How to Run a Brainstorming Session That Doesn't Kill Ideas

2 min read

How to Run a Brainstorming Session That Doesn’t Kill Ideas

The Problem Have you ever seen an engineer bring a list of ideas to a meeting, only to get publicly cross-examined?

You can watch them shut down in real-time. This is what kills proactivity and team safety. You don’t get high-ROI products from silent rooms.

Here’s what worked for me as an EM.

Three Simple Rules for Brainstorming

  1. Separate Time for Ideas vs. Critique
    • The first half of the session is for pure idea flow
    • No shooting anything down. Document everything, even the weird ideas.
    • Only after you capture the full list do you move to evaluation.
    • This avoids groupthink and premature self-censorship.
  2. Coach How to Ask Questions
    • The way you question matters.
    • "Tell me more about this approach." → This gets you more information.
    • "Why would you even suggest this?" → This ends the conversation.
    • Coach your leads and seniors to ask to understand, not to attack. (this is critical)
  3. Praise Proactivity, Move Critique to 1-on-1s
    • When someone brings ideas, praise that proactivity publicly. Show the team what you value.
    • If someone’s critique crosses the line, address it privately in a 1-on-1.
    • This isn’t a lecture, just feedback: “this isn’t how we talk to each other here.”
  • TLDR: Most teams don’t lack ideas; they lack safety. Your job as a leader is to make sure the next engineer comes back to the table.