When I’m brainstorming with a group of people there is always a point when the energy in the room drops, people run out of ideas… this is perfectly normal (and a good point to get to). At this point I introduce a tangent. We all know people who “go off on tangents” when they are talking and never get to the point, but this tangent actually helps thinking.

I introduce a completely unrelated item. Let’s use Ice Cream as an example. What can you learn from ice-cream to solve your problem? It’s portable, comes in different flavors, is seen as a treat, packaging matters (think about gourmet ice creams), it can be delivered to your door… the ideas are endless. It depends on your problem and your business. (I’d love to hear how ice-cream can help your business  – and not just the boss buying you all some)

Bringing in something new often sparks great ideas. We can all learn from everything if we just look at it a new way. Share your ideas in the comments – What can you learn from Ice Cream?