How to build trust when brainstorming

If you had been managing or working with creative teams before, you probably experienced some anxiety before brainstorming sessions. The question is always the same; Will everyone participate or just show up and be silent?

Of course, there could be several factors that stop your team from participating and keep the good energy flowing, but this time we'll focus on a particular one: trust.

Trust empowers all your team members to express their ideas freely, reduce the anxiety during the creative process and, in general, create a good vibe. Without trust, most of your creatives would prefer to stay "invisible" and keep their mouths close.

Here are some tips on how to create trust in your team.

Reward participation, not only great ideas
In that way, your team will have less pressure when they speak up and won't wait until they have the best idea every to share it with the rest.

Don't shut down ideas
When brainstorming, you want to look for quantity, not quality. It's important to say as many ideas as you can because even the silliest idea could evolve into something great. And of course, don't label any idea as "stupid".

Give everyone their own time
Don't pressure your team mates and don't force them to speak if they don't want to. Everyone has their own pace. Some people prefer to take some time before they give ideas, others don't.