Go, ________!
Write your name here.
The 60-Minute Idea Generator
Need to solve a problem? Tackle a challenge? Capitalize on an opportunity? Use these prompts to capture your
ideas in text and drawings. Use colored pencils.
Separate idea generation from idea assessment. Generate many ideas. Assess them later. Work alone or with others.
FIRST: Name the question.
Often, brainstorms chase answers to the wrong question. The question named is the question answered.
Make sure your question is important to you, or it's not worth your best efforts. Include business, family and
personal questions.
Be concise, clear and specific. Focus your question narrowly. (You can brainstorm another question later.) Keep it easy to understand, so others can help you.
Be practical. Start your question with "How can I (or we) ... ?" or "What can I (or we) do in order to ...?"
Avoid "Why...?" because that gets too philosophical. Stay practical.
Write a dozen potential questions, or different versions of the same question:
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
8.
9.
10.
11.
12.
Circle one question on the list above. Pursue that question during the rest of the brainstorm.
©2005-2017, Artie Isaac. Reproduction in part or in entirety is permitted. Please share. Encourage others. Find the latest version of Go, [______]! The 60-Minute Idea Generator at artieisaac.com.
Say three times:
"I can do this.
I have good ideas."
1
WARM UP: Feel the future.
Imagine: you have a great answer to your question. How might having that answer improve life?
AFFECTIONATE
compassionate friendly loving
open-hearted sympathetic
tender warm
ENGAGED absorbed alert curious engrossed
enchanted entranced
fascinated interested intrigued
involved spellbound stimulated
HOPEFUL expectant
encouraged optimistic
And how might those benefits make life better?
CONFIDENT empowered open proud safe secure
EXCITED amazed animated ardent aroused
astonished dazzled eager
energetic enthusiastic giddy invigorated lively passionate
surprised vibrant
And, once again, how might that improve life?
GRATEFUL appreciative moved thankful touched
INSPIRED amazed awed wonder
JOYFUL amused delighted glad happy jubilant pleased tickled
When you think of the improvements to life, what feelings do you
experience? Circle words on the list. Add words of your own here:
Write more about the feelings you experience when you think about the benefits of having a great answer to your question.
EXHILARATED blissful ecstatic elated enthralled
exuberant radiant rapturous thrilled
PEACEFUL calm clear-headed comfortable
centered content equanimous
fulfilled mellow quiet relaxed
relieved satisfied serene still
tranquil trusting
REFRESHED enlivened
rejuvenated renewed rested restored revived
This list of feeling words comes from www.cnvc.org.
Smile and
breathe.
©2005-2017, Artie Isaac. Reproduction in part or in entirety is permitted. Please share. Encourage others. Find the latest version of Go, [______]! The 60-Minute Idea Generator at artieisaac.com.
2
Challenge boundaries.
Before answering your question, solving your problem or achieving your opportunity, make lists of...
...the people who stand in the way. Who might try to stop you?
• •
• •
• •
• •
• •
...the rules that stand in the way. What aren't you allowed to do? Be brief.
• •
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• •
...other facts, constraints and obstacles, both real and imagined. What is off limits?
• •
• •
• •
• •
• •
What is not what it seems to be? Review the lists above and draw a line through any person, rule, fact,
constraint, or obstacle that you may ignore. Be sure to laugh at any boundary that you yourself created!
What ideas arise? What would you do if you had no fear? Write ideas in just a few words, like a headline.
• • • •
©2005-2017, Artie Isaac. Reproduction in part or in entirety is permitted. Please share. Encourage others. Find the latest version of Go, [______]! The 60-Minute Idea Generator at artieisaac.com.
A
Apply your life.
Think of a time when you were in a similar situation. What was the challenge or opportunity?
What did you do?
What happened? How did it turn out?
What did you learn?
What would you do differently, if you could do it again?
What ideas come to mind for your main question?
• • • •
• ©2005-2017, Artie Isaac. Reproduction in part or in entirety is permitted. Please share. Encourage others. Find the latest version of Go, [______]! The 60-Minute Idea Generator at artieisaac.com.
Get up and
stretch.
B
Sketch it.
©2005-2017, Artie Isaac. Reproduction in part or in entirety is permitted. Please share. Encourage others. Find the latest version of Go, [______]! The 60-Minute Idea Generator at artieisaac.com.
C
Flip it.
Look at everything from a different perspective.
How might you turn something, anything or everything upside down?
•
Re-read the main question.
•
•
•
•
How might you turn something, anything or everything back to front?
•
•
•
•
•
What if this were a world of abundance? What if this were a world of scarcity?
•
•
•
•
•
Write anything.
Write any ideas, even if they have nothing to do with the topics above.
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
• ©2005-2017, Artie Isaac. Reproduction in part or in entirety is permitted. Please share. Encourage others. Find the latest version of Go, [______]! The 60-Minute Idea Generator at artieisaac.com.
Draw anything.
D
Distort resources.
Separate dollars from idea generation. What ideas might work with different budgets? What tools and resources might help?
Get up and
stretch.
What might you do if you had $500,000 and five years?
What might you do if you had $50,000 and five months?
What might you do if you had $5,000 and five weeks?
What might you do if you had $500 and five days?
What might you do if you had $50 and five hours?
©2005-2017, Artie Isaac. Reproduction in part or in entirety is permitted. Please share. Encourage others. Find the latest version of Go, [______]! The 60-Minute Idea Generator at artieisaac.com.
E
Company A ➜ Company B
What are the basic attributes of your company (and how it does business) today? (This is “Company A.”)
Products:
Services:
People:
Personality:
Other defining characteristics:
What do you want them to be 18-24 months from now? (This is “Company B.”)
Products:
Services:
People:
Personality:
Other defining characteristics:
0%
100%
Company A
Company B
100%
Today
18-24 months
from now
0%
Write anything.
Write any ideas, even if they have nothing to do with the topics above.
•
•
•
•
•
©2005-2017, Artie Isaac. Reproduction in part or in entirety is permitted. Please share. Encourage others. Find the latest version of Go, [______]! The 60-Minute Idea Generator at artieisaac.com.
Draw anything.
F
Draft a genius.
Who’s the smartest person ever? What would that person do? (Choose someone with great talent and
achievement, not merely fame and wealth.)
What would you do if you were this person?
What would you do if you were your smartest friend?
What would you do if you were a superhero? What would be your superpower? How would you use it?
©2005-2017, Artie Isaac. Reproduction in part or in entirety is permitted. Please share. Encourage others. Find the latest version of Go, [______]! The 60-Minute Idea Generator at artieisaac.com.
G
Creative Agenda (Sample)
Daily Team Brainstorming (10-15 minutes)
• Brainstorm a one-sentence "How Do I/We…?" question brought by a client, employee, supplier or employee:
• Casually led, standing
• Headlines only: "Yes, and…"
• Guests welcome
• 30-second update on previous day's Daily Team Brainstorm
Weekly Team Brainstorm (60-90 minutes)
• Brainstorm one "How Do I/We…?" question:
• Referred from the Daily Team Brainstorm: worthy of deeper, more focused attention
• Trained facilitator, formal scribe
• Guests welcome
• Add to the What We Don't Know List
• Within 48 hours, manager circulates post-assessment results
Monthly Company Re-Charge (half-day)
• Field trip
• Book club
• Employee reports on self-learning
Quarterly Re-Focus (full day)
• Creative brainstorming on next quarter's priorities
• Review and Resolve What We Don't Know List
• Outside speaker
©2005-2017, Artie Isaac. Reproduction in part or in entirety is permitted. Please share. Encourage others. Find the latest version of Go, [______]! The 60-Minute Idea Generator at artieisaac.com.
H
Additional Resources
At ArtieIsaac.com...
...a bookshelf of ideas for creativity, collaboration and more.
Who is Artie Isaac?
➜ helping CEOs develop ingenuity
...updates of this tool, and other DIY tools, such as Carry Forth, a tool for planning creative projects for you or your team.
➜ 500+ training sessions on
...and a link to my blog, Net Cotton Content.
to face bet-the-company moments
creativity and collaboration
➜ 2,000+ brainstorms
➜ Vistage Chair of six groups in Columbus
HALF-DAY CREATIVE BOOST:
Your team learns proven creative skills while addressing your key questions.
What can you do — in one morning or afternoon — to reignite your
team's creativity? Can you do more than learn? Can you also make
bold strides toward addressing critical challenges and opportunities?
Yes. (Here's how.)
I provide companies and organizations with a half-day of creativity
training and brainstorming for eight to 800 teammates.
➜ 300+ keynotes
➜ Yale B.A., Columbia M.B.A.
…accelerating effectiveness, collaboration and creativity with proven methods,
humor, insight, and old-fashioned encouragement.
This is applied problem solving.
This is hands-on training. Rather than simply learning about creativity
and brainstorming, we will immediately pounce on the most critical
questions at the forefront of your business.
There will be useful, actionable results.
Alone at the top?
A Message To Business Leaders
Make-or-break decisions. Economic volatility. Unpredictable humans.
The stakes have never been higher. With limited time and resources,
you must trust your gut.
Imagine the value of a peer group: questioning your assumptions,
validating your analysis, offering perspectives, and identifying unseen
opportunities.
To consider how a peer group can make you a better leader, visit ArtieIsaac.com. Visit ArtieIsaac.com for
brainstorm facilitation, CEO peer groups, corporate
training, executive coaching,
and keynote presentations.
[email protected] 614-395-3965
2013 Innovation Speaker of the Year
2012 Rookie Chair of the Year
©2005-2017, Artie Isaac. Reproduction in part or in entirety is permitted. Please share. Encourage others. Find the latest version of Go, [______]! The 60-Minute Idea Generator at artieisaac.com.
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©2005-2017, Artie Isaac. Reproduction in part or in entirety is permitted. Please share. Encourage others. Find the latest version of Go, [______]! The 60-Minute Idea Generator at artieisaac.com.