5 tips for better brainstorming

Heather Bussing, an employment attorney specializing in training and preventative advice for businesses, reminds us that brainstorming meetings often become a catchphrase for other goals:

"Before you call a brainstorming meeting, make sure it's not really a meeting just to divide up work, or for you to have an audience while you think out loud. If you genuinely want other people's input, then think through how to make that work."

Are there politics involved where you won't get genuine discussion? Would smaller work groups be better?

Do you have people on the team who need time to think before they respond?

"In other words, don't just call a brainstorming meeting because you're not sure what to do and want ideas. First, get clear on what you are trying to accomplish and the best way to get it done."

"Think about your audience" is the advice from Elisa Camahort Page, cofounder and chief operating officer of BlogHer, the web's leading guide to the hottest news and...