HERE'S

WHY
YOUR
BRAINSTORMS
SUCK.
Copyright 2019 RODD CHANT ® ©
Throughout my career I have been
in more brainstorms than I can
count, but I can count the ones that
were useful and worth the time as
they were few and far between.
The old fashioned brainstorm is so
often a go-to for those seeking fast
ideas in-house, it's a noble pursuit
but the majority of the time it is a
waste of time.
Here's why.
Copyright 2019 RODD CHANT ® ©
Your first problem is the people
who attend. Here's a breakdown
of some of the typical cast of
characters you will usually find in
a brainstorm. These are by no
means the only ones but over the
past twenty years these are the
people and personalities who
I have encountered often.
Yes, everyone can have ideas but
not everyone can have them when
you need them to.
Copyright 2019 RODD CHANT ® ©
1. 1. The Wallflower: They don’t
contribute or partake very
much, they simply have creative
shyness, they are afraid of their
ideas being laughed at or
ignored, but all they lack is
some creative confidence.
2.
3. 2. The Steamroller: They keep
throwing stuff out, over the top
of others and that eventually
stops some from contributing.
Copyright 2019 RODD CHANT ® ©
1. 3. The Bar Stool Expert: They
know everything, no really they
do, just ask them, and if anyone
else has an idea that is different
to theirs then it is obviously
wrong.
2.
3. 4. The Distracted: They have too
many other meetings and
deadlines to be fully vested in
the session.

Copyright 2019 RODD CHANT ® ©

1. 5. The Hitchhiker: They hear an
idea and agree with it
wholeheartedly, and that is
about as much as they
contribute, they are along for
the ride as a passenger, not a
driver or even a navigator.
2. You could suggest anything
3. and they'll happily put their
thumb out and hitch that ride.
4.

Copyright 2019 RODD CHANT ® ©

 1. 6. The Professional: Maybe it’s a
creative person who generates
ideas for a living and they may
already have their own
thoughts and concepts that they
don’t want to share in the
session (they want ownership
and to mark their territory as a
creative). They want to hold
back and then deliver their
thinking the next day to their
boss.
Copyright 2019 RODD CHANT ® ©
 7. The Disenfranchised: Not part
of the project at hand, roped in
to make up the numbers.
They would rather be anywhere
else except in that room.

1. 8. The Phoner: They are the

ones that are more engaged
with their phone than the
brainstorm.

Copyright 2019 RODD CHANT ® ©

 9. The ‘I’m Just Here For The
Free Sandwiches’: You know
the ones, but you can’t blame
them, it’s a free lunch. Hey, I've
hopped on that wagon when I
was hungry.

1. 10. The Big Boss: The person at

the very top, the CEO or
Chairman, their presence often
stops their staff throwing out
wild ideas.
Copyright 2019 RODD CHANT ® ©
 From the above list the only
ones I would invite to a thinking
sessions would be
The Wallflower and
The Professional. But you will
need other thinkers if you want
to get some ideas and you can't
do it in a boring old school
brainstorm session. The right
people, in the right environment
can come up with ideas.
But only if done the right way.
Copyright 2019 RODD CHANT ® ©
 It won't work if you are trying
to force ideas out in an
environment not conducive
to getting the creative juices
flowing. It's not exactly exciting
or stimulating to round people
up, get them into a meeting
room they have been in far too
often, order in some sandwiches
from the local deli, and then
expect some magic to happen.
You need to get creative.
Copyright 2019 RODD CHANT ® ©
 Whenever I am asked to run a
brainstorm session for a client
the first thing I ask is "please
don't call it a brainstorm
session". My approach is more
of a thinking process
with curated attendees and
done in a stimulating way and
environment . When you want
ideas developed you need to set
yourself up for success from
the start.
Copyright 2019 RODD CHANT ® ©
 There's one more person who is
crucial to an idea generation
and thinking session and that is
the one leading the way.
Part moderator, part creative
director, part herder of kittens.
Someone who can participate
and lead, who won't judge
ideas, but can stimulate and
invigorate the thinking and
ensure the process is not only
fruitful but also enjoyable.
Copyright 2019 RODD CHANT ® ©