New Brainstorming Technique to Generate More Ideas

Have you ever tried to come up with ideas and your mind goes blank?
I recently traveled to Wisconsin to work with a client. During my trip I was able to visit a friend in her home and I met her first grade and fourth grade daughters. One of them asked me to draw a picture. She gave me a blank piece of paper and a pencil.
I said, “what do you want me to draw?”
She said, “I don’t know, anything.”
I stared at the paper.
I looked around the room.
I looked at her.
My mind was blank.
Then she said, “how about a rabbit?” Boom! My pencil was quickly drawing big ears and a small stubby tail.
As soon as I had some focus I had all sorts of ideas for what the rabbit might look like. Creativity is the same. We need some focus, something to spark new ideas.

 

Often during a brainstorming session ideas will flow quickly at first, but then start to slow down. That is when the group needs a boost, they need a spark to light up new ideas. One of my favorite tools is a deck of Climer Cards. The deck has 52 hand-drawn images designed to spark new ideas and inspire teams during brainstorming sessions. Here is how to use the cards:

1. Spread the cards out on the table, image side face up.
2. Ask the group this question, “when you look at the images, what new ideas do you get for _______________?” insert the challenge your team is working on.
3. Then, let the ideas flow. There might be a short lull as team members shift into this new way of thinking. Soon the ideas will flow again.

My friend Jess Pettitt, author of Good Enough Now, told me she carries her deck of Climer Cards in her bag. Anytime she is trying to come up with new ideas she pulls them out and flips through them. She said the images spark new ideas for her challenge.
Our minds often need new stimuli to come up with more ideas. This is a normal part of the creative process. When you want to come up with more ideas, feed your brain new stimuli and see what emerges. Try Climer Cards.