Summary – How to Brainstorm
A colleague of mine called up a meeting yesterday. We were to come up with a solution on how to reduce the amount of stone in our end product, palm kernel. Do you know how the meeting goes? :)Everybody started pointing finger saying that this is another person’s fault and responsibility. Everybody was being defensive and in the end no solution achieved.

So for the benefit of everyone, presented here is how a brainstroming meeting supposed to proceed.

The aim of brainstorming is always to squeeze any ideas available. NEVER and I repeat.. NEVER REJECT AN IDEA, even if the idea involved a talking palm tree advising the harvester.So presented below is a mini-drama of how brainstorming should proceed.

Chaiman : Guys, let’s have a 1 minute timer ready.. Start throwing ideas in … NOW

Exec 1 : well we could use filter, or vibrating screen.

Exec 2 : just slow down the production and let the worker pick up the stone manually, the CEO will question the slow production and we blame the estate.

Exec 1 : thats an evil way to do it, I agree.. then we ask estate to supply us with more workers, they pay for them of course.

Exec 3 : I prefer we penalize the estate, 1 tonne stone collected, they have to pay RM500. We can make money 🙂

Exec 2 : scratch my idea, let’s do his. the chairman did say something about talking tree, I put that idea on the table

Exec 3 : you know how stone sank faster (BUZZ!!!! the timer goes off) never mind.

Chairman – ok brainstorming session over, now let’s discuss each idea one by one. If you agree.. show hand.

/end mini-drama

All elements to a good brainstorming session is included.

1) Timeframe and the discipline to adhere to it
2) A chairman laying out the aim
3) Creativity encouraged by peers even though the idea seems illogical
4) Ideas branching out from another idea
5) NO REJECTION OF IDEAS
6) Meeting should be fast and “get to the point”
7) Follow up with a logical solution.

This is the solution from the brainstorming meeting. (Make sense now aren’t they?)

1) Filter or vibrating screen will be used during processing
2) Proper recording of the amount of stone and some physical evidence to be presented when seeking help from top management. (From complaining to CEO idea)
3) More workers
4) Educating the harvester (From talking tree idea)
5) Work together with estates to monitor which lorry is bringing stones and maybe penalize the person in charge accordingly
6) Engineering solution like separation using water etc

Hopefully you now know what to do in a brainstorming session.

– I wonder –
Anything to add or experience handling meeting to share? 🙂

————–Personal Note————-
When it comes to meeting, I really like it when everything is in order. I’m just like that.. Well dating is different hehe 🙂 (That would be in another entry)

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