An easy way to be better at brainstorming

I've never liked brainstorming sessions. They don't fit my mental makeup; the social, open-kimino aspect to sharing random ideas just doesn't work well for me. As a result, I've been accused of not being engaged or participating well in the past. But in social situations, my brain burns too many cycles just managing the human interaction aspect. There's not much fuel left for bursts of brilliance. And I know I'm not the only one out there like that. My ideas flow much better when I'm just working inside my head, so I made a change that helped tremendously: I hold a brainstorming session myself ahead of time. Seems easy enough, right? Spend some time thinking, write your ideas down and bring them to the session. Like anything in life, the Boy Scout motto applies: Be prepared. When I work this way, I'm ready, I'm relaxed and I add value. Let's be honest: Brainstorming sessions aren't just about the Next Big Idea; they are also about judging participation. If you're not naturally inclined to excel in those situations, you better find another way to make sure you bring something to the table. American culture values extroversion. That's just the way it is. Those of us who lean to introversion have to develop our own tricks to meet cultural expectations if we're going to excel. The Boy Scouts have it right.