Strategic Engagement

APPENDIX E

Structured Brainstorming

What follows is a sequence and structure of how to effectively brainstorm. The sequence is practical and powerful and, once learned, can be used in full or in part on an ad hoc basis to help any group quickly manage a list of items. If you have ever 1) seen a group generate a list of problems, yet fail to reduce them to a manageable list of actions, 2) seen a group use votes rather than logic to determine their course of action, or 3) heard a leader say, “Well it looks like we are all in agreement that X is the course of action” without really knowing the differing beliefs in the group and found yourself frustrated and not sure what to do, then the following sequence is what you need. It provides simple ways ...