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|| personal development | IDEAS AND GOALS
by Elana Ackerman, Ph.D.
THE HUNT
FOR AN IDEA
There are times in life and business when it’s hard for a person to find a way out of
a difficult situation or make an important decision on his or her own. When we need to
come up with an innovative marketing ploy, for example, or search out a commercial
idea, we can benefit from the input of others. At those times the methodology of brain-
storming can help, but it requires special training. In this article, you’ll find plenty of
practical advice on organizing and conducting a brainstorming session.
B
rainstorming is by definition a team sport. The
makeup of the team can be heterogeneous by age,
experience, level of education, occupation, and per-
sonality, and may number from about eight up to a
dozen people. They form one team, all on the same
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side, all intent on solving the problem at hand.
A person who is not the owner of the problem but is
familiar with it is appointed coordinator of the team, to
guide the course of the brainstorming.
Another person who is organized and attentive to detail