{"id":413,"date":"2012-12-18T23:28:06","date_gmt":"2012-12-18T23:28:06","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/scqa.hult.edu\/en\/news\/hult-labs\/2012\/december\/an-argument-for-deliberative-discourse-over-brainstorming\/"},"modified":"2019-07-08T12:43:46","modified_gmt":"2019-07-08T12:43:46","slug":"an-argument-for-deliberative-discourse-over-brainstorming","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.hult.edu\/blog\/an-argument-for-deliberative-discourse-over-brainstorming\/","title":{"rendered":"An Argument for “Deliberative Discourse” Over Brainstorming"},"content":{"rendered":"

When a team finds itself at a crossroads on a project, or maybe on the cusp of tackling a formidable one, it\u2019s not uncommon for someone to suggest a little chaos to find some creative direction: \u201cLet\u2019s brainstorm.\u201d<\/p>\n

There are variations on how to execute a brainstorming session, but the objective is generally the same: to generate ideas (good ones) that the team may eventually shape and mold into new solutions \u2013 or whatever urgent need it’s seeking to fill. If the muses are particularly generous during a session, maybe the team will arrive at some insights or achieve a breakthrough that members could not have uncovered as quickly outside the context of a good, old-fashioned brainstorm.<\/p>\n

Not so fast, says Design Strategist, Daniel Sobol<\/a>, in an article<\/a> in Fast Company<\/a>. He is an advocate of the idea<\/em> of brainstorming: \u201cTo innovate, we need environments that support imaginative thinking, where we can go through many crazy, tangential, and even bad ideas to come up with good ones.\u201d But, he believes brainstorming can actually hurt the creative process. He cites author Susan Cain<\/a>, whose book Quiet<\/em> argues that brainstorming inhibits participants from fully contributing to the process because they ultimately fear being rejected by team members. And there is scientific evidence to back this assertion. Neuroscientist Gregory Berns<\/a> discovered that when people voice an opinion that counters the consensus it triggers a part of the brain \u201cassociated with fear and rejection<\/a>,\u201d and he\u2019s coined this \u201cthe pain of independence.\u201d<\/p>\n

Cain is a proponent of idea-building through informal gatherings that allow colleagues to discuss issues without any pressure, but Sobol (and his company Continuum<\/a>) has opted for another way. He calls it \u201c’deliberative discourse’ \u2013 or what we fondly call \u2018Argue. Discuss. Argue. Discuss.\u2019\u201d Rooted in Aristotle\u2019s Rhetoric<\/em> (an exposition on the art of persuasion) Sobol describes the process as one in which team members start \u2013 and end \u2013 with the same overall goal, and are then encouraged to purposefully bat around different points of view. This is a nice way of saying that participants are free to argue and debate, unlike in traditional brainstorming. Lest participants get overly heated and cross the line from constructive to destructive, there are rules.<\/p>\n

1. \u201cNo Hierarchy\u201d: The corporate chain of command has no place in deliberative discourse. Dissenting opinions are promoted at all levels \u2013 and across them. Sobol recalls a senior member of his firm telling him early on: \u201cYou should know that you\u2019re not doing your job if you don\u2019t disagree with me at least once a day.\u201d<\/p>\n

2. \u201cSay \u2018No, Because\u2019\u201d: The traditional brainstorming verbiage of \u201cYes, and\u201d is intended to facilitate idea-building, as well as show respect for colleagues\u2019 contributions even if\/when there are disagreements. But Sobol introduces the idea of literally saying \u201cno\u201d \u2013 as long as you have a good reason and are prepared to articulate \u201cwhy\u201d. The phrasing is intended to artfully restrain the discussion in one important way, says Sobol: \u201cWe constantly refer back to people, asking one another if our ideas are solving a real need that people expressed [\u2026] This keeps us accountable to something other than our own opinions.\u201d<\/p>\n

3. \u201cDiverse perspectives\u201d: Everyone \u2013 everyone \u2013 has something unique to bring to the table during a problem-solving quest. Sobol\u2019s company intentionally puts teams together composed of members with different professional backgrounds, but they don\u2019t stop there, and here\u2019s where the rest of us can take note. Team members are encouraged to teach each other new ways of looking at an issue if they think it will help shed some light, or aid in reaching a solution. Sobol gives an example of leveraging his theater background during an ideation to teach his team a framework that actors use. This highlights the fact that team members’ differences can serve as a strength \u2013 not a weakness.<\/p>\n

4. \u201cFocus on a common goal\u201d: Another term for this is a \u201cstatement of purpose,\u201d and whether the team spells it out on a white board at the start, or posts it on a door where team members see it every day, it\u2019s essentially a constant reminder that they all share the same goal and are working toward it \u2013 even if they do it a little differently. Says Sobol: \u201cAs much as we may argue and disagree, anything that happens in the room counts toward our shared goal. This enables us to argue and discuss without hurting one another.\u201d<\/p>\n

5. \u201cKeep it fun\u201d: Deliberative discourse can generate great results, says Sobol, if participants treat it seriously. But just like yin needs yang (and vice-versa), it does a team some good to have fun with the process \u2013 and actually have some fun. Milton Berle once said, \u201cLaughter is the best vacation.\u201d So, don\u2019t be afraid of punctuating an ideation (especially a heated one) with a little \u201cvacation.\u201d It can also help team members take a step back, relax, and get grounded once more in the common goal before forging on.<\/p>\n

To read Daniel Sobol\u2019s article in full, you can go here<\/a>.<\/p>\n

Flickr photo courtesy of thecrispone<\/a>.\u00a0<\/em><\/p>\n

Make the most of what your career has to offer with a Masters in International Business<\/a> from Hult. To learn more, take a look at our blog\u00a0Hult joins business school elite with AACSB Accreditation<\/a>, or give your employability a huge boost with an MBA in international business<\/a>. Download a brochure or get in touch today to find out how Hult can help you to explore everything about the business world, the future, and yourself.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

When a team finds itself at a crossroads on a project, or maybe on the cusp of tackling a formidable one, it\u2019s not uncommon for someone to suggest a little…<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":4,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":[],"categories":[24],"tags":[],"yoast_head":"\nAn Argument for "Deliberative Discourse" Over Brainstorming | Hult International Business School<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"When a team finds itself at a crossroads on a project, or maybe on the cusp of tackling a formidable one, it\u2019s not uncommon for someone to suggest a little chaos to find some creative direction: \u201cLet\u2019s brainstorm.\u201d\" \/>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"An Argument for "Deliberative Discourse" Over Brainstorming | Hult International Business School\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:description\" content=\"When a team finds itself at a crossroads on a project, or maybe on the cusp of tackling a formidable one, it\u2019s not uncommon for someone to suggest a little chaos to find some creative direction: \u201cLet\u2019s brainstorm.\u201d\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:url\" content=\"https:\/\/www.hult.edu\/blog\/an-argument-for-deliberative-discourse-over-brainstorming\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:site_name\" content=\"Hult International Business School\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:publisher\" content=\"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/Hult\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:published_time\" content=\"2012-12-18T23:28:06+00:00\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:modified_time\" content=\"2019-07-08T12:43:46+00:00\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:card\" content=\"summary_large_image\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:creator\" content=\"@Hult_Business\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:site\" content=\"@Hult_Business\" \/>\n<script type=\"application\/ld+json\" class=\"yoast-schema-graph\">{\"@context\":\"https:\/\/schema.org\",\"@graph\":[{\"@type\":\"Organization\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.hult.edu\/blog\/#organization\",\"name\":\"Hult International Business School\",\"url\":\"https:\/\/www.hult.edu\/blog\/\",\"sameAs\":[\"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/Hult\",\"https:\/\/www.instagram.com\/hultbusinessschool\/\",\"https:\/\/www.linkedin.com\/school\/hult\/\",\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/hult\",\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/Hult_Business\"],\"logo\":{\"@type\":\"ImageObject\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.hult.edu\/blog\/#logo\",\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\",\"url\":\"https:\/\/www.hult.edu\/blog\/media\/uploads\/2022\/08\/hult-social-profile.png\",\"contentUrl\":\"https:\/\/www.hult.edu\/blog\/media\/uploads\/2022\/08\/hult-social-profile.png\",\"width\":400,\"height\":400,\"caption\":\"Hult International Business School\"},\"image\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.hult.edu\/blog\/#logo\"}},{\"@type\":\"WebSite\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.hult.edu\/blog\/#website\",\"url\":\"https:\/\/www.hult.edu\/blog\/\",\"name\":\"Hult International Business School\",\"description\":\"The latest insights and stories from Hult International Business School\",\"publisher\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.hult.edu\/blog\/#organization\"},\"potentialAction\":[{\"@type\":\"SearchAction\",\"target\":{\"@type\":\"EntryPoint\",\"urlTemplate\":\"https:\/\/www.hult.edu\/blog\/?s={search_term_string}\"},\"query-input\":\"required name=search_term_string\"}],\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\"},{\"@type\":\"WebPage\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.hult.edu\/blog\/an-argument-for-deliberative-discourse-over-brainstorming\/#webpage\",\"url\":\"https:\/\/www.hult.edu\/blog\/an-argument-for-deliberative-discourse-over-brainstorming\/\",\"name\":\"An Argument for \\\"Deliberative Discourse\\\" Over Brainstorming | Hult International Business School\",\"isPartOf\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.hult.edu\/blog\/#website\"},\"datePublished\":\"2012-12-18T23:28:06+00:00\",\"dateModified\":\"2019-07-08T12:43:46+00:00\",\"description\":\"When a team finds itself at a crossroads on a project, or maybe on the cusp of tackling a formidable one, it\u2019s not uncommon for someone to suggest a little chaos to find some creative direction: \u201cLet\u2019s brainstorm.\u201d\",\"breadcrumb\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.hult.edu\/blog\/an-argument-for-deliberative-discourse-over-brainstorming\/#breadcrumb\"},\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\",\"potentialAction\":[{\"@type\":\"ReadAction\",\"target\":[\"https:\/\/www.hult.edu\/blog\/an-argument-for-deliberative-discourse-over-brainstorming\/\"]}]},{\"@type\":\"BreadcrumbList\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.hult.edu\/blog\/an-argument-for-deliberative-discourse-over-brainstorming\/#breadcrumb\",\"itemListElement\":[{\"@type\":\"ListItem\",\"position\":1,\"name\":\"Home\",\"item\":\"https:\/\/www.hult.edu\/blog\/\"},{\"@type\":\"ListItem\",\"position\":2,\"name\":\"An Argument for “Deliberative Discourse” Over Brainstorming\"}]},{\"@type\":\"Article\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.hult.edu\/blog\/an-argument-for-deliberative-discourse-over-brainstorming\/#article\",\"isPartOf\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.hult.edu\/blog\/an-argument-for-deliberative-discourse-over-brainstorming\/#webpage\"},\"author\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.hult.edu\/blog\/#\/schema\/person\/92ccb0864f59d22e5c42ff8159a2a776\"},\"headline\":\"An Argument for “Deliberative Discourse” Over Brainstorming\",\"datePublished\":\"2012-12-18T23:28:06+00:00\",\"dateModified\":\"2019-07-08T12:43:46+00:00\",\"mainEntityOfPage\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.hult.edu\/blog\/an-argument-for-deliberative-discourse-over-brainstorming\/#webpage\"},\"wordCount\":927,\"commentCount\":0,\"publisher\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.hult.edu\/blog\/#organization\"},\"articleSection\":[\"Archive\"],\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\",\"potentialAction\":[{\"@type\":\"CommentAction\",\"name\":\"Comment\",\"target\":[\"https:\/\/www.hult.edu\/blog\/an-argument-for-deliberative-discourse-over-brainstorming\/#respond\"]}]},{\"@type\":\"Person\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.hult.edu\/blog\/#\/schema\/person\/92ccb0864f59d22e5c42ff8159a2a776\",\"name\":\"Hult News\",\"image\":{\"@type\":\"ImageObject\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.hult.edu\/blog\/#personlogo\",\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\",\"url\":\"https:\/\/www.hult.edu\/blog\/media\/uploads\/2018\/04\/logo-100x100.png\",\"contentUrl\":\"https:\/\/www.hult.edu\/blog\/media\/uploads\/2018\/04\/logo-100x100.png\",\"caption\":\"Hult News\"}}]}<\/script>\n<!-- \/ Yoast SEO plugin. -->","yoast_head_json":{"title":"An Argument for \"Deliberative Discourse\" Over Brainstorming | Hult International Business School","description":"When a team finds itself at a crossroads on a project, or maybe on the cusp of tackling a formidable one, it\u2019s not uncommon for someone to suggest a little chaos to find some creative direction: \u201cLet\u2019s brainstorm.\u201d","robots":{"index":"index","follow":"follow","max-snippet":"max-snippet:-1","max-image-preview":"max-image-preview:large","max-video-preview":"max-video-preview:-1"},"og_locale":"en_US","og_type":"article","og_title":"An Argument for \"Deliberative Discourse\" Over Brainstorming | Hult International Business School","og_description":"When a team finds itself at a crossroads on a project, or maybe on the cusp of tackling a formidable one, it\u2019s not uncommon for someone to suggest a little chaos to find some creative direction: \u201cLet\u2019s brainstorm.\u201d","og_url":"https:\/\/www.hult.edu\/blog\/an-argument-for-deliberative-discourse-over-brainstorming\/","og_site_name":"Hult International Business School","article_publisher":"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/Hult","article_published_time":"2012-12-18T23:28:06+00:00","article_modified_time":"2019-07-08T12:43:46+00:00","twitter_card":"summary_large_image","twitter_creator":"@Hult_Business","twitter_site":"@Hult_Business","schema":{"@context":"https:\/\/schema.org","@graph":[{"@type":"Organization","@id":"https:\/\/www.hult.edu\/blog\/#organization","name":"Hult International Business School","url":"https:\/\/www.hult.edu\/blog\/","sameAs":["https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/Hult","https:\/\/www.instagram.com\/hultbusinessschool\/","https:\/\/www.linkedin.com\/school\/hult\/","https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/hult","https:\/\/twitter.com\/Hult_Business"],"logo":{"@type":"ImageObject","@id":"https:\/\/www.hult.edu\/blog\/#logo","inLanguage":"en-US","url":"https:\/\/www.hult.edu\/blog\/media\/uploads\/2022\/08\/hult-social-profile.png","contentUrl":"https:\/\/www.hult.edu\/blog\/media\/uploads\/2022\/08\/hult-social-profile.png","width":400,"height":400,"caption":"Hult International Business School"},"image":{"@id":"https:\/\/www.hult.edu\/blog\/#logo"}},{"@type":"WebSite","@id":"https:\/\/www.hult.edu\/blog\/#website","url":"https:\/\/www.hult.edu\/blog\/","name":"Hult International Business School","description":"The latest insights and stories from Hult International Business School","publisher":{"@id":"https:\/\/www.hult.edu\/blog\/#organization"},"potentialAction":[{"@type":"SearchAction","target":{"@type":"EntryPoint","urlTemplate":"https:\/\/www.hult.edu\/blog\/?s={search_term_string}"},"query-input":"required name=search_term_string"}],"inLanguage":"en-US"},{"@type":"WebPage","@id":"https:\/\/www.hult.edu\/blog\/an-argument-for-deliberative-discourse-over-brainstorming\/#webpage","url":"https:\/\/www.hult.edu\/blog\/an-argument-for-deliberative-discourse-over-brainstorming\/","name":"An Argument for \"Deliberative Discourse\" Over Brainstorming | Hult International Business School","isPartOf":{"@id":"https:\/\/www.hult.edu\/blog\/#website"},"datePublished":"2012-12-18T23:28:06+00:00","dateModified":"2019-07-08T12:43:46+00:00","description":"When a team finds itself at a crossroads on a project, or maybe on the cusp of tackling a formidable one, it\u2019s not uncommon for someone to suggest a little chaos to find some creative direction: \u201cLet\u2019s brainstorm.\u201d","breadcrumb":{"@id":"https:\/\/www.hult.edu\/blog\/an-argument-for-deliberative-discourse-over-brainstorming\/#breadcrumb"},"inLanguage":"en-US","potentialAction":[{"@type":"ReadAction","target":["https:\/\/www.hult.edu\/blog\/an-argument-for-deliberative-discourse-over-brainstorming\/"]}]},{"@type":"BreadcrumbList","@id":"https:\/\/www.hult.edu\/blog\/an-argument-for-deliberative-discourse-over-brainstorming\/#breadcrumb","itemListElement":[{"@type":"ListItem","position":1,"name":"Home","item":"https:\/\/www.hult.edu\/blog\/"},{"@type":"ListItem","position":2,"name":"An Argument for “Deliberative Discourse” Over Brainstorming"}]},{"@type":"Article","@id":"https:\/\/www.hult.edu\/blog\/an-argument-for-deliberative-discourse-over-brainstorming\/#article","isPartOf":{"@id":"https:\/\/www.hult.edu\/blog\/an-argument-for-deliberative-discourse-over-brainstorming\/#webpage"},"author":{"@id":"https:\/\/www.hult.edu\/blog\/#\/schema\/person\/92ccb0864f59d22e5c42ff8159a2a776"},"headline":"An Argument for “Deliberative Discourse” Over Brainstorming","datePublished":"2012-12-18T23:28:06+00:00","dateModified":"2019-07-08T12:43:46+00:00","mainEntityOfPage":{"@id":"https:\/\/www.hult.edu\/blog\/an-argument-for-deliberative-discourse-over-brainstorming\/#webpage"},"wordCount":927,"commentCount":0,"publisher":{"@id":"https:\/\/www.hult.edu\/blog\/#organization"},"articleSection":["Archive"],"inLanguage":"en-US","potentialAction":[{"@type":"CommentAction","name":"Comment","target":["https:\/\/www.hult.edu\/blog\/an-argument-for-deliberative-discourse-over-brainstorming\/#respond"]}]},{"@type":"Person","@id":"https:\/\/www.hult.edu\/blog\/#\/schema\/person\/92ccb0864f59d22e5c42ff8159a2a776","name":"Hult News","image":{"@type":"ImageObject","@id":"https:\/\/www.hult.edu\/blog\/#personlogo","inLanguage":"en-US","url":"https:\/\/www.hult.edu\/blog\/media\/uploads\/2018\/04\/logo-100x100.png","contentUrl":"https:\/\/www.hult.edu\/blog\/media\/uploads\/2018\/04\/logo-100x100.png","caption":"Hult News"}}]}},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.hult.edu\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/413"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.hult.edu\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.hult.edu\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.hult.edu\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/4"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.hult.edu\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=413"}],"version-history":[{"count":2,"href":"https:\/\/www.hult.edu\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/413\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":19027,"href":"https:\/\/www.hult.edu\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/413\/revisions\/19027"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.hult.edu\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=413"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.hult.edu\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=413"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.hult.edu\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=413"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}