Brainstorming sessions: making polite suggestions
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Think about these questions before reading. Share your ideas with a partner.
- Think about a time you worked on a project with a group. How did you decide on the main ideas?
- What makes a group discussion about new ideas successful or unsuccessful?
- Imagine a colleague suggests an idea you don't like. What are some good ways to respond without being rude?
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Brainstorming a Project
Listen to the dialogue. Notice how the vocabulary and grammar from the lesson are used.
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Answer these questions in your own words. Support your answers with evidence from the article.
01According to the article, what are some key actions you need to take in a team brainstorming meeting?
Sample answerYou need to contribute your own ideas, respond to what other people say, and help keep the discussion moving forward.
02What is the main purpose when a team tries to 'generate' and 'contribute' ideas?
Sample answerThe main purpose is to create lots of new ideas for something, like a new project. Everyone should share their thoughts to help the group.
03What is a common problem in brainstorming sessions, and what solution does the article suggest?
Sample answerA common problem is that people are afraid to contribute silly ideas. The article suggests creating a 'no criticism' rule to solve this.
04In what way can making polite suggestions help a brainstorming session become more 'productive'?
Sample answerIf suggestions are polite, people feel more comfortable sharing their own ideas without fear of criticism. This leads to more ideas being shared, which makes the meeting more successful.
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Key vocabulary for brainstorming
Vocabulary
These expressions will help you participate more effectively in brainstorming meetings.
Examples
Think outside the box — to think in a creative and original way, not following the usual rules or ideas.
This is a very common idiom in business. Use it to encourage new and different kinds of thinking.
Come up with (an idea) — to suggest or think of a plan or solution.
This is a key phrasal verb for brainstorming. You can 'come up with' a suggestion, a plan, a name, or a solution to a problem.
On the right track — following a course of action that is likely to be successful.
Use this phrase to politely support an idea that you think is good but might need more work. For example: 'That's an interesting point. I think we're on the right track here.'
Bounce ideas off (someone) — to share your new ideas with a person or group to get their opinion.
This is a friendly, collaborative phrase. You might say, 'Before the meeting, can I bounce a few ideas off you?'
Put forward (a suggestion) — to formally offer an idea for other people to consider.
This is a slightly more formal way to say 'suggest' and is very common in professional meetings. For example: 'I'd like to put forward a suggestion.'
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Complete the sentences with words from the box. One word is extra.
Word bank
01During the meeting, we need to come with a new plan to increase sales.
02The manager said our initial ideas were good, so we knew we were on the right .
03Before the big presentation, I'd like to some ideas off you to see what you think.
04Several interesting suggestions were put during the brainstorming session.
05To solve this problem, we need to think outside the and consider some unusual solutions.
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Grammar: Making polite suggestions
Grammar
When we share ideas in a group, it's important to be polite. Using modals like 'could' and 'might' makes suggestions sound softer and less direct. Phrases like 'How about...?' are also great for inviting others to consider an idea without being too forceful.
Examples
We could try a different approach to marketing this product.
Using 'could' presents the idea as one possibility among many, not a command.
We might want to consider the feedback from the last survey.
'Might' is even more indirect than 'could' and suggests something is worth thinking about.
How about focusing on social media for the next campaign?
After 'How about...?' or 'What about...?', always use the -ing form of the verb.
Key points
- Use 'could' and 'might' with the base form of the verb (e.g., we could go, we might see).
- Use 'How about...?' and 'What about...?' with a noun or an -ing verb.
- Avoid using 'should' for initial suggestions; it can sound like strong advice or criticism.
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Spot the mistake
Read the sentences about brainstorming meetings.
Each sentence contains one error. Find and correct it.
01How about to ask the marketing team for their opinion?
Corrected version
How about to ask asking the marketing team for their opinion?
02It was a very production meeting; we generated a lot of new ideas.
Corrected version
It was a very production productive meeting; we generated a lot of new ideas.
03Everyone in the team need to contribute if we want to succeed.
Corrected version
Everyone in the team need needs to contribute if we want to succeed.
04That's a great suggestion. We can build in that idea later.
Corrected version
That's a great suggestion. We can build in on that idea later.
05He came across with a brilliant solution to the problem.
Corrected version
He came across up with a brilliant solution to the problem.
06We might to consider a different approach for the next campaign.
Corrected version
We might to consider a different approach for the next campaign.
07Let's try to do outside the box for this project.
Corrected version
Let's try to do think outside the box for this project.
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Useful phrases: participating in a brainstorming meeting
Vocabulary
In a brainstorming meeting, it's important to share your ideas clearly and also respond positively to others. Here are some phrases to help you contribute effectively and politely.
Examples
What if we tried...? — to suggest a new idea in a gentle, open way.
Register: neutral. Use this to propose a new direction. It invites others to consider the possibility without being too direct, for example, 'What if we tried a different marketing approach?'
Building on what [Name] said, we could also... — to connect your idea to a previous one.
Register: neutral/formal. This is a great collaborative phrase. It shows you were listening and respect your colleague's contribution before adding your own thought.
I'm not sure about that, because... — to gently disagree or raise a potential problem.
Register: neutral. This is much softer than saying 'That's a bad idea.' Always follow it with a clear, calm reason, for example, '...because we have a very limited budget.'
Could you explain what you mean by...? — to ask for more detail about someone's idea.
Register: neutral/formal. Use this when an idea is unclear or you want to understand it better before responding. It shows you are engaged and interested.
That's a great point. — to agree with an idea and show you think it's valuable.
Register: neutral/informal. A simple, positive way to support a colleague and encourage more ideas. You can follow it up with 'Let's explore that a bit more.'
Just to throw another idea out there... — to introduce a new, possibly unrelated, suggestion.
Register: neutral/informal. Use this when you want to change the direction of the conversation or offer a completely different perspective. It signals that it's just a starting idea.
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Vocabulary for brainstorming meetings
Every successful brainstorming session uses specific vocabulary. Do you know these words?
Match each item on the left with the correct item on the right.
Drag or click to match
Definitions
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Getting the most out of brainstorming
Read the article below, then answer the comprehension questions.
For a brainstorming session to be truly productive, it needs more than just a whiteboard and markers. The team's main objective must be clear to everyone before the meeting starts. How about setting a specific goal, like 'Come up with five new marketing slogans'? This keeps everyone on the right track.
A common problem is that people are afraid to contribute ideas that seem silly. To solve this, we could create a 'no criticism' rule. This encourages everyone to think outside the box and put forward any suggestion, no matter how unusual. The best ideas are often generated when team members feel safe to bounce ideas off each other. Instead of saying 'that won't work', a better approach is to build on what someone else has said. For example, you might say, 'That's an interesting start. We might also consider how it would work for a younger audience.' This way, one small idea can grow into a great one.
01According to the article, what is the first step for a productive brainstorming session?
Sample answerThe first step is to make sure everyone understands the main objective or a specific goal before the meeting begins.
02What is the purpose of the 'no criticism' rule mentioned in the text?
Sample answerIts purpose is to make people feel safe to contribute unusual ideas and to encourage them to think outside the box.
03What does the article suggest you do instead of saying an idea 'won't work'?
Sample answerIt suggests you should try to build on the idea by adding to it or developing it further.
04Why might a team generate more creative ideas using the methods described in the article?
Sample answerBecause the methods create a safe and focused environment where people aren't afraid to share unusual thoughts, and ideas are developed collaboratively instead of being immediately judged.
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Discuss these questions with a partner. Try to use vocabulary from the lesson.
- Some people believe that the best brainstorming sessions have a strong leader to keep the discussion on the right track. Others think it's better when everyone is completely free to put forward any idea. Which approach do you think is more effective?
- Think about your own culture or country. When people in a professional or academic setting bounce ideas off each other, is it more common to be very direct or very polite and indirect? How does this affect creativity?
- Imagine your team needs to come up with a new marketing campaign, but everyone is quiet. What steps could you take to encourage your colleagues to put forward their suggestions and start to think outside the box?