"As competition intensifies, the need for creative thinking increases. It is no longer enough to do the same thing better...no longer enough to be efficient and solve problems." Edward de Bono
"You can't wait for inspiration, you have to go after it with a club." Jack London
Generating fresh, innovative ideas can be hard.
Getting better at it isn't.
I've been creative problem solving on demand for over 18 years and here's the thing I know about generating new ideas - the more often you do it, the easier it becomes. That's right, habit and practice, those old chestnuts.
It's tempting to keep doing things the way they've always been done. It's comfortable but it's not going to lead to innovative insights and ground breaking ideas.
My dynamic sessions develop innovative habits. They stimulate idea generation, shift old creative habits and leave your team with a toolkit of effective techniques.
Already a bunch of brilliant, creative types?
Let me reinvigorate your process and re-fuel the creative brain tank.
Previous clients: AIA Insurance, Terabyte, Siemens, Mango Publicity, DDB, NZ Film Commission, Auckland Theatre Company, NZ Comedy Trust, NZ Broadcasting School, The Gibson Group and Christchurch Polytech Institute of Technology.
"Kathryn, thank you for the great work you did in facilitating our recent Leadership team workshop and assisting us to discover solutions. Everyone involved thoroughly enjoyed the day and found it very thought provoking. We spend so much time doing every day that we often don't make the time to sit back, see the big picture and really think about what we could challenge, change or improve." Liz Webb - Strategy and Process Analyst - AIA Insurance New Zealand
Read more testimonials here:
Don't see what you need below? Get in touch to discuss the type of innovation/brainstorming session you need:
Ideas Clinic (2 hours)
Need a new project idea? Or a bunch of innovative ideas for a specific project? This short, sharp, facilitated session uses dynamic brainstorming techniques to help your team generate ideas and expand those that excite the most. A focused, onsite session that delivers new ideas fast.
"We knew we needed a skilled and innovative facilitator to get these great minds firing and to draw out new ideas. Kathryn was a great choice: she is engaging and has an energetic approach. Her exercises became more focused as the session continued and ideas that seemed disparate came together in meaningful ways. Kathryn's sense of humour, focus and lateral way of working really brought the session to life and reaped fantastic results for us." Esther Cahill-Chiaroni - Director - Script To Screen
BrainStorm Bootcamp - (4 Hours)
This right brain bootcamp teaches participants effective brainstorming technique and how to improve creative problem solving. A kick ass training workshop, which looks like fun but is deceptively practical, challenging and invigorating. This workshop leaves your team awake and creatively firing - and with a tool kit of idea generating techniques.
"The brainstorming exercises were enjoyable, productive and left us with a bunch of useful tools we can use for future work – which is excellent. The diverse range of people all found there was something they could take away that would work for them as individuals and that we could also use as a group. It was exactly what we were after.” Jude McClaren - Development Executive - The Gibson Group
BrainStorm: Team (Half Day/Full Day)
A hoot of a teambuilding workshop that has your people working together to create story masterpieces and plan movie mega hits. They’ll be taken through a series of creative exercises based on the principles of storytelling and movie making. And they’ll love it!
Talk to me about your specific creative challenge / Ask me about a tailored brainstorming workshop.
My Philosophy:
“Human beings are naturally creative - we all have new ideas all the time - we can't help ourselves. But we're more likely to have truly innovative ideas when we learn to get out of the way of our creative process. Fear, stress, performance anxiety, self doubt and deadlines inhibit creativity and convince people to stay in a rut doing things the way they've always done them - which is okay I guess - except it's the opposite of innovative. And I've never met a person or a company who sets out to be okay. Given that our brain is wired to get better at what it does most often - we can stimulate more innovative thinking by making it a habit. One thing I've discovered working as a writer is that the more good ideas I have, the more good ideas I have."
Innovation Workshop Facilitator – Kathryn Burnett Book a Workshop:
Speaking topics: Good is The Enemy of Great, The Fear of Being Wrong.
"For a creative agency where ideas are its business, Kathryn’s brainstorming workshop was a breath of fresh air. Our customised session combined theory with practical exercises equipping us with an arsenal of creative weaponry to draw on in the future as well as understanding a little more about each other. Kathryn is a skilled facilitator whose energetic and fun-loving style instantly put everyone at ease. She really understands what makes people tick and everything she brought to our session was absolutely on the money."
Steve Martin - Creative Director - Terabyte
“Kathryn led a company-wide workshop on brainstorming and in a short time gave my team a fantastic tool kit to use in creating great ideas for our clients. She was efficient, effective and great fun.”
Claudia MacDonald - Managing Director - Mango Publicity
“Kathryn Burnett's creativity brainstorming session for the Auckland Theatre Company staff was a riot of ideas and exchanges. By leading us through a series of deceptively simple but increasingly challenging exercises, Kathryn delivered a fun, highly interactive session that got staff members talking, laughing and thinking outside the square. Kathryn’s manner was warm, encouraging and professional. She kept us on task and didn’t let the energy dip for a second. We would certainly consider booking further sessions with her in the future.”
Lynne Cardy - Creative Development & Education Manager- Auckland Theatre Company
“If you're thinking about it, I recommend giving Kathryn's Brainstorming workshop a whirl. The activities were tailored to our specific needs so we got a lot of value from the session. The brainstorming exercises were enjoyable, productive and left us with a bunch of useful tools we can use for future work – which is excellent. The diverse range of people all found there was something they could take away that would work for them as individuals and that we could also use as a group. It was exactly what we were after.”
Jude McLaren - Development Coordinator – Gibson Group
"Kathryn is witty, charming, intelligent, concise and focused - and that's even before a glass of wine. Her brainstorm sessions are innovative and motivating. She is also a gifted writer with a delicious ear for comedy springing from genuine interaction. I rate her - you will too."
Peter Elliot - Actor/Director/Presenter - Ellinor Productions Trust
"Kathryn ran a brainstorming workshop for the inaugural NZ Film Commission Escalator Bootcamp. It was very liberating and perfect for squeezing out that creative juice."
Paul Swadel - Development Executive - New Zealand Film Commission
“Working with students a lot I found Brainstorm to give them some invaluable pointers on how to generate thoughts and ideas. Even more useful were the tools shown to release stuck thought processes or road-blocked ideas, tools which will be essential to them in their careers, all wrapped up in a bundle of fun and energy - a great day. Thank you.”
Richard Bell – Director - NZ Broadcasting School
"Because I am self-employed it is hard setting aside time to just be lateral and spontaneous when it comes to the creative process. What I love about these Brainstorm sessions is I get to play in my own head. There is enough structure to challenge and prompt me, but enough freedom to allow me to go off in a completely different direction if I want. The sessions have given me some fantastic new ideas and helped me take existing ones in new and exciting directions. It is perhaps the one part of my week where I can just be purely creative without questioning or ‘reasoning’ my way through the process, and I am not going to be distracted by phone calls or other demands. Kathryn is the perfect drill instructor – inspiring, funny, creative and challenging."
Andrew Whiteside - presenter, director, writer.
"Kathryn's Brainstorm workshops give me the permission to go crazy with my ideas when I'm thinking about a character or storyline, and once the frenzy has settled I discover I have some real gems to work with. A great way to give an idea a kickstart, or reinvigorate an old idea, or just keep the creative juices limbered up."
Cushla Dillion – editor, screenwriter
BrainStorm: Bootcamp (4 Hours +)
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