Learn how to give unrestricted permission to dream wild ideas with the Magic Circle.

Three steps to stop devil’s advocates limiting idea generation restrictions.

Generate unrestricted diverse and wild ideas with The Magic Circle exercise

Have you ever been in a meeting where constraints dictate what solutions can solve a challenge? 

Imagine you are leading a collaborative problem-solving meeting. The team has identified and aligned on the challenge. 

The participant team is excited; you can feel the positive energy in the room. 

You’re up to lead the most playful part of the workshop. The brainstorming and prototyping sessions. 

Then, the devil’s advocate starts listing all the constraints on solving the challenge- cost, time, people, etc.  Team members nod their heads as he speaks. 

And like a punctured balloon at a party, the energy deflates to the floor. Then you start to see pondering and concerned faces. 

I know,  frustrating, right? 

However, a three-step exercise called the Magic Circle can help you give participants permission to share ideas unrestricted. 

How to do it: 

Step 1. Write the challenge they have aligned on a whiteboard. 

Sep 2. Ask participants to write down all the constraints they think they have to solve the challenge on a sticky note (one idea per sticky note) and place them on a whiteboard. 

Step 3. Tell participants that the constraints are on time out. That the timeout is for the next fifteen to thirty minutes (or whatever time you have for the brainstorming session). 

TIP: If you can, roll the whiteboard out of the room. If not, cover it or turn the whiteboard away from the participants) 

Reassure them that the constraints are out there and that they will come back to play later as part of the idea selection. But for now, they will stay outside the meeting room. 

Here is the thing,

• Constraints create mind limitations to generate various diverse and wild ideas—ideas that are key to thinking differently and innovating. (Unless you want to keep digging a hole that is the same but deeper or wider.) 

• Brain dumping constraints concerns on paper clears the mind and creates room for creative solutions and bold and weird ideas like a "Culture Gravity Meeter.

• Taking out (or covering the list) permits dreaming, playing, and thinking wild, crazy, and bold ideas for the allotted time. 

Next time you’re in a meeting and a devil’s advocate starts shouting concerns, try the Magic Circle.