Our Blog: where do you stand?
Next Entry | Previous Entry | All Blog Entries | Subscribe to Feed
HeadStands – Generating Great Ideas
By: Chrissy Hugyez | 11/10/2011
At Standing, we love headstands. No, not actually standing on our heads, but our brainstorming sessions that we've coined "HeadStands." All team members are encouraged to call a HeadStand to get their colleagues' heads together to help brainstorm new, innovative and fun 
ideas for all different types of client needs and projects.
Many of these HeadStands last only an hour and include fun ways to get everyone's creative juices flowing - from free dessert (nothing makes a brain happier than chocolate, right?!) to our bucket of toys (including a Nerf gun, Play-doh and an Etch-A-Sketch).
Most importantly, HeadStands come with strict rules:
- NO idea is a bad idea
- NO budget constraints
- ANYTHING is possible
(Breaking anyone of these rules can get you pelted with a Nerf bullet. For the record, this has never happened to me...yet!)
Recently, my colleague Vicki Boutwell and I took our HeadStand mentality to a client meeting to begin the strategic planning process. We traded Nerf guns and Playdoh for colorful Post-its and Post-it easel pads, and added another rule - take your everyday hat off! We posed questions and had the participants silently brainstorm - one idea per Post -it. After we finished the silent brainstorm, we encouraged everyone to share their best ideas and made them get up and post them on the big Post-it easel pads around the room. The result: everyone was engaged - if they didn't offer an idea, they were called upon to share.
Following the HeadStand, we heard from several of the participants that they came to the meeting dreading the brainstorm session, but were really excited about the exercise and how it made them think outside the box. The most important feedback was that they felt heard and saw their role in the strategic planning process of the organization.
Do you have any tips for brainstorms - or any examples of great brainstorms?
Posted in Culture
comments
Kelly Ferrara says:
Fri, November 11, 2011 at 10:12:am
Chrissy - I love the way you used the HeadStand with a client to kick off how they could think strategically. And you know I’m a big fan of Post-its! Thanks for sharing the story.
Kelly
Maggie Brandt says:
Tue, November 15, 2011 at 11:44:am
One of the things I love best about our HeadStands is that we often have people in the room that have not worked closely with that particular client or project, so they look at the project in a totally different way, often bringing the best ideas to the table. The whole process is a great way for all of us to invest more in our clients and to exercise our creative thinking!
Jessica Hartman says:
Thu, November 17, 2011 at 4:35:pm
Headstands are one of my favorite activities! It’s refreshing to take time out to brainstorm together, and I agree with Maggie, it’s great fun to gather individuals in the same room that don’t necessarily get to work together on projects every day.
Ashlyn Brewer says:
Thu, November 10, 2011 at 12:52:pm
Great post, Chrissy! I love brainstorms - erm - “HeadStands” that combine elements of structure and fun. You have to be able to get things accomplished - but also create an environment where participants feel both comfortable and creative. These are great tips for finding that balance!