As 2026 approaches, you’re probably already mapping out next year’s goals, programs, and big ideas. And now might just be the perfect time to bring your team into the brainstorming process.
Collaborative ideas and diverse perspectives can build the most innovative and inspiring strategies, which is one great reason to plan a brainstorming session with your whole team. But also, you stand to boost engagement throughout the year by making your employees understand that their voices matter and their input directly shapes the strategy. When your team members feel this sense of ownership, they are more likely to be engaged and committed to making each project a success. Brainstorming sessions are also great for building stronger connections between coworkers and enhancing their collaboration skills.
Of course, calling a meeting and telling everyone to shout out their ideas is not enough. The best brainstorming sessions are intentionally designed and structured to set everyone up for success. That means carefully planning each exercise to ensure you capture the right energy, thought process, and learning moments.
So, how will you design brainstorming sessions that inspire and unite your team around a common mission?
Plan exercises with perimeters
If you come into your brainstorming session with a loose idea of the agenda, you might not get the kinds of responses you want. Some people will freeze up at vague brainstorming prompts, maybe because their mind draws a blank. Others might come up with ideas that are not rooted in company goals. That’s why it’s really important to plan your brainstorming exercises with parameters in place. For example, instead of prompting your team to come up with ideas by “telling a story,” lay out a checklist: the story must have a beginning, middle, and end, there has to be a conflict, there has to be a hero, etc. By giving these perimeters, you keep the brains in the room thinking with creative efficiency, leading to better results.
Key question: “How can you give your team creative guardrails in every brainstorming exercise?”
Try “question-storming” first
Before jumping into brainstorming solutions, try “question-storming” instead. This is when you take a problem you’d like to solve and generate as many questions about it as possible. For example, if you want to solve for a better customer experience (which is vague), you might ask questions like “How can we answer questions faster?” “How can we anticipate customer needs more efficiently?” or “How can we create surprise moments for our customers?” Then, from here, you can prioritize specific problems you want to brainstorm on, helping to add focus to your session.
Key question: “Are you asking enough questions about what challenges you want to brainstorm solutions for?”
Add in time for individual brainstorming
Groupthink can sometimes cause the team to limit their ideas. So think about starting some brainstorming sessions by having each team member write down or sketch their ideas independently. This approach is sometimes called “brainwriting” and produces original concepts for when the group comes together later. It gives everyone time to think deeply, especially quieter team members who might not speak up first. Then, when you regroup, ideas are richer, more varied, and ready to build on.
Key question: “How can you carve out time for solo creativity before collaboration begins?”
Set guidelines for brainstorming
Some employees might be shy to share their ideas during a brainstorm because they are afraid of being shot down or judged. This can often happen when teams are quick to point out holes in an idea, rather than figuring out how that idea will work. This scenario can diminish psychological safety and stifle the process. So, try to set some ground rules for your brainstorm to make sure everyone learns how to build on one another’s ideas. You can borrow an exercise from improv called “Yes, and.” When your employee shares an idea, advise the rest of your team to respond to it by saying “Yes, and...” From there, they add to the idea to make it work, rather than pointing out its flaws. It doesn’t mean you’ll ultimately take the initial idea, but the conversation can lead to some interesting discoveries.
Key question: “What are some other ways you can build psychological safety and collaboration?”
Time-box and shift modes
Similar to exercise structure, time parameters can amplify creativity. Instead of letting brainstorming drag on, set short bursts, like eight-minute sprints, focused on generating as many ideas as possible. Then, switch modes to cluster and refine. Moving quickly keeps energy high and helps people stay in creative flow without overanalyzing. Once you’ve gathered a wide range of ideas, spend the next round building combinations or improving on what’s already been shared.
Key question: “How can you use time limits to keep momentum and creativity high?”
