Brainstorms

Want Better Group Brainstorming? Embarrass Yourself First

Sharing a story like this makes the entire group less inhibited.

Published

2 years ago

April 8, 2021

INSTORE Staff Instore April 2021 Issue

Want to improve the quality of ideas produced at your annual strategic retreat? Try this: At the start of your meeting, ask everyone to tell an embarrassing story about themselves. It doesn’t have to be life-changing or even work-related. It could be the time they went up on stage to receive a school prize with their fly undone or their neighbors spied them dancing to “Ice Ice Baby” in front of the TV. According to Leigh Thompson at Northwestern’s Kellogg School of Management, such sharing seems to reduce inhibitions, which makes it more likely new and novel ideas will flow. It could also be that by increasing your vulnerability, you become more likable and thus everyone else in the room becomes more amenable to supporting or building on your suggestions or prompts.

Time for More “Me Time”? Time to Call Wilkerson

Rick White, owner of White’s & Co. Jewelry in Rogers, Ark., knew it was time to retire. Since the age of 18, jewelry had been his life. Now it was time to get that “me time” every retailer dreams about. So, he chose Wilkerson to manage his going-out-of-business sale. White says he’d done plenty of sales on his own, but this was different. “Wilkerson has been a very, very good experience. I’ve had the best salespeople in the history of jewelry,” he says. “I recommend Wilkerson because they are really the icon of the jewelry business and going-out-of-business sales. They’ve been doing it for decades. I just think they’re the best.”