One of the first things you’ll need to generate gobs of great ideas is a Safe Environment. That means we need to have a place where EVERYONE can feel safe to share ideas without being criticized. (Even negative body language can be detected AND hurt the flow of more great ideas!)

In one brainstorm session, I left because we had one person cut down everything that was said. Others tolerated it but the Idea Flow slowed. After 15 minutes, we had nothing. I decided to leave the session and resume it later with team members who would encourage every idea.

That’s the first step. Good luck!

In over three decades of coaching others on creativity, one answer rises to the top every time when I ask, “Where do ideas come to you most easily?”

The answer? The shower. 

What does that tell me? Pose a question. Enter the shower. Let ideas flow. See the makings of genius solutions come about. 

You got this. 

Take a new way home next time. Or a new way to the office or gym or favorite lunch place. We’ve found that even turning just one block sooner than you normally would will open up a new world. 

When that happens, you’ll see things you’ve never noticed before. And ideas will spark. And you will get a rush for what it feels like on your path to becoming the Idea Explorer everyone envies.

Over the years, I’ve trained thousands on ways to generate creative ideas. One favorite way — but it takes a lot of mental energy — is to challenge ideas and even to challenge the rules!

You may think that’s too risky or that you would be uncomfortable being such a rebel. But it’s not really that bad of a gig.

What I’m asking is to take a challenge to question whether something suggested is the correct path. To ask yourself if there is a better way. Asking questions such as why, how, where, when, why not, what if and have you tried…are ALL great ways to explore more options. And in that exploration, you will find a spark of an idea that no one may have thought of before.

Voila! Your creative genius has been uncovered! Tell me how that makes you feel, O Creative One!

Here’s how it all started. We’d feed the the kids dinner, then we’d all sit around and talk. Such a social family. What to chat about? We started playing a game. We made it up, but every game has to have a name, right? We called it the What If game.

Here are the rules: You finish the sentence: What if… 

Anything goes. Yeah, you can say ANYTHING. Let your imagination roll. And. It. Did. They came up with the wildest ideas. 

Also, no one could comment negatively about anything anyone said. The only thing they COULD respond with (if they wanted to) was, “Mmmm, good.” That kept the ideas flowing, the conversation going and the fun growing. (Hey, I rhymed.)

And that’s how it started. Could you pass the potatoes? Please?