Brain Storming

Video’s That Tell a Story

T.E.D. Conference
Outline:

I. Processional Ideas.
II. Professional Problems.
III. Why do we need to be better brain storming?
VI. How to Become a Better Brain Stormer?
Objectives:

1. Help students understand the value of conducting and co-coordinating creative thinking
sessions also known as “Brain Storming.”
2. Evaluate the many models and flaws of approaching a think tank session.
3. Giving students an empowering paradigm on how to create an environment for brain
storming sessions that are creative, successful and empowering.

I. Processional Ideas

II Professional Problems

A. Theologian in Blue Jeans

1. They have an idea but before they cast the idea they cast the vision, history and
theology that surrounds the idea... Blah Blah Blah. And then 10 min they finally
get to the idea but by the time you get there your exhausted and don’t want to hear
it.

B. The Squelcher:

1. Throws out the squelch grenades. They didn’t think of an idea and so they just
throw out the “It won’t work bomb” by saying things like “We did it and it
doesn’t’ work”

C. The Lap Topper

1. On the computer when they should focus

 D. The side swipper:

1. They listen to the idea but they are laughing about it with a buddy sideways or
internally. The person who gave the idea feels totally devalued because of them.
They focus and return but then the one presenting the idea has to reshare it
because they weren’t focusing.

III. Why do we need to be better brain storming?

A. Reasons
1. Bigger impact
2. Keep it fresh
3. Streamliner volunteers time
4. Better ideas
a. Acts 1:8
b. Genesis 1: When God kicked off the Bible he did it by creating.
 Some stories bright others dark.

VI. How to Become a better Brain Stormer?

A. Split “To Think” meetings with the “To Do” meetings.

1. Your thinkers are not always bullet point thinkers.
2. Some of them don’t care about the service order etc. They just like thinking up
good creative ideas while others are.
3. Some of them don’t want critique or hear why the idea won’t work. But in the
“To Do” Meeting you can carve it and dump it and go back to the creative and
say, here is why we didn’t use it.
4. Why invite the 85 year old widow to our creative meeting?
5. Do you invite them every week or once and a while. Base that on how well you
know them. Then gauge them on contact. You place them where it works for
you. Bring people in to the process by playing them as you know them.
6. Focus Groups are what that is all about. But for church work this is more real and
vibrant.
B. Don’t Think outside the box, think inside the circle
a. 1968 Mike Vance, Management consultant for Walt Disney. Came up with
Vance’s 9 point puzzle.
i. You take a pen and draw 4 lines and connect every single dot.
ii. You couldn’t lift your pen off the paper.
iii. They tried and would fail. Why? Because you had to go outside the
box.
 iv. You’re putting perimeters’ around your thought.
v. You have to think outside the box
vi. This has gotten out of control.
vii. I appreciate it but can be extreme about thinking we have to be
extremely unique
b. We should think less about going out of the box and more about being in the
circle.
i. The circle of community you have.
ii. You don’t need the best new idea
iii. It’s not necessarily that the box is wrong
iv. We should create a better box.
a. Chip/Heath Authors. A well constructed box or
“perimeters” can produce new ideas.
b. Book, Group genies
i. Studied improve theater
ii. Jazz groups
iii. He noticed actors would do stuff like “Look out,
it’s a gun”. No they say “Look out, it’s the new
ZX power laser gun”.
iv. Notice, they redefined the box. It’s no longer a
gun but the box makes you think.
c. Creative’s crave the box when everyone says get out of it.
i. If I say “OK, I want you to plan a birthday party for my son
Andrew…. Go.
ii. If I say “OK I want you to plan a Toy Story III birthday party for
Andrew. And I know toy story III is not in theaters yet but let’s make
it for this party, Go..
iii. Just redefined the box.
iv. Why think outside of it when you can improve it and your ideas with
it.
d. Usually our leader draws the box
i. Then the ideas are reflected off the box and we see if they fit.
ii. This helps if your leader draws boxes perfectly.
iii. So our core for what we do to have a good box.
C. People, not environments make better ideas faster
a. People don’t say “This room is so creatively stifling”
b. Its people sharing life hurt joys etc. That creates better ideas not some fancy
smancy environment.
c. Think about Hard Rock Café.
 i. Do musicians go there to get their new ideas or do they reflect on their
life and people in it?
ii. Walk the roads. Take a walk. That’s what Jesus did. He picked up
stories as he walked. As he learned
d. The best stories come from life experience. Everyone can relate to life
and people. Not everyone can relate to fancy art deco environments and
flashy stuff.
e. Darren Brown. Uses psychological tactics to show how the mind works
i. You Tube Vide: Darren Brown “Subliminal Advertising”