What's the Worst That Could Happen?
Exploring the Possibilities with Reverse Brainstorming

Search online for "creative problem solving" and you'll find yourself wading through more than half a million entries. From visual dictionaries and online word generators to simply asking, "What if...," there's no lack of tools to tap into when you need a little inspiration.

One of the more interesting approaches to cross our desk in recent days is reverse brainstorming. Also known as negative brainstorming, this technique invites users to think differently - trying to cause the problem instead of solve it, or achieve the opposite of the desired results.

Why is this reverse technique so often effective, especially when you've tried and exhausted other problem-solving methods? Regrettably, it leverages our oh-so-human tendency to see the negative side of things. Think about it...you've been in those meetings where participants find it far easier to tell you why something absolutely won't work rather than seeing the positives.

Reverse brainstorming sessions start like any other: getting together a diverse group and writing the problem on a white board or flip chart. But instead of brainstorming for possible solutions, ask your team to come up with anything and everything that could make the problem worse.

For example, your organization wants to reduce its carbon footprint. When asked, "How can we be less energy efficient?" your reverse brainstorming team comes up with outlandish ideas like providing bonuses for employees who waste the most energy, installing inefficient old-school light bulbs, or operating heat-generating equipment at the hottest times of the day during the summer. But those ideas prompt highly effective solutions, such as running equipment at off-peak hours to save energy and appointing "energy monitors" who reward environmentally sound behavior with on-the-spot gift cards.

As with any brainstorming tool, the reverse technique is designed to produce a volume of ideas within a short timeframe. Some will be actionable, some ridiculous, but there's no better way to get your people thinking in new directions and generating some valuable "ah-ha" moments in the process.

About the Author
NJ copywriter Lisa Fahoury, a Certified Business Communicator and principal at Fahoury Ink in West Orange, is the editor of Creative Compost: Where Great Marketing Ideas Grow, a marketing newsletter focusing on offbeat promotion strategies. She is also the creator of the Think Like a Fish seminar series on creative thinking. Reach her at 973-324-2100 or follow her on Twitter: twitter.com/fahouryink.

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