I was watching a program on National Geographic the other day about Egypt under Cleopatra. The program discussed how Alexandria was a major think tank, a place where people were employed simply to use their brains. The library was so extensive and learning so valued that when Egyptians searched ships coming into their harbors, if a book was found on board that the library did not contain, it was confiscated and added to the collection. These people were pretty serious about ideas, don’t you think?

In our times, ideas are still very important. One might argue that they are key to any kind of success. Want to create a new product or provide a new service? Want to be the company people choose over all the other competitors? Want to be bought out so you can retire and live the rest of your days out on the beach? Well, then, you’d better have some good ideas to get you there.

As you probably already know, it is not easy to come up with good ideas. Occasionally it might feel easy – for example, when you are suddenly struck by an epiphany so fantastic you wonder where on earth it came from. Yet more often than not, you might sit for days, struggling with a business problem or trying to come up with a creative marketing strategy, only to wind up with a whole bunch of nothing. It isn’t even your fault – the Muse is difficult to contain. (Ask any writer if he or she gets writer’s block and watch the reaction.) It happens to the best of us.

One of the best ways I have found for coming up with great ideas are brainstorming sessions. I have been fortunate enough to take part in a couple of these and it seems that by the end of the meeting, there are all kinds of new avenues to explore. After all, you are not trying to come up with ideas all by yourself, based on your creativity and knowledge alone. Rather, you are sharing brainpower with 3, 5, 10… maybe even 20 other people. Think of the possibilities!

Wikipedia has an interesting entry on brainstorming that lists various rules and methods, including:

    1. Focus on quantity.
    2. No criticism.
    3. Unusual ideas are welcome.
    4. Combine and improve ideas.

You might incorporate some of these guidelines into your next meeting, or schedule a brainstorming session to iron out the kinks in your latest business plan. Either way, you will definitely be surprised with what you come up with.

- April Boland, Journyx Communications Coordinator