Clearly define the objective. Any brainstorming session should clearly define the purpose and
desired outcome, and leaders should devote additional time for this for global teams. Most
intercultural challenges begin with clashing expectations. To address this, ask each team
member to come to the brainstorming session having written down his/her understanding of
the objective, and in the meeting, briefly go over what people wrote. Pay attention to subtle
differences, and don't move on until everyone is aligned in their understanding of the
objective. You can check for understanding by asking participants how they might explain the
objective to others on their teams.
Give advance warning. Don't spring a brainstorming session on a global team. Let them know
ahead of time. Those who prefer to have time to generate ideas independently or by consulting
others will feel better prepared to participate. You can also talk to participants who tend to
dominate conversations and let them know that you're going to ask others to share their ideas
first. Similarly, encourage those who are more reticent to share their unique perspectives,
which may buoy their confidence. You can also suggest alternative ways for their input to be
shared (i.e., sending you a written list of ideas).
Insist on 100% participation. Assuming you want participation from everyone, make that
explicit. And assure the team that the goal is not to have everyone talking equal amounts of
time but to ensure that input and ideas come from everyone. Offer a variety of ways for input
to be offered. For example, those who come from a more collectivist background may prefer to
spend some time discussing ideas together beforehand and share them collectively with the
group.
These strategies aren't rocket science, yet they're easily overlooked. I personally enjoy
brainstorming sessions, so my default mode is to assume everyone feels the same way — even
though I know better. Especially when we are extremely busy or stressed, it is easy to forego a
conscious, proactive approach to brainstorming, which takes a bit more prep time. But by being
more thoughtful and strategic in how you approach brainstorming, you will increase
participation and yield more, and more innovative, ideas.
David Livermore, PhD, is a leading researcher and thought leader on global leadership and cultural intelligence and has
written ten books, including Leading with Cultural Intelligence and his latest Driven by Difference. He leads the Cultural
Intelligence Center in East Lansing, Michigan, is a visiting scholar at Nanyang Business School in Singapore, and has
worked with leaders in more than 100 countries.