How many times have you participated in a brainstorming session, only to be underwhelmed by the utter lack of follow up?
Unfortunately, in most businesses, this is often the norm.
Here’s why:
- The output of the session is underwhelming.
- No one has taken the time, pre-brainstorm, to consider follow-up.
- No criteria is established to evaluate the output.
- No next steps are established at the end of the session.
- No champions (i.e. process owners) are identified.
- The champions are not really committed.
- The champions are committed, but under-estimate the effort.
- The ideas are too threatening to key stakeholders.
- No one is accountable for results.
- The project leader doesn’t stay in contact with key players and “out of sight, out of mind” takes over.
- The “steering committee” takes their hands off the wheel.
- The next brainstorming session is scheduled too quickly.
- The output of the session is not documented.
- No sponsors are on board.
- Participants’ managers are not supportive of the effort
- It takes too long to document the output of the session.
- The output is not distributed to stakeholders in a timely way.
- Participants and stakeholders do not read the output.
- Bureaucracy and company politics rule the day.
- Somebody, in the session, is disengaged and sabotages the effort.
- Teamwork and collaboration is in short supply.
- Small wins are not celebrated. People lose heart.
- Participants perceive follow-up as “more work to do” instead of a great opportunity to really make a difference.
What else should be on this list?
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Mitch Ditkoff is the Co-Founder and President of Idea Champions and the author of “Awake at the Wheel”, as well as the very popular Heart of Innovation blog.
