Interested in signing up for Crainstorm, but aren’t sure you have what it takes to be a contributor? Look no further. We’ve compiled a list of traits that every contributor can leverage to be a success no matter what the session.

 

Keep Your Distance

Don’t hold back from applying to a session just because it’s about a topic you’re not familiar with, an industry you aren’t associated with or even if it’s being hosted from the opposite side of the world. Even before “social distancing” became part of our everyday vocabulary, creating distance was a way to foster creativity in the workplace.

By stepping back and asking for outside perspectives, a host can create space for outside-of-the box ideas like yours.

As a contributor, your value isn’t necessarily your years of expertise in the host’s industry or intimate knowledge of their product or goals. On the contrary, it might be the fact that you have no experience in their field at all that makes your contribution worthy. Your fresh take on problems that are old news to them might be exactly what they are looking for. You can keep an open mind and look at opportunities without stressing over the details.

 

Be an Expert in Your Own Field

Just because you don’t know everything about the topic of the session doesn’t mean you aren’t exactly what the host is looking for. You’re not only a source of fresh ideas, you’re also a source of new information. You have found solutions to problems they haven’t faced and you’ve found innovations they haven’t begun to look for. Just because you’re in an unrelated field doesn’t mean you lack insights your host needs. Fill out your application and profile truthfully and trust that the host will pick you for the right reason – your perspective.

 

Live Your Life

Your value as a participant doesn’t just stem from your professional experience. Your personal experiences might be valuable too. You may represent the target market that the host wants input from, or have something in your life experience that you can draw from to contribute a great idea. Don’t hold back. Even if it’s not the reason you applied or were accepted, it could open new doors. Don’t forget that a good contributor draws from different perspectives. It’s the different ideas coming together that can lead to innovation.

 

Say Goodbye to Imposter Syndrome

Still feeling under-qualified? That’s okay. You might be experiencing imposter syndrome, a term coined by Pauline Rose Clance and Suzanne Imes to explain a phenomenon in which qualified candidates feel like phonies despite documented success that prove otherwise.

Kick that idea to the curb and participate with confidence. Pushing self-doubt to the side gives you the freedom to explore ideas that might seem silly or odd, but that could be exactly what the host is looking for. If you come prepared to contribute, having read the brief and any background information, then there truly are no wrong answers or silly suggestions.

 

At the end of the day, the key traits of a good participant are the ability to keep an open mind, the willingness to listen to and build off input from others and the eagerness to contribute your own ideas. Beyond that, it’s up to the host to decide if you’re the right fit.

Don’t be afraid to apply and show up to every session with confidence.