It takes time to fully master all different rules and principles of life, Great Pyramids of Giza were not built in a day after all. It is a visible sign reminding us all of astounding results that can be accomplished with vision, determination and persistence. This is exactly same behavior we want to apply in our ITSM practice if we are to get results of same magnitude.

What we have to do is study founding principles of success and get better at applying them effectively in real world: on IT battlefield. It's a fact: we need to get better at mastering ITSM strategies that lead to higher levels of success.

Regardless of our level of success, both individually and as a team, #1 critical success factor to accomplish this is determined by our ability to identify and process information that will give us leverage that we lack to reach next step and thus enable greater success. The most efficient and fastest way to increase our success is through adoption of behavioral patterns that will create more and more success for us. It pretty much works like a snowball effect: first step is to get started to best of our knowledge and abilities. It can always be improved in course of time. That decision is ours to make. No one else can make it for us! In my monthly newsletter, I discuss how it all works: how states of mind and behavioral patterns are intimately connected and how one does influence other greatly, be it in a positive or...in a negative way.

You keep it civil, take notes, and eventually call a halt to this free-for-all part of session. Now it's time to evaluate and develop ideas for whatever usefulness they may have.

To keep creativity flowing in this stage, have participants defend or develop ideas that are not their own. This brings new insight to idea, and prevents problem of ego-identification that causes people to get "stuck in a rut" with their own ideas.

For example, ask man who was critical of idea of not delivering to work with that idea. "We have to deliver," he might start with. Then he thinks for a second and says, "I suppose we could deliver to central distribution points instead of to individual customer. The customer could drive a short distance to pick up their order. That might save us on shipping."

Someone else suggests that customers may like arrangement. They would be able to return product immediately if they were dissatisfied, with no need to pack and ship it. You assign a couple people to look into it, and move on to other ideas.

Good leadership keeps whole process working. In last example, you've even used a "bad" idea to come to a possible solution. That's good brainstorming.