How quieter brainstorming techniques can unlock better ideas and get more people involved in creative thinking.
I went for a run this morning, having battled through rush-hour traffic to get to the riverside woodlands I (begrudgingly) enjoy running in. As I got out of the car, I realised I'd forgotten my headphones. Annoying. But rather than face the traffic again, I decided to run without them. It turned out to be a surprisingly good run. I breathed better (usually my biggest weakness), found a rhythm in the sound of my feet on the path and, for once, didn't spend the whole time clock-watching and wondering when it would be over. I even managed to respond to the occasional 'Morning!' without the usual awkward headphone-removal routine.
But most importantly, I found myself thinking. Without a podcast, playlist or anything else competing for my attention, I could actually hear myself. And it was rather nice.
It's something I've seen at work, too. In more than 20 years in creative strategy, I've learnt that some of the best thinking happens when you turn the volume down.
Because not every mind works well with noise.
When we think of brainstorming, we tend to picture a busy room full of people throwing ideas around. Quick-fire conversations, sticky notes, enthusiastic interruptions and someone inevitably saying, 'I've got one!' But that's not how everyone thinks best.
For some people, the noise makes it difficult to hear their own thoughts. Others hear the loudest voices in the room and start questioning whether their own ideas are any good. So they keep them to themselves. I'm sure we've all sat in a meeting thinking, 'AGGGGGH! I can't get a word in edgeways', and quietly shifting our attention to the to-do list on our desk or what we're having for dinner.
And that's a problem. Because the person who speaks first or loudest doesn't necessarily have the best idea.
That's why one of Whirr's missions is to unlock silenced voices.
And sometimes, the best way to do that is to introduce a little bit of intentional silence.
A different way to brainstorm
Whirr workshops are built around practical tools and frameworks I've used throughout my own 20+ year career in creative strategy, working & leading teams at The Guardian, Bloomberg Media and VICE, and with brands including Google, VW, UBS, Audi, New Balance and Coca-Cola.
One of the things I love most is finding ways to change the dynamics of a room. To give people permission to think, rather than putting them on the spot to perform.
That's the thinking behind Pass It On.
Instead of asking everyone to come up with ideas and shout them out, people start by thinking independently. Their ideas are written down - in silence - then passed to someone else to develop, challenge or take in an entirely different direction. All without muttering a word.
Suddenly, you don't have to be the person with the brilliant first idea. You just need to be curious enough to build on someone else's. And that's where things get interesting.
An idea that might otherwise have stayed in someone's notebook can become the starting point for something much bigger. Different perspectives come into play. People feel more comfortable contributing. And the challenge becomes less about who has the best idea and more about what you can make together.
Everyone's invited
It's the thinking behind one of Whirr's workshops: All Invited. It's about getting more people involved in the thinking process, giving everyone the confidence, prompts and space to contribute. Because good ideas don't belong to the loudest people, the most senior people or those with 'creative' in their job title.
They can come from anywhere. But you have to create the conditions for them to be heard.
So perhaps the next time you get everyone together to brainstorm, try turning the volume down a little. You might be surprised by what you hear.
