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Here are five more tips on effective brainstorming. Be sure and check out Part 1 to get the first five.

1. Pick a number. Not only do you want to have the right people, but you want to have the right amount of people. To many people and no one can get a word in, to few people and you’re not able to create synergy. There is no magic number, but I find 4-6 people work best. Although you can start with as few as two.
2. Stay positive. Negativity kills creativity. If someone throws out an idea you consider to be “bad” then learn to respond in a positive way. Learn how to navigate around those ideas and keep rolling. Not every idea will be a keeper, but sometimes “bad” ideas inspire “good” ideas.
3. Don’t take it personal. If someone doesn’t like your idea or it doesn’t get used don’t take it personal. It’s okay to stand up for what you believe in, but ultimately the decision should be what is best for the organization. It’s important to keep in mind that the objective for the meeting is about finding the best solution.
4. Quantity of ideas will lead to quality of ideas. Don’t stay quiet because you think your idea isn’t the best. Ideas are a numbers game. The more ideas you get out there in the open the greater your chances one will stick. Don’t forget, sometimes “bad” ideas inspire “good” ones.
5. Assign tasks at the end of the meeting. Before the meeting ends it is important to  put legs to your ideas. Who’s going to make those calls or do the research? Not everyone will leave with an assignment, but someone should. Even if that someone is you. 

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Our lives are full of deadlines. We all have urgent items that are knocking at the front door, things that demand our attention. Granted, a lot of these urgent items need and should be given attention, but not at the expense of what is important. There will always be a tension between what demands our time and what needs our time. The trick is giving our attention to what is important regardless of the tangible urgency because what is important is not always urgent. Here are a few examples of Important Vs. Urgent:

Leading Vs. Doing

People Vs. Tasks

Planning Vs. Working

Inspired by Chris Brogan & Terry Storch I have summarized my goals for 2010 into three words. Here’s how Chris Brogan explains it:

“If you want to try the process, it works something like this: think of how you want to be successful in 2010. Then, try to think in even broader terms. Extrapolate on the broader terms, and find one word to hang the idea on.”

“Try setting your three words far out on the horizon, but such that they can lead you to your goals every day. Meaning, can you use the same word to get you started, but have it still be relevant when you’re almost at the big goal?”

The words don’t even have to make sense to anyone else as long as they point you in the right direction. My 3 goal words for 2010 are…

1. Discipline - Be a more disciplined person in every area of my life. (i.e. physically, spiritually, financially)

2. Generosity - Give more to individuals (friends, family, strangers), charitable organizations and other opportunities that come my way.

3. Purpose - To fulfill my God-given purpose DAILY.