1. INFORMATION SHARING MEETING: A chance for participants to update each other on projects, download knowledge, share research and other changes impacting their common project. No new ideas are really needed here -- just the real-time sharing of information.

2. TOPIC DISCUSSION MEETING: Some meetings need to be nothing more than talking head sessions. These kinds of meetings give people a chance to air out opinions, share questions, and listen to each other. There's nothing wrong with these kinds of meetings -- but they don't necessarily require brainstorming for them to be effective.

3. TEAM ALIGNMENT MEETING: Sometimes teams simply need to get together to get on the same page. While this may include the sharing of information, it may also be a time for people to connect, clarify their collective vision, and reinforce their commitments. While this may seem "soft," it's not. Unless your team is connected, it's unlikely they will be effective. Getting your ducks in a row usually requires more discussion than brainstorming.

4. FEEDBACK MEETING: Sometimes it's useful for team members to give and receive feedback to each other. This kind of meeting can be as simple as a few "report outs" and then some honorable sharing of feedback. Ideas may emerge in the process, but a feedback meeting is not a brainstorm session. Ideas are less important that the ability of participants to listen to each other and speak their truth.

5. DECISION MAKING MEETING: Sometimes the only reason for a team to get together is to make decisions. Who's doing what? Why? By when? If your team has no agreement or process in place about how it makes decisions, these kinds of meetings won't go very well -- unless, of course, it's already been established that the "boss" or "team leader" is the one with the power to make decisions on behalf of the team.

Make sense?

If you really need to call a brainstorm session
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