BPO: Solution-Storming

You've heard that "Two heads are better than one," and you've probably heard of "brainstorming." Here's the exercise I brought in to this morning's BPO breakfast (Business Professionals Organization) - a professional development exercise I call "Solution Storming," which is based in collaborative problem solving.

If you try this with your group, please share how it worked out for you!


Solution Storming
Minimum time: 10 mins. (Can be extended to 20-30 mins.)
Group size: 4 or more participants (Really good for larger groups)
Other notes:

• Pen and paper aren't necessary to do the exercise, but some participants find it useful to write down the results of this exercise and take it home with them.
• If you're meeting in a room that allows movement, I suggest getting the participants mobile. That is, encourage people to stand up and move around and partner up with people they haven't worked with closely before.

Steps:

1. Think of something in your professional and personal life that you would like to improve.
2. List some actions you've already taken to improve this issue.
3. Pair up with someone in the group and take turns (2 minutes each turn) quickly describing what you'd like to improve and what you've done. Then ask your partner for some other possible solutions for your problem, off the top of their head.
4. If there's more time, find a new partner and repeat Step 3. (Ideally, you'd each get a chance to talk with three different people, but even talking with one or two people usually conjures up some new solutions you may not have considered before.)

For more info on the Business Professionals Organization, you can contact them at UABPO@aol.com. Tell 'em Janice sent ya!