process. These elements can lead to poor outcomes for content creators, marketers and businesses alike. When working with others, you must have some structure to the process and know what works – and what doesn’t. If your brainstorming sessions are not producing what you wish they would, then continue reading to find out how you can help perfect the art of group brainstorming.

Convey Positive Emotion

One big thing that works against the productivity of brainstorming sessions is the mood of the room. Many people find brainstorming sessions to be irritating: these people will drag down the overall process. In some cases, they may be needed for the process, while in others they are dispensable. If you can shed the “dead weight”, then this may be the best solution. If not, then a good rule of thumb is to convey that smiling and other positive indicators be used by everyone while there – regardless of how they may feel. The age-old “fake it until you make it” phrase applies here, as we tend to feed off of the feelings of others. If a group can project a positive attitude, then that will help boost the mental tenacity of the group and therefore, the effectiveness of the session.

Food and Beverage

Make people feel comfortable by injecting food and beverage into the mix! When pinging users for ideas off the tops of their heads, you may find that better results are produced with a mixture of so-called “smart foods” and some light alcoholic beverages like wine. Nobody needs to get completely intoxicated, but a drink or two may help loosen up people’s minds and create a more dynamic flow for the session. Plus, everyone loves food! They’ll suddenly not dread the notion of brainstorming sessions as much and as a result, will be more optimistic about contributing ideas.

Meet Somewhere Organic

How well do you think when inside a boxy office or sterile environment? Chances are, not well! If you want to perfect the art of group brainstorming and “get out of the box”, then you need to get out of the environs that govern traditional approaches. An outdoor environment is ideal when possible, but even a cafe or quiet restaurant can be a suitable alternative to the traditional meeting room. If you want to be pinging users for ideas with maximum efficiency, then shaking up their traditional atmosphere can have a huge impact on that.

In order to perfect the art of group brainstorming, then you need to look at three important areas. First, be sure to meet in a place that is organically different than your traditional meeting environments. Second, inject food and beverage into the mix in order to boost morale, and finally, convey positive emotion in order to encourage additional communication.