Lessons for Rebirth
4. Learn how to sow seeds.
The most nutrient-dense item that you will ever find is a seed; any seed. It is the nutritional foundation in the seed that will allow people and companies to grow. Ideas are seeds. Create a forum for people to cultivate and share ideas. When in brainstorming sessions, there must be no judgment. People have to know that they won’t be laughed at or mocked for a “crazy” idea. In fact, the rule should be, “There are no bad ideas during a brainstorming session.” Then, once complete, you can move to the second phase of cultivating ideas—walking through each idea, discussing how it will be implemented, and performing a typical SWOT analysis.
Task: You’re building a new team. Hire people who are different than you. Seek out different skill sets and different backgrounds. You need to have common goals and objectives, but it is very healthy to disagree in the planning stages of any product or company growth. That healthy, respectful tension will produce better ideas and a stronger company.
Have whiteboard sessions that are solely for brainstorming. Try to keep these meetings to a manageable number with no more than 10 people. It should be a small enough group so that people can’t hide behind each other. Establish the ground rules: (a) There is no such thing as a bad idea; and (b) When you leave the room, everyone and the process will be respected (no making jokes or insulting what may have come up in the session). Lastly, fill the room with great food. Food makes people happy. Joy, laughter, and celebration are the keys to these sessions.