Brainstorming Process

Brainstorming with a group of people is a powerful technique. Brainstorming creates new ideas, solves problems, motivates and develops teams. Brainstorming motivates because it involves members of a team in bigger management issues, and it gets a team working together. However, brainstorming is not simply a random activity. Brainstorming needs to be structured and it follows brainstorming rules. The brainstorming process is described below, for which you will need a flip-chart or alternative. This is crucial as Brainstorming needs to involve the team, which means that everyone must be able to see what's happening. Brainstorming places a significant burden on the facilitator to manage the process, people's involvement and sensitivities, and then to manage the follow up actions. Use Brainstorming well and you will see excellent results in improving the organization, performance, and developing the team.


Note: Advanced 'Kaleidoscope Brainstorming' technique is discussed in the later part of this document.


Brainstorming Process

Following are the conventional brainstorming process principles:

* Define and agree the objective.
* Brainstorm ideas and suggestions having agreed a time limit.
* Categorise/condense/combine/refine.
* Assess/analyse effects or results.
* Prioritise options/rank list as appropriate.
* Agree action and timescale.
* Control and monitor follow-up.


Following will explain the above processes in detail:


Plan and agree the brainstorming aim

Ensure everyone participating in the brainstorm session understands and agrees the aim of the session (eg, to formulate a new job description for a customer services clerk; to formulate a series of new promotional activities for the next trading year; to suggest ways of improving cooperation between the sales and service departments; to identify costs saving opportunities that will not reduce performance or morale, etc). Keep the brainstorming objective simple. Allocate a time limit. This will enable you to keep the random brainstorming activity under control and on track.

Manage the actual brainstorming activity

Brainstorming enables people to suggest ideas at random. Job of facilitator is to encourage everyone to participate, to dismiss nothing, and to prevent others from pouring scorn on the wilder suggestions (some of the best ideas are initially the daftest ones - added to which people won't participate if their suggestions are criticised). During the random collection of ideas the facilitator must record every suggestion on the flip-chart. Sticky tape can be used to hang the sheets around the walls. At the end of the time limit or when ideas have been exhausted, use different coloured pens to categorise, group, connect and link the random ideas.

Condense and refine the ideas by making new headings or lists. Facilitator can diplomatically combine or include the weaker ideas within other themes to avoid dismissing or rejecting contributions (remember brainstorming is about team building and motivation too - you don't want it to have the reverse effect on some people). With the group, assess, evaluate and analyse the effects and validity of the ideas or the list. Develop and prioritise the ideas into a more finished list or set of actions or options.


Implement the actions agreed from the brainstorming

Agree what the next actions will be. Agree a timescale, who's responsible. After the session circulate notes, monitor and give feedback. It's crucial to develop a clear and positive outcome, so that people feel their effort and contribution was worthwhile. When people see that their efforts have resulted in action and change, they will be motivated and keen to help again.

Below are various tools and models which can be used within the brainstorming process, to build and create a context for brainstorming, and a framework for brainstorming actions. When using any of these tools or models within the brainstorming process, select models appropriate to the group, and the desired development and outcomes for the brainstorming session:

SWOT analysis - for assessing the strength of a company, department, proposition or idea.

PEST analysis - for measuring the attractiveness and potential of a market.

The McKinsey Seven-S's - criteria for a successful company.

Adizes corporate life-cycle model - phases of company development

Delegation model - successful task delegation and staff development through delegation

Tuckman's group development model - forming, storming, norming, performing

Kolb's learning styles - for training the trainers, coaching the coaches, and management development

Leadership attributes - for developing leadership among managers

Negotiation process - for sales and commercial staff and optimising on profitable outcomes and customer relationships

Cherie Carter-Scott's rules of life - behaviour and attitude development and soft skills development

The Four Agreements - behaviour and attitude development and soft skills development


Kaleidoscope Brainstorming Process

Kaleidoscope brainstorming process is advance brainstorming technique for problem-solving, team-building and creative process is also called 'Silent Brainstorming' - developed by Dr KRS Murthy of Nisvara Inc, and the contribution of this model is gratefully acknowledged. Dr Murthy also refers to the brainstorming technique as 'Multiple Mind Conferencing'. Kaleidoscope Brainstorming, Dr Murthy suggests, not only produces vastly more ideas than conventional brainstorming, but also acts at a deep level to build teams and harmonious work groups.

As with the basic brainstorming process the facilitator has a big responsibility to manage the activity, people's involvement and sensitivities, and then to manage the follow up actions. Use Brainstorming well and you will see excellent results in improving the organization, performance, and developing the team. It is useful to review the Johari Window concept and Johari model diagram while studying the Kaleidoscope Brainstorming technique, and when using the process. This is because much of the value of this concept lies in developing awareness of self, others, and what others think of themselves.


Kaleidoscope brainstorming technique

Have you attended any brain storming sessions in your life? The sessions are normally run by a facilitator, who introduces the purpose of the session to the participants, explains the ground rules and coordinates the process. A note taker or scribe may be used to document all the ideas generated in the session. Generally, the session is open to any ideas. Important guideline is that no idea is too simple, stupid or wild.

Kaleidoscope advance brainstorming techniques are applicable to any subject or situation, and any type of forum where people can work as a group, including internet-based conferencing and communications. This is a new approach to the brainstorming process, including different variations as to its use.
Dr Murthy regards 'Kaleidoscope Brainstorming' (KBS) or Multiple Mind Conferencing (MMC) as a "...Romantic interplay between silence and interaction.... a heavenly marriage of thesis and antithesis…"

The process makes efficient use of silence and communication, which are interleaved in the brainstorming session. The various degrees and modes of silence and communication effectively use as 'tools' in the Kaleidoscope brainstorming approach. Notably the power of silence is used to supplement the communications-oriented parts of the session.

The technique may seem 'anti-thematic' at the first glance. However, the intention is to make the brainstorming process more 'holistic', by exploiting the different modes and degrees of silence, absence of communication and a variety of communication and interaction.


1. Initial ideas generation brainstorming session

The session should start with a facilitator detailing the process steps used for the particular session. The session is conducted in a normal fashion with the participants speaking out their ideas in a round robin or random fashion for an agreed period. The facilitator can use any normal brainstorming format for this session. It is a good idea to use a format that is comfortable for the facilitator and the participants.


2. Silent brainstorming session

The silent brainstorming session stage requires all team members or participants to stop talking, and to think of ideas, but not speak out. The facilitator can ring a bell or use another method to indicate the start and end of this part of the exercise. Ideas are to written down by each brainstorming participant. In addition, the participants must guess the ideas that others may be thinking and writing down. Ideally participants should guess the ideas of the other participants for each person, one after the other. For example, if the participants are A, B, C, D, E, F and G, then A would not only write his or her ideas, but also afterwards guess what B, C, D, E, F, and G may have as their ideas. Participants should do this using deep thinking, and base their guesses on the manner that other participants answered during the first speaking part of the session. Participants should be encouraged to think how each of the other participants' minds are working - to empathise, to 'put themselves in the other person's shoes' - as a method of guessing as intuitively and accurately as possible. 'Think how the other person will be thinking' is the sort of guidance that the facilitator can give.

At this stage what's happening is that each participant is coming up with ideas from their own perspective of how each of the other participants is thinking. All participants work on this stage of the session at the same time. You can imagine the multiplicity of ideas and perspectives that this stage produces.

Each participant should logically end up with a list of ideas alongside, or below, the names of each participant, including themselves. After a reasonable period, when it is clear that participants have completed their lists, the facilitator can ring the bell again, indicating the end of the silent brainstorming stage.


3. Presentation of brainstorming ideas session

In this session, each of the delegates reads out or shows their own ideas and also their best guesses of the ideas for others. The presentation made by A would look like the following:

Ideas generated by A
Guess of ideas of B
Guess of ideas of C
Guess of ideas of D
Guess of ideas of E
Guess of ideas of F
Guess of ideas of G

During A's presentation, others simply listen. In turn each delegate gives a similar presentation. It is best if there is no discussion during the presentations. The facilitator should encourage delegates to make notes which people can raise later.


4. Discussion of brainstorming ideas session

The presentations are followed by a detailed discussion session. In this session, the participants may discuss why and how they guessed about others. Each participant can also comment on the guesses of the other participants, and validate or clarify. The highlights and conclusions resulting from discussion should be noted by the facilitator or an appointed 'scribe'. The individual participants can be encouraged also make their own notes, which might for example contain their mental models and appropriate revisions of the creative thinking process of others. In this sense the activity helps open hidden areas of awareness (self and others), which in turn promotes better understanding, relationships, communications, team-building and co-operation.


5. Further silent and speaking sessions - the kaleidoscope effect

Further sessions can repeat and extend the silent session so that participants increase the depth and complexity of their thinking still more. Specifically participants should now think about and guess how other delegates are thinking about the ideas of others. This again is done silently, together. Each delegate will be thinking in deeper levels about each of the other participant's thinking. These complexities of thinking result, for example:

A is thinking and noting down of any of his/her own new ideas
A is also (as in stage 4) thinking afresh about and noting down any thoughts as to what B, C, D, E, F and G are thinking.

And, A is now additionally thinking of what B is thinking of A, C, D, E, F and G, plus what C is thinking of A, B, D, E, F and G, and so on.

Obviously the exercise at this stage has expanded massively. From a simple individual brainstorming activity involving say seven people and seven sets of personal ideas (seven perspectives), the session has expanded to entail seven people each considering six other people's thoughts about the ideas of six other people's ideas (that's 242 perspectives!).

Clearly it is not reasonable to expect delegates to formulate 242 lists, so it is useful to place certain limits on people's activities, which can include for example:

* Allowing delegates to leave blanks against certain delegates names.
* Limiting the number of ideas required to be guessed for each delegate
* Stating a maximum number of perspectives
* Allocating responsibility to each delegate to think about certain named delegates
* And in any event giving a time limit for each stage of the activity

As with any team building or team working activity, the facilitator needs to be able to assess progress and to adapt, adjust and give clarifying or steadying guidelines during the activity to maintain the group's focus and effectiveness.

At the fifth stage, all participants will in their own way be thinking in a highly complex fashion. The participants mind are acting as mirrors creating multiple reflections of each other, rather like the few small objects inside a kaleidoscope creating wonderful arrays and patterns.

It is easy to imagine how using this process the number of ideas generated are many times more than when using normal brainstorming techniques.

Dr Murthy reports that typically after a number of Kaleidoscope Brainstorming sessions a group experience an 'asymptotic approximation of their thinking process'. (Asymptotic refers to the 'asymptotic' effect whereby two or more things increasingly converge as if to become joined and together, but never actually join or become one). He says this is enabled by successive convergence and cross-fertilization among a group or team of each members thinking process, thoughts and ideas. He adds interestingly that groups ultimately do not need to be talking to each other for their minds to be conferencing with each other. In fact, they can be as far geographically apart as they need to be for their routine life, but still efficiently conferencing and in tune with each other.

Dr Murthy adds: "The most important aspect is the discipline developed by the silent brainstorming paradigm. Regular teams or 'virtual' teams can be brought together to practice this technique. It is a good idea for the team members to branch out and form new groups with new members to extend the practice. It is also a good idea to have new members or visitors to the Kaleidoscope Brainstorming team inducted routinely. Diversity of backgrounds is the key to freshness of ideas. True diversity in gender, age, ethnic background, educational levels, race, and personality types will ensure Brainstorming teams and activities are kept as fertile as possible. It is like any ecological system. Stability of a Kaleidoscope Brainstorming team ecology is good, but as well, aberrations and perturbations can guarantee long-term growth."

Delhi High Court wants law to change with time and shed gender bias

Harish V. Nair (for Hindustan Times) - June 5, 2007

Should women be punished for adultery?

THE DELHI High Court has reopened the old debate on whether women should also be punished for adultery.

At present a married woman involved in an illicit relationship cannot be prosecuted by her husband for adultery since the law sees her as 'victim'. Her lover can, and is seen as the sole perpetrator of the crime. The maximum punishment for adultery is five years imprisonment.

While quashing a case of adultery for lack of evidence, Justice A.K. Sikri on Monday observed that society had changed a great deal since Lord Macaulay drafted his penal code for the country in 1837 - which became the basis of the Indian Penal Code. The strict segregation of the sexes at the time, including the purdah system, made voluntary adultery for women almost impossible.

It was the fourth report of the Law Commission that clearly said adultery was a crime committed only by men. Women were excluded because they were, "already living in humiliating and oppressive conditions within the family".

That women should also be charged in adultery cases was first recommended by the 42nd report of the Law Commission. The report of the Justice V.S. Malimath committee on criminal law reform in 2003
said the same.

Another view has been expressed by the National Commission for Women (NCW) and the Madhav Menon panel's draft National Policy on Criminal Justice. Both have said that adultery should not be treated as a crime at all, and Section 497 of the IPC, which relates to it, should be scrapped.

"We have yet to see how Parliament reacts to the recommendations and whether Section 497 is retained and offending women are also included thereby enlarging the scope of this section or the legislature goes to the other extreme by abrogating the section altogether," said Justice Sikri.

Justice Malimath told HT: "There is no reason for not meting out similar treatment to the wife who has sexual intercourse with anybody other than the husband."

But NCW Chairperson Girija Vyas was firmly against punishing women for adultery. "The woman is the victim all the time," she said. "During court cases, husbands often level false charges against wives. This is mostly seen when the question of granting maintenance to the wife arises following a divorce."

harish.nair@hindustantimes.com

Message from Akal Takht Sahib

All Sikhs to come and join the peaceful protest starting from Gurudwara Fategarh Sahib at 10am tommorrow i.e. 31st May, 07 and ending at Gurudwara Sri Jyoti Swarup Sahib, Fatehgarh. All Participants must recite “Satnam Waheguru” and no display of arms.

Meeting at Akal Takht Sahib on Dera Apology

The five high priests (Jathedars) of five Takhts, will meet later on Tuesday at Akal Takht Sahib, the highest sikh religious body, in Amritsar to consider the apology sent to them by the Dera Sacha Sauda.

The Dera sent a signed letter of apology to the highest Sikh religious body, the Akal Takht Sahib on Monday evening. The letter is signed by the Vice President of Dera Sacha Sauda.

Dera felt sorry to Guru Gobind Singh Ji

The criticism Dera faced on the apology row over imitating Guru Gobind Singh Ji has taken a new turn when Sect Chief released a press note late in the evening stating that, Sect Chief can not even dare to dream of levelling Guru Gobind Singh Ji. we have already expressed regrets upon the events But the incidents happened in Punjab and for the sake of peace in Punjab and in interest of public we feel sorry before Guru Gobind Singh Ji.

This is a press note for press to gain people support and convey the message that Sect is serious to solve the issue, but in actual its nothing more than playing with the words and public emotions.

This is not even addressed to Akaal Takhat Sahib, So the acceptance of the apology is doubtful.

As reported earlier, this was clear that Dera chief will not apologize directly to Sikhs or Akal Takhat Sahib because this will be seen as a loss to them.

Anyways, they are apologizing to Guru Gobind Singh ji and Guru ji is always kind. I think this should ease the tension and bring peace in Punjab.

Rest is wait and watch.

Zee News - Interview with Swami Agnivesh and Mohkam Singh of Damdami Taksal

Zee News - interview with Swami Agnivesh and Mohkam Singh from Damdami Taksal on Dera issue as the deadline of vacating the Deras, is ending in few hours.


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ycg3M2M610s
(Part 1 of 4)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GzEHWcNTNHc
(Part 2 of 4)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=moKk17lx8Hw
(Part 3 of 4)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BVWtYsaaoWI
(Part 4 of 4)

Swami Agnivesh on Dera Issue

Swami Agnivesh in an interview with Zee News mentioned that they received a draft note (apology note) from the Dera and they have sent it back to Dera with some suggestion in the Draft. And he is still waiting for the final draft from the Dera which he will take to Akal Takht Sahib to ease the tension on the issue.

In his interview with various channels, Swami Agnivesh mentioned that Dera Chief is ready for the apology but he is caught in his own web and continued saying that Dr. Aditya and other followers are not allowing this to happen. There seems some politics on this issue within the Dera.

When Zee News reporter again tried to put political reason behind the issue, Swami Agnivesh replied that it is not a political issue, he continued saying that all the people in Punjab Sikhs or Hindus etc. belonging to any party are standing together on this issue hence no question of politics. And even he and other religious leaders feel the same and that Dera must apologise to Sikhs.

He was also surprised on Dera's part on entire issue. In an interview with Janmat reporter (two days back), where Dr. Aditya was also called upon, he asked Dr. Aditya about the delay in releasing the apology note.

Everyone seems to be tensed on the issue as deadline of 27 May, 07 to vacate all the Deras from Punjab, is ending in few hours.

Swami Agnivesh with other religious leaders to meet Akal Takht Jathedar after their meeting with Dera head

Swami Agnivesh was likely to meet the Jathedar yesterday following his talks with dera head Gurmit Ram Rahim Singh on 22nd May. However, he did not arrive in Amritsar yesterday. “We have been told that they wanted to come here. They are welcome, this house of the Almighty is open for all,” said Jathedar Vedanti.

He said options for talks should always remain open, apology from the dera head would “definitely ease prevailing tension” and might pave way for amicable religious solution.

Swami Agnivesh, who is a well-known social activist working for the inter-religious and inter-faith dialogues, had claimed a breakthrough in the stand-off after meeting the dera head.

Though he claimed that mutually acceptable solution would soon be worked out, instead of coming to the Holy City, the committee members left for Delhi.

Meanwhile, though peaceniks are making efforts to iron out differences, the Swami emerged as a major interlocutor. Though he has not disclosed whether the Dera chief had agreed to apologise, there was likelihood that he would bring some good tidings.

In a TV interview, Swami Agnivesh was looking positive. He had went to meet Dera head along with other religious leader. They all had a long discussion with the Dera head and their committee members. And according to him, Dera was supposed to release another press note and it is believed that this time they will apologise without playing with the words, to ease the tension.

When asked about when was the Swami expected, the Jathedar said as committee members had not made any direct contact with them at the Takht’s secretariat or the Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee (SGPC), they were unaware of their coming to the city so far.

There were, meanwhile, reports that the Swami, along with some other members of other religious communities, might arrive here in the evening.

NDTV Talk Show - Storm within Sikhism (6 Parts)

(Part 1 of 6)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gi8F_vMWjqA

(Part 2 of 6)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wNK8XgRbets

(Part 3 of 6)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=l2pRrcyYn-U

(Part 4 of 6)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wndFdZCKAOw

(Part 5 of 6)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WrlISD05TGk

(Part 6 of 6)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uuWx4O6nLm4

Dera Baba exposed by IBN7

Letter of Sadhvi (lady from dera) where she has talked about the sex exploitation .......

Jhootha Dera and its Baba

The baba lives in an 18-acre stronghold within the mini-township. When he emerges, he moves around in regal style surrounded by his bodyguards.

In 2001, Rajinder, a follower, fell-out with the leader and sometime later he was murdered at his hometown in Kurukshetra. Two Dera members are accused in this murder case.

Then a year later, Ram Chander Chatrapati, a local journalist, printed a letter that had allegations of sexual abuse by an anonymous woman against the Dera chief.

Chatrapati was shot dead at his home. Three Dera followers were arrested in the case, two of which were held at the murder site.

''The people from the Dera had threatened my father and then one day he was shot dead,'' said Anshul, Son of Ram Chander Chatrapati.

Now all these cases are being investigated by the CBI .

''We've said everything we had to and we won't say anything now,'' said Dr Aditya Arora, Spokesman, Dera Sacha Sauda.

Controversies notwithstanding, the baba's clout has grown.

The Dera's appeal is to largely to the marginalized and backward sections the Dalits - a potent political force which the Dera chief successfully tested in February.

In the Punjab elections in 2007, he asked his followers to vote for the Congress, something that helped the party improve its tally in the southern area known as Malwa.

The Dera chief's son is married to the daughter of a Congress MLA. But it's not clear whether the chief will be playing a more prominent role.

For now, peace-negotiators have told him to lie low.

(Source: NDTV)

Akal Takhat Sahib Verdict

Akal Takhat Sahib refused REGRET Plea . It called it as foul trap / drama ( Dera Head never felt sorry till now, he just twisting situation)

Few of the brief points of Akal Takhat Sahib Hukam (verdict) is:

a) Complete Punjab bandh on 22nd May, 2007
b) All dera's to be closed in Punjab till 27th May, 2007
c) CBI should complete enquiry against baba by May end.
d) Next Akal Takhat Sahib meet is on 31st May to take next action

Sikhs supporting Akal Takhat Sahib edict with loud jaikara's.

Amritsar Meeting - Part 2

CID personal caught with revolver in Akal Takht Sahib meeting....

He talks of Shunning Moh, Maya but drives Flashy Cars and Wears Fancy clothes - That's Dera Sacha Sauda's Head, Gurmeet Ram Rahim

(Source: Mumbai Mirror - 20th May 2007)

Dera Baba Regrets over the issue

After creating so much of tension, Dera Baba regrets for the entire issue. Is it acceptable? If he calls himself Saint and Insaan then why is he having so much of ego? He could have said that ... "I apologise to Sikh Sangat if my act has hurt them in anyways".

Please read the other posts to know about the entire issue:

http://jaspreetsingh.blogspot.com/2007/05/why-sikhs-are-angry.html
http://jaspreetsingh.blogspot.com/2007/05/dera-jhuta-sauda-know-them.html

or visit this site:

http://akalpurakhkifauj.googlepages.com/eyeopener-derasachasuada