Getting geared up for a strategy session?
No matter what your industry, we know it takes a lot of time, energy, and resources to put a corporate strategy session together. At ImageThink, we know how important it is to make the most of the time you have.
After nearly 10 years of using visuals to facilitate strategy and brainstorm meetings, we’ve come to recognize the signs of success…and the hallmarks of wasted time.
Here are a few tips from our strategy consulting expertise to get you started on the right path:
1. Define Your Goals Up Front
Before your session starts, make sure everyone in attendance is on the same page. Not just about the topic of conversation, but also about the purpose of the conversation. A workshop facilitator can scribe your session objectives up on a board, to refer back to them throughout the day. It’s an easy way to make sure you don’t find yourself straying into the weeds without addressing the core issues you convened to discuss.
2. Set Brainstorm Parameters
Remember when you were a kid at the grocery store, and you couldn’t decide which candy to buy because there were just too many to decide from? Don’t let your brainstorm participants be paralyzed by the same problem. Begin each brainstorm with a few pieces of grounding criteria to help set people’s mind on the right path. Have a workshop facilitator lay out some effective brainstorming techniques for your team. Better yet? Have our graphic recorder scribe these up on a board to serve as a visual reminder throughout the day.
3. Never Leave The Room Without Next Steps
When the brainstorm is really on fire, the last thing you want to do is snuff it out. It’s crucial you leave at least 25 minutes at the end of the day to identify concrete action items, owners, and due dates. Without them, your brainstorm will evaporate back into clouds as soon as your team leaves the room. Get the most out of your strategy meeting!
