“I.O” - Innovation Opportunity | ASTRAZENECA

How do you keep innovation top-of-mind for a very busy team? Solution: Capture “I.O.’s” (Innovation Opportunities) that pop up at meetings and create a system for developing them in quarterly brainstorming sessions. Then create an Idea Bank to share with other teams.

A new division | CANADIAN DEPOSITORY FOR SECURITIES

How do you bond a new division arising from a restructuring when it’s a collection of seven diverse departments? Solution: Help people find common ground by sharing “sacred cows” and other potent information. Build a SWOT analysis of the new division and agree on priorities/next steps.

A two-day efficiency session | ASTRAZENECA

How do you find ways, in only two days, to the improve the efficiency of a large department? Solution: Break down the work flow into key actions in a hands-on “Wall” exercise. From this, identify challenges and opportunities including successes worthy of recognition. Then identify the Quick Wins (things easily fixed) and long-term challenges and assign next steps for each.

Annual conference | CANADIAN PROSTATE CANCER NETWORK

How do you maximize a half day with 125 cancer support group leaders who have lots of heart but minimal resources? Solution: Offer them peer-to-peer collaboration! Use “thoughtstarters” to guide fast-paced discussions on four critical topics identified via a pre-conference survey.

New program, new name | ONTARIO MINISTRY OF HEALTH PROMOTION

How do you generate a name for a new afterschool program in one session with employees who are not experienced brainstormers? Solution: Keep them focused on a series of exercises so they don’t worry about performance; start by igniting their passion for the benefits of the program for kids.

New fund, new name | FIDELITY INVESTMENTS

How do you generate a name for a new investment fund with a team that is impatient to start marketing the end result? Solution: Limit the brainstorming to one session and “go wide, go deep” with exercises so the single session has a greater chance of producing a winner.