Product Description
Whether you realized the subtle revolution or not, you have become a citizen of The Creative Age. Look around. You are surrounded by, and chances are you have even become, one of them the Creative Professional who thinks for a living. They are the modern-day Socrates; the contemporary DaVincis immersed in an amalgamation of commerce, ideas and information. They are business executives, marketers, technologists, educators, designers, managers, small business owners, organizational leaders, psychologists, writers, speakers, coaches and consultants. They are us. And, just as the inhabitants of the Industrial Age sought to expand their knowledge of innovation and transportation to capitalize on and contribute to society, we too must tap the sources of creativity that exist within us if we indeed, hope not only to survive but exponentially thrive in this, The Creative Age. Today's challenge is clear: Are we prepared to unpack the true source of creativity and dive into the real reasons some people seem more creative than others? Better yet, if we aren t highly creative, are we willing to adopt an understanding that will allow us to prosper and labor equally along side today s Knowledge Workers? Author and mind voyager Scott Jeffrey personally escorts us through contemporary and relevant research into the nature of consciousness and offers think tools designed to amplify our thoughts and awaken our creativity. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (5)

A Top Tier Volume on Creativity and Inspiration
I have been reading widely about creativity recently (and more books on the way). Like any topic, there's the good, the not-so-good, and well, the other stuff.

Scott Jeffrey's work, Creativity Revealed - Discovering The Source of Inspiration by clearly stands above the rest. The sheer magnitude of voices he invites into his discussion about this topic provide a flavor that is both unique and enduring. However, it's not overwhelming. The appendices to the volume are robust and incredibly beneficial.

Here are a few of my favorite quotes from Scott Jeffrey:

"The sun is always shining, we need only remove the clouds." P. 132

"For the light to enter, the mind must wander." P. 131

"creativity is our natural state, not an anomaly that arises from time to time." P. 131

"The true Student can be an expert in his field or a master at his craft; however, he still possesses the willingness to grow, a gratitude for his gifts, and a sense of profound humility for his own ignorance." P. 104.

"Thoughts , as it turns out, are energy. Each thought has its own vibrational frequency. As human beings, living in the physical world, we tend to ignore the formless. If you can't see it and can't measure it, it's not real, the material reductionist believes." P. 84.

"Whether to create that which is heavenly or hellish is the constant human option." P. ii.

This book serves as a reference guide to future exploration of the topic of creativity. Buy it. Devour it. Refer to it. I HIGHLY RECOMMEND THIS WORK.

Lots better than I originally thought
After reading an excerpt I thought of this book as another one that would accompany the other creativity books on my bookshelf. After receiving it, and reading it, I realize it is much more than a typical creativity book - it spans and covers so much. If I was teaching, I'd be reccomending it to my class are required.

informative, interesting, helpful
Well presented book, a lot of helpful information. For myself.. i got stuck on the level of reasoning on Dr.Hawkins scale of conciousness. This is the reason i bought this book, to get to the level of creativity which calibrates above 400. I would highly recomend this book to anyone who is on the search of self expression/realization. Perception is a subjective matter, however, you will find a well presented ,research based information on the subject. it corresponds to my heart for sure..
Enjoy, Valeria ,[...]

Best Darn Book on Developing Creativity I Have Read/Found
This book by Scott Jeffrey is a Gem! Not your usual book on learning/finding/developing Creativity in your life or business! I underlined so many pages and going back to re-read the book! If you are serious about being more creative in any endeavor and have an open mind to want to learn how, then I truly recommend this book "Creativity Revealed" You will get more out of it than you can imagine...You will see what I mean!
Thanks Scott:)

Creative Breakthrough
I really enjoyed this book and for a more detailed review, visit my blog http://waynehastings.blogs.com/offtheshelf/2008/07/creativity-revealed---a-review.html. I found Scott's book to be a tremendous kick in the pants to my own creativity. He does a fantastic job of giving the reader context and also practical advice on creativity. I would recommend this book to anyone. ... Read more

Product Description
What exactly is creativity? Why do some people seem to have so much of it? Can their secrets be learned? In this trail-blazing book, internationally renowned business creativity expert Michael Michalko answers these questions and more, bringing life-changing techniques into everyone's reach. Michalko has researched and analyzed over 100 of history's greatest thinkers-from Leonardo da Vinci to Charles Darwin, Thomas Edison to Walt Disney-to show readers how creative people think and how to put their secrets to use. It's no wonder that Entrepreneur magazine lauded CRACKING CREATIVITY as "Required reading for anyone in business." Packed with practical exercises and strategies for stimulating creativity, this original book will literally revolutionize the way you think and open up a world of innovative solutions to challenges that you face every day. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (52)

awesome!
This book is for would-be awesome people. Not for the unchallenging minds. Creativity is life, and this book sharpens the tool to shape your life the way you want it. You will know how to 'create' your own sculpture from the discarded piece of rock life has given you.

AWESOME book
This book is an outstanding read and opens your mind to a ton of creative processes to spur creativity.It should be required reading for all teachers, engineers, marketing people--anybody that needs to understand creativity!

A very irritating and inaccurate book.
This author likes to reference creative people throughout history (Freud, da Vinci, Darwin, Einstein, Bohr, Feinman, Edison, Tesla, Picasso, and many others). These people would be turning in their graves if they read how the author described their thought processes. His descriptions of their thinking is trite and jaw droppingly oversimplified.

All that said, I have to admit I got something out of it. It forced me to sit still and put some ideas on paper and brainstorm. While the vast majority of the exercises were pointless, one or two of them made me think. This book minus many of the author's ridiculous claims could be refined to a good magazine article.

Puts you into a different mind set
I really enjoyed reading this book. This is unusual because I am not an avid reader at heart. The author presents many historical case studies of creativity and demonstrates how they apply to different problem solving situations. My only complaint about the book is that toward the end of the book he repeated his historical examples.This made the book a little repetitious and tedious to read.

The best part of this book is that it emphasized the importance of keeping an open mind! Without an open mind which is receptive to unconventional ideas some of the greatest breakthroughs in the world would have not happened.

For several weeks after reading this book I found myself practicing the author suggested "keeping an open mind". This can be an effective tool. Now I am back to my predisposed, stodgy old personality.

Maybe I should read his new book "Thinker toys" for a fresh injection of creativity.

Didn't I read this already?
I had to read this book for a class called Creativity and Visual Communication. Overall, I do think that there were some interesting observations made in the book. However, I continually had the feeling that I read this already. The author repeatedly used the same examples chapter after chapter. After finishing the book, I felt rather confused because all of the strategies seemed to mush together. I felt like each strategy for coming up with creative ideas was the same... write some things on note cards, shuffle the cards around, pick cards at random, read cards, and volia! Creative answer to problem.

I know many people will not agree with me, I'm not looking for that. I just wanted to say, in my opinion, if you feel you are already a creative person, such as an artist, designer, musician, whatever, I don't necessarily think that you will get much of anything out of this book. As an interior designer, I do not feel like this book has helped me in discovering any new approaches for thinking creatively. ... Read more

Product Description
There are over 40 million people who work in creative careers. You may be one of them. Or, perhaps, you would like to join their ranks. If either of these statements is true, this book is for you.

Maziarz offers a concrete program for helping you tap into and develop your creative potential. In fact, if your incorporate these teachings into your life, you can be not only creative, but kick-ass creative.

Maziarz provides a framework full of fun and practical tips for kick-starting the creative process. Included are:


* An examination of energy and what it has to do with art.

* How to deep with your deepest motivations, desires, and feelings.

* Concrete tips about time management.

* How to develop a support group.

* How to get rid of those flimsy excuse that block your creative output. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (35)

Figure out how to lay the best groundwork for your creative life with this book.
Everyone interested in a creative endeavor needs to read this book.The subtitle, "An Energy Makeover for Artists, Explorers, and Creative Professionals" couldn't be more straight on.

Maziarz looks at energy with a zoom lens, and invites readers to be ready for their energy close-up, as well.So, what does kick-ass creativity look like in action and how do you define it?Mazriaz answers all this and more.She offers resources, action paths, and a Q&A for kick-ass specifics.

For example, the chapter on resources isn't just about where to go and who to see.It's about you.It's about your resources: time, money, age, and experience.How do we capitalize on all of these things?The tidbits that are offered here will make you think.Do you want more time to create?From Maziarz "If you really want more time for yourself and your creative work, start by figuring out exactly what more time means for you.What kind of time do you want?"Whether it's an hour or two that you are aiming for or an 8-hour stretch, you need to think about what it is you need.I am a big believer that if you can name, you can have it.To say you want more time is too vague, and Maziarz helps you to define what it is you want.If other commitments are an issue, Maziarz addresses that, too.

With action paths, Maziarz asks you to be ready.Let's consider the practical aspect: if you were discovered tomorrow, would you be ready to feed the public?Do you have items in stock?Do you have marketing materials?Do you have a website and a mailing list?Essentially, are you ready to seize the deeper fullness of the moment?

The Q&A section offers exactly that, questions and answers, but it is also peppered throughout with advice in the margins and things to think about.

Some questions and concerns include:

"I think I'm ready to begin selling my work, but I don't know where to start."
"I think it would help if I had someone to represent my work.When is it time to get an agent?How do I get a good one?"and

BONUS

Maziarz offers a fill-in-the-blank Creative Soul Search to help you focus on what it is you want to do and helps you figure out the how.There's nothing like putting your thoughts on paper to make them real or to help you figure out what it is you want.

The tools to create the best groundwork for your art, your creativity, and your life are laid out in this book.Pick up a copy today!

Brilliant and Big fun! Very helpful and inspiring!

Mary Beth Maziarz's "Kick-Ass Creativity" is a breath of fresh air.
It kept my attention, it got me excited, and it reminded me that I am worthy of my desires.

I am a singer/songwriter, and until recently performing was my least favorite part of my "job". It always created
severe anxiety for me and was a major set back. Her Chapter on Finale Thinking not only gave me a clear view of
what I was really trying to achieve, but by visualizing a positive outcome of a performance I was able to overcome my fear.

I know some of the people who reviewed this book say that they have heard all this, "You are what you vibrate",kind of
stuff before and so have I- The problem wasn't that I wasn't aware of these things, it was that I wasn't DOING it, which I think is more the author's point. I know I am a creature of energy- but when was the last time I really took advantage of that? I had never stared at a stranger's elbow in line at Starbucks and chuckled when they touched or moved it in
response. I was familiar with the idea of "flipping" negative thoughts into something positive but I had never written them on paper or said them out loud.

The activities at the end of each chapter are really helpful. They made me feel vulnerable and I was inspired.
I find myself going back and doing some of the exercises over again, which turns out to be an excellent remedy for
writer's block. Mary Beth Maziarz has encouraged me to lighten up. Tapping into my creativity more shouldn't add stress to my life, it should be fun! I've had the privilege of meeting her after attending one of her workshops at the Durango Songwirter's Expo. She is the same brilliant and funny guide I had gotten to know so well while reading the book.

I would recommend "Kick-Ass Creativity" to anyone, no matter how big or small your creative aspirations may be.
In fact, it is going to make for a fabulous Christmas gift for many of my friends and
family.

Not much meat here
I'm an author and I read this book because it promised so much.Instead what I got was a book that was basically fluff and new age stuff about vibrating and energy.Not enough good advice and lots of feel-good crap.Your money is better spent with The Artist's Way, Get That Novel Started! (And Keep It Going 'til You Finish), I'd Rather Be Writing, Bird by Bird: Some Instructions on Writing and Life or even Writing Down the Bones: Freeing the Writer Within (Shambhala Library).Don't waste your money with this book.

Misleading
I felt really torn about choosing the rating for this book. It really isn't what they describe it as, but it's still the sort of book that a lot of people out there are going to love. The disappointing part is that they, for some reason, gave it such a misleading description.

This isn't a book for everybody out there about how to enhance your energy and be creative. It's more of a mixture of telling you that you'll get whatever you believe you will, and frequent gushing about how wonderful you are. In the midst of it, there's a lot of throwing around words and references to scientific concepts that the author clearly doesn't fully understand.

The general problem, I guess, is that the author is trying much too hard and it's obvious. The exercises at the end of the chapters might spark some interesting thoughts for you, but they're not worth the price of the book. For people who really love a gushy pep talk and promises that all you have to do is focus on wanting something to get it, this is definitely something you'll love. For me, I got this as a review copy, and it's definitely not something I would buy again.

Jump Start Your Creative Battery!
Recently I was on a weeklong cruise - when I came back, my parked car wouldn't start.My father tried to jump start it from his car...the lights came on a little, but my engine still didn't turn over.It took the powerful electricity from a tow truck engine to get my engine revving again.

Creativity can be like that -- sometimes, we get stalled and we need a jumpstart.I've been working on a novel for three years now, and sometimes become mired in self-doubt.Kick-Ass Creativity" is full of insights into the nature of inspiration.It contains practical tips for overcoming fear and procrastination... and reassuring optimism that the "Big Creative" is there just waiting for us to connect to it and let it flow through us.It puts into written word thoughts which I have had many times during the creative process -- that feeling we are channeling something bigger than ourselves, and that "buzz" that comes when it's working.

The writing style, as others have commented, IS like having a great peptalk from a cool, positive friend - and that's exactly what I found so delightful about it. This book is definitely on my list to give as gifts to all my creative friends! ... Read more

Product Description
Creativity is about capturing those moments that make life worth living. The author's objective is to offer an understanding of what leads to these moments, be it the excitement of the artist at the easel or the scientist in the lab, so that knowledge can be used to enrich people's lives. Drawing on 100 interviews with exceptional people, from biologists and physicists to politicians and business leaders, poets and artists, as well as his 30 years of research on the subject, Csikszentmihalyi uses his famous theory to explore the creative process. He discusses such ideas as why creative individuals are often seen as selfish and arrogant, and why the tortured genius is largely a myth. Most important, he clearly explains why creativity needs to be cultivated and is necessary for the future of our country, if not the world. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (25)

Being Creative
Creativity is definitely a major driver in making yourself happy.After reading this book I started to think about different areas on my life I can be more creatve and express myself.I realized a passion of mine was learning to sing so I bought this awesome product Voice Lessons To Go Volume 1: Vocalize and Breath to help me to do.Now i feel like I have a creative outlet for myself that I never did before.

how different people create meaning in life with full intention and focus thus gaining satisfaction and fulfillment
Creativity: Flow and the Psychology of Discovery and Invention
Review by Richard L. Weaver II, Ph.D.

Mihaly's last name is pronounced chick-sent-mih-high, and the intent of his book is to describe how different people create meaning in life with full intention and focus and thereby achieve an ongoing state of satisfaction and sense of fulfillment. It is, thus, not a recipe book for self-improvement, but Csikszentmihalyi offers general concepts -- principles (a flexible framework) -- that can be applied to yourself and your life. Although he is a professor of psychology at the University of Chicago, this is not a textbook, and it is not about psychology alone. With psychology, he interweaves philosophy, anthropology, and sociology as well. It is written for everyone, and it explains an important concept. The major components of the flow experience include: 1) There's clarity of goals, 2) Feedback is immediate. You know moment-by-moment how well you're doing, 3) The challenges of the activity are matched with the skills of the person, 4) There's a feeling of focus on what you're doing, 5) Everyday frustrations are removed from your attention, 6) You feel that you can be control of your life, 7) You also lose a sense of self-consciousness, 8) And, finally, a sense of time is transformed. His discussion of "the zone" or the state of "Flow" is thorough, comprehensive, and clear. This is an engaging, thought-provoking, eye-opening book by a knowledgeable, educated man who offers readers a popularized examination of the intellectual bases for the concept of flow. He doesn't use long lists of scholars, rather, he uses copious "real life" examples to illustrate the concepts he introduces -- how to achieve optimal experience. This is not a "fun" read unless you like critical analysis of psychological processes, but his approach is logical, linear, and well illustrated. Once you read it, you will want to save it and re-read it from time-to-time. As an author who has experienced flow many times in his life, I can tell you that it is wonderful having this book as a mental reference for understanding the entire process.

an odd definition of creativuty
This book narrowly defines Creative people as those who have made a name for themselves by "changing their domain".While it is interesting to read about some of the world's most Ambitious and Recognized creatives, it thereby instantly excludes all the people who are true artists in their craft, but simply have not been recognized publicly by society or become famous in their chosen fields.A frustrating and exclusionary take- much too narrow for me.

I now more fully understand how I think
I consider myself one who is inclined towards creative solutions when dealing with life. I enjoy representing my reality through various mental images that others often consider absurd, odd, etc.; often those mental images lead to a creative solution to a problem. Up until now I thought that this process was simply "my style" of representing and dealing with the world around me. I knew that others had similar tendencies (With differing fields of specialty, interests, hobbies, etc.), but I never thought that such a seemingly chaotic process (Creative thinking) could be broken down into such easy to understand terms (With a minimal amount of psycho-babble). This book does just that.
As a result of reading this book (And I'm just about finished with the other book "Flow: The Psychology of Optimal Experience"), I have learned more about how and why I think the way I do. It is a wonderful feeling.

Excellent book
The description posted here doesn't do the book justice - I own a copy and still made 8 pages of notes for myself. Typed pages! Dr. Csikszentmihalyi distills and highlights the creative moments in life and how to create more creative moments in your own. It is not dry reading - the interviews and comments from his pool of world-class 'creative' people was very enjoyable and I liked that portion the least! Here's one of my favorite quotes: 'Creativity is a central source of meaning in our lives for several reasons.. First, most of the things that are interesting, important, and human are the results of creativity.

We share 98 percent of our genetic makeup with chimpanzees. What makes us different - our language, values, artistic expression, scientific understanding, and technology - is the result of individual ingenuity that was recognized, rewarded, and transmitted through learning. Without creativity, it would be difficult indeed to distinguish humans from apes.'





... Read more

Product Description
For many of us, the return of Zen conjures up images of rock gardens and gently flowing waterfalls. We think of mindfulness and meditation, immersion in a state of being where meaning is found through simplicity. Zen lore has been absorbed by Western practitioners and pop culture alike, yet there is a specific area of this ancient tradition that hasn’t been fully explored in the West. Now, in The Zen of Creativity, American Zen master John Daido Loori presents a book that taps the principles of the Zen arts and aesthetic as a means to unlock creativity and find freedom in the various dimensions of our existence. Loori dissolves the barriers between art and spirituality, opening up the possibility of meeting life with spontaneity, grace, and peace.

Zen Buddhism is steeped in the arts. In spiritual ways, calligraphy, poetry, painting, the tea ceremony, and flower arranging can point us toward our essential, boundless nature. Brilliantly interpreting the teachings of the artless arts, Loori illuminates various elements that awaken our creativity, among them still point, the center of each moment that focuses on the tranquility within; simplicity, in which the creative process is uncluttered and unlimited, like a cloudless sky; spontaneity, a way to navigate through life without preconceptions, with a freshness in which everything becomes new; mystery, a sense of trust in the unknown; creative feedback, the systematic use of an audience to receive noncritical input about our art; art koans, exercises based on paradoxical questions that can be resolved only through artistic expression. Loori shows how these elements interpenetrate and function not only in art, but in all our endeavors.

Beautifully illustrated and punctuated with poems and reflections from Loori’s own spiritual journey, The Zen of Creativity presents a multilayered, bottomless source of insight into our creativity. Appealing equally to spiritual seekers, artists, and veteran Buddhist practitioners, this book is perfect for those wishing to discover new means of self-awareness and expression—and to restore equanimity and freedom amid the vicissitudes of our lives.


From the Hardcover edition. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (19)

Touch Your Creative Soul
This book touched me! The poetry and art is exquisite. Follow the author's journey as his art leads him to his spiritual quest, and back into his art. For the Artist this book is a wonderful read from a fellow artist. For the Searcher this book has many insights and life lessons. For anyone looking for a good read that will touch you and leave you wanting more- this book has it!

Creating art with heart
It is virtually impossible to write the definitive review of "The Zen of Creativity" because, like the koans it contains, this book will elicit no single, uniform response from those who read it.I hesitate even to use the word "read" because the book asks for a response well beyond simply reading it.The quotes and koans alone require unhurried contemplation.One way to treat this book is to take a contemplative walk through it over a number of months, experimenting here and there with the practices John Daido Loori describes.You may be surprised at the new depth you achieve in your chosen art medium as a result, whether it is photography, painting, writing or music making.

I once owned two copies of Mozart's concerto for flute and orchestra No 1 (K313).One version had perfect technique and the passages were as smooth as cream, but it left me unmoved.I gave it away.The recording I kept has a rough texture in places, but it dances with joy. It demonstrates the essence of what Loori is talking about.

"The Zen of Creativity" is not just a play on the word "zen."It IS zen. Neither does it mimic the popular format of "Zen and the art of Motorcycle Maintenance" as so many other authors have done.Loori draws the reader into the very nature of the creative process itself, giving far less importance to technical skills.In fact, if you are looking for ways to improve your artistic competence, you will need to look further afield. Loori's focus is on making a work of art real rather than on making it commercial. His quote from Leonardo Da Vinci is apt; "Where the spirit does not work with the hand, there is no art."

There are many useful books on art techniques out now that teach how to apply your art medium in a skilful way. But none of these provide what "The Zen of Creativity" does in helping the artist recreate the essence of what he or she sees.

If "The Zen of Creativity" seems too great a leap into the philosophy of art, a simple introduction to these concepts can be found in a book produced by the Society of Layerists in Multi-Media (SLMM.) It is "The Art of Layering: Making Connection."Short excerpts from the book are available on their website.For photographers, "The Tao of Photography" by Tom Ang has much the same philosophy of putting heart into one's art.

Not just a read through, but a journey.
I must say that this book spoke to me on a very deep level. I read a couple of lines from it while browsing and was stopped cold. In those few words Mr Loori had summed up much of what my life was about. This touched me so profoundly that I knew the book was for me, tears actually began to well in my eyes. One does not merely read this book, one enters it, as a practice, as a journey, one of great personal discovery. In a section titled "Jeweled Mirror" the author covers feedback groups and how to view art, not from the standpoint of criticism, but from the feelings evoked. He has a photograph and instruction for quieting the mind and viewing the image in a specific way. It is an amazing exercise! This book opens ones eyes to more than creative possibilities, but to deep personal insights as well. You cannot enter it and leave unchanged, unless you are already a Buddha.

The Zen of Creativity
This book takes you on a gentle and insightful journey. Whether you're a practicing Zen Buddhist or not, John Daido Loori expands your mind and opens new ways of tapping into our creative spirit. The Zen of Creativity is the first of many books I've read that explains Buddhist concepts in everyday, American language and thought. It also provides a very clear explanation of how creativity and human nature mysteriously blend together to create our natural being.

Spirituality and creativity
The Zen of Creativity is not only an artist's guide to enhance your creativity. It is also a journey into the Zen philosophy with the guidance of a great master. In reading the book you will be encouraged to find the reason why you take a camera and choose to shoot a certain subject. After reading the book you will probably start looking inside yourself before releasing the shutter. ... Read more

Product Description

Customer Reviews (87)

Fantastic Quick Read on Creativity
I just finished "Ignore Everybody: And 39 Other Keys to Creativity" by Hugh Macleod. It was a great read! I started it Friday last week and just finished it this Monday evening. The cartoons are funny and thought-provoking. The text is very enjoyable. He says what he is going to say on a topic and that is it, chapter over. The brevity is a welcome change in a book of this nature. I enjoyed it all around.

Good book for artists, didn't see how it applied for entrepreneurs
It is an easy one-day read with some rule of thumb observations about what it takes to stay motivated and driven towards your goals. I primarily wanted to read it for business purposes, but didn't extract much information regarding that.

Ignore Everybody especially this book
I did not like this book, it was boring and not useful to me and his points are very basic. I couldn't finish it and I finish 95% of the books I read. Fortunately, I got if from the library and didn't waste my hard earned money on it.

If you're looking for a book on creativity, look into Doug Hall or Roger Von Oech.

I'm a software developer and maybe this book works better for artists.

The best part of the book is the cover and title which got me to read it. There are no "keys to creativity" here.

I don't find his artwork interesting and if you look at some of the chapter headings the content doesn't give you much more than the heading.Here are some examples:

* Start blogging
* Being poor sucks
* Dying young is overrated
* Put the hours in
* Keep your day job

If you read the table of contents you've basically read the book. Please avoid it.

Please reconsider your pricing policy
Dear Hugh MacLeod, Portfolio and Amazon.

When Kindle eBook costs $18.99, which is almost 2x of average Kindle eBook price - it's already quite ridiculous. However, when you offer _hardcover_ dead-tree version for $16.99 that's just irrational. Please consider change in your pricing policy. Thanks.

Hugh is a motivator
I love this book.The drawings are hilarious and informative and make you go "Hmmmm."Hugh makes me want to get up out of the cave, kill something, and drag it home. ... Read more

Product Description
IDEO, the widely admired, award-winning design and development firm that brought the world the Apple mouse, Polaroid's I-Zone instant camera, the Palm V, and hundreds of other cutting-edge products and services, reveals its secrets for fostering a culture and process of continuous innovation.

There isn't a business in America that doesn't want to be more creative in its thinking, products, and processes. At many companies, being first with a concept and first to market are critical just to survive. In The Art of Innovation, Tom Kelley, general manager of the Silicon Valley based design firm IDEO, takes readers behind the scenes of this wildly imaginative and energized company to reveal the strategies and secrets it uses to turn out hit after hit.

IDEO doesn't buy into the myth of the lone genius working away in isolation, waiting for great ideas to strike. Kelley believes everyone can be creative, and the goal at his firm is to tap into that wellspring of creativity in order to make innovation a way of life. How does it do that? IDEO fosters an atmosphere conducive to freely expressing ideas, breaking the rules, and freeing people to design their own work environments. IDEO's focus on teamwork generates countless breakthroughs, fueled by the constant give-and-take among people ready to share ideas and reap the benefits of the group process. IDEO has created an intense, quick-turnaround, brainstorm-and-build process dubbed "the Deep Dive."

In entertaining anecdotes, Kelley illustrates some of his firm's own successes (and joyful failures), as well as pioneering efforts at other leading companies. The book reveals how teams research and immerse themselves in every possible aspect of a new product or service, examining it from the perspective of clients, consumers, and other critical audiences.

Kelley takes the reader through the IDEO problem-solving method:

> Carefully observing the behavior or "anthropology" of the people who will be using a product or service

> Brainstorming with high-energy sessions focused on tangible results

> Quickly prototyping ideas and designs at every step of the way

> Cross-pollinating to find solutions from other fields

> Taking risks, and failing your way to success

> Building a "Greenhouse" for innovation

IDEO has won more awards in the last ten years than any other firm of its kind, and a full half-hour Nightline presentation of its creative process received one of the show's highest ratings.The Art of Innovation will provide business leaders with the insights and tools they need to make their companies the leading-edge, top-rated stars of their industries.Amazon.com Review
IDEO, the world's leading design firm, is the brain trust that's behind some of the more brilliant innovations of the past 20 years--from the Apple mouse, the Polaroid i-Zone instant camera, and the Palm V to the "fat" toothbrush for kids and a self-sealing water bottle for dirt bikers. Not surprisingly, companies all over the world have long wondered what they could learn from IDEO, to come up with better ideas for their own products, services, and operations. In this terrific book from IDEO general manager Tom Kelley (brother of founder David Kelley), IDEO finally delivers--but thankfully not in the step-by-step, flow-chart-filled "process speak" of most how-you-can-do-what-we-do business books. Sure, there are some good bulleted lists to be found here--such as the secrets of successful brainstorming, the qualities of "hot teams," and, toward the end, 10 key ingredients for "How to Create Great Products and Services," including "One Click Is Better Than Two" (the simpler, the better) and "Goof Proof" (no bugs).

But The Art of Innovation really teaches indirectly (not to mention enlightens and entertains) by telling great stories--mainly, of how the best ideas for creating or improving products or processes come not from laboriously organized focus groups, but from keen observations of how regular people work and play on a daily basis. On nearly every page, we learn the backstories of some now-well-established consumer goods, from recent inventions like the Palm Pilot and the in-car beverage holder to things we nearly take for granted--like Ivory soap (created when a P&G worker went to lunch without turning off his soap mixer, and returned to discover his batch overwhipped into 99.44 percent buoyancy) and Kleenex, which transcended its original purpose as a cosmetics remover when people started using the soft paper to wipe and blow their noses. Best of all, Kelley opens wide the doors to IDEO's vibrant, sometimes wacky office environment, and takes us on a vivid tour of how staffers tackle a design challenge: they start not with their ideas of what a new product should offer, but with the existing gaps of need, convenience, and pleasure with which people live on a daily basis, and that IDEO should fill. (Hence, a one-piece children's fishing rod that spares fathers the embarrassment of not knowing how to teach their kids to fish, or Crest toothpaste tubes that don't "gunk up" at the mouth.)

Granted, some of their ideas--like the crucial process of "prototyping," or incorporating dummy drafts of the actual product into the planning, to work out bugs as you go--lend themselves more easily to the making of actual things than to the more common organizational challenge of streamlining services or operations. But, if this big book of bright ideas doesn't get you thinking of how to build a better mousetrap for everything from your whole business process to your personal filing system, you probably deserve to be stuck with the mousetrap you already have. --Timothy Murphy ... Read more

Customer Reviews (77)

Overrated!
Looking to sharpen my thinking on the sacred topic of innovation in the marketplace I picked up this book, expecting some really well thought out insights backed up with cohesive logical arguments - I was disappointed in some ways.

Now IDEO is probably a great company, however the author is far from doing justice to the bold title that he has chosen for this book. It does talk a bit about the 3 stages in a potential process for innovation but then the book evolves (or devolves) into a discussion on office space arrangement and atmosphere. I do not want to underestimate the importance of office environment in shaping the culture of a company but find it too far fetched to believe that offering free food a couple of times a month and having a well thought out office environment (+ other similar tactics) are prerequisites to an innovation culture - there are examples where this has helped, but I can surely recall instances where the most informal office environment has not really led to any breakthrough innovation.

The author also gives a ton of examples, many times project work that IDEO has delivered and tries to drive conclusions based on those examples. The challenge I see is the lack of a cohesive theory connecting the examples to the conclusions drawn - i.e. how do we know that the specific attribute being discussed drove the final "desired outcome". To be fair to the author though, this is not the only book where I have seen such unsubstantiated causal attribution.

A New Perspective
The Art of Innovation was a great read for me. I bought this book purely so I would have something to read on the commuter rail while on my way to my new internship. Without reading any prior reviews of the book, I just expected it to be about the process that a designer goes through when designing a new product. It caught me off guard when the book had a lot more to offer to a young designer.

As a young design student, I am aware of the major impact that IDEO has had on the industrial design community. In this book, Kelley not only explains IDEO's design process but he goes past that and talks about how to use this process to make your designs successful and innovative.

Don't let the publishing date turn you away from reading this book. I have found that the processes discussed in this book to still be completely relevant almost a decade later. The methods used to portray a solution may change, but the core steps taken to arrive at that solution stay the same.

I really enjoyed the section about brainstorming. This is one of the most important parts of the design process and Kelley gives a great description on what can make and break a brainstorming session. Some of my favorites were:
- The Space remembers
- Build and Jump
- Playful Rules

Overall I would say that this book would be a great read for someone who is trying to expand his or her creative side. It could help anyone from a young designer to a typical businessman. The IDEO model could be applied almost anywhere.

Good Read, but Maybe Not Ideal for the Kindle
As a new Kindle owner, I get excited whenever I run across a Kindle version of a book I have been wanting to read. When I saw that this was available, I ordered it immediately, and began reading. This is especially timely for me, because my company has put together several "innovation teams" whose purpose is to review and recommend and implement changes to many aspects of the corporation. I was hoping to get a few ideas that I could pass along to the rest of my team.

First of all, I have really enjoyed this book. True, there are a lot of high-level ideas and maybe not enough specifics, but a reader can't help but get a bit excited to read about an innovative operation such as IDEO's. I found myself remembering and longing for some better, more creative days in my employment past, and hoping for some truly innovative, exciting times in the future.

That being said, my anal side gets a bit aggravated and distracted by the misspellings common to this and nearly all Kindle editions. It's not a deal-breaker, but it's sort of like that tiny rock in your shoe that just keeps moving around. Also, the photos at the beginning of each chapter didn't "translate" well to the Kindle. Most are dark, and some are almost unrecognizable and, consequently, do little to illustrate the text.

I like having the book on my Kindle but, given another chance, I would probably buy the printed version.

Worthwhile, but redundant...
I count myself as an individual lucky enough to have been given a tour of IDEO's HQ. Through no real merit of my own, more as a product of circumstances. Knowing what the company stands for and how it goes about it's work, I give this book 4-stars. I'm trying to balance the sheer genius behind IDEO with the fact that the book does feel a bit redundant by the end. If I were looking for the perfect analogue, I'd go with how I feel when reading a book by Gladwell. You recognize the brilliance of the concepts, but by the end, you've so absorbed his point, that you realize you're reading more and more examples that reinforce what you've already read before. To that end, this is a fantastic book to start reading, and one you can make your own determination on concluding.

A (somewhat dated) infomercial for IDEO
I got to about the halfway point of the audio version and then couldn't get any further.

I am impressed with what IDEO has accomplished, and if I were looking for a history of the firm this would be it.As general advice for someone managing innovation, though, it's at best something to skim through for the high points, which could be summarized in two or three pages.

Also, many of the suggestions that might have been new in 2001 are "old hat" in 2009.That fact may actually be a testament to the success of the firm and its methods, but it does make the book less practical for a reader picking it up today.

One thing I did come away curious about was how the firm and its clients have dealt with the economic downturn, which affects us all and which calls for creative solutions to all kinds of problems.Perhaps they will come out with a second edition that includes stories from the crisis period... ... Read more

Product Description
This liberating book refutes the myth that creativity is a gift limited to a select few. Ray and Myers provide simple guidelines for unlocking the creative essence in all of us. 25 drawings. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (15)

A classic and well worth your attention
Watch Video Here: http://www.amazon.com/review/RTFPH05Z59FOX A review of this classic book that combines the practical with the motivational, made by Jurgen Wolff, author of "Creativity Now!" Creativity Now: Get inspired, create ideas and make them happen now!

Great book!
This is a great book that will really open your mind to releasing the creative potential you were born with.

Don't let the boring title fool you
Jump in.If you are serious about changing your business (and personal) life for the better this book will help you do it.The approach is truly not what one might expect from the comments and information on the cover.Great book.Be brave!

A book about wisdom
Even though it was written over 20 years ago, this book still shines like a gem.The simple reason is that this book is about wisdom.It is not a fad, nor is it really a how-to book.Instead, it directly talks to your wisdom by engaging both the left and right halves of your brain. For anyone who is deeply involved in today's fast-paced and short-fused business world, this book offers a breadth of fresh air.

stimulate your right brain
This was used in Stanford's MBA program, but even if you're not an entrepreneur, it's an invaluable tool to unlocking your creative powers. There are tons of exercises and anecdotes to help you see problems from a different angle. The authors emphasize an intuitive Zen approach to solving problems. BUY THIS BOOK. IT'S GOOD FOR YOUR BRAIN. ... Read more

Product Description
The author of the breakout hit Here Comes Everybody reveals how new technology is changing us from consumers to collaborators, unleashing a torrent of creative production that will transform our world.

For decades, technology encouraged people to squander their time and intellect as passive consumers. Today, tech has finally caught up with human potential. In Cognitive Surplus, Internet guru Clay Shirky forecasts the thrilling changes we will all enjoy as new digital technology puts our untapped resources of talent and goodwill to use at last.

Since we Americans were suburbanized and educated by the postwar boom, we've had a surfeit of intellect, energy, and time-what Shirky calls a cognitive surplus. But this abundance had little impact on the common good because television consumed the lion's share of it-and we consume TV passively, in isolation from one another. Now, for the first time, people are embracing new media that allow us to pool our efforts at vanishingly low cost. The results of this aggregated effort range from mind expanding-reference tools like Wikipedia-to lifesaving-such as Ushahidi.com, which has allowed Kenyans to sidestep government censorship and report on acts of violence in real time.

Shirky argues persuasively that this cognitive surplus-rather than being some strange new departure from normal behavior-actually returns our society to forms of collaboration that were natural to us up through the early twentieth century. He also charts the vast effects that our cognitive surplus-aided by new technologies-will have on twenty-first-century society, and how we can best exploit those effects. Shirky envisions an era of lower creative quality on average but greater innovation, an increase in transparency in all areas of society, and a dramatic rise in productivity that will transform our civilization.

The potential impact of cognitive surplus is enormous. As Shirky points out, Wikipedia was built out of roughly 1 percent of the man-hours that Americans spend watching TV every year. Wikipedia and other current products of cognitive surplus are only the iceberg's tip. Shirky shows how society and our daily lives will be improved dramatically as we learn to exploit our goodwill and free time like never before. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (30)

A Social Entrepreneur's Handbook (of sorts)
Great read for entrepreneurs trying to figure out social enterprise in our shifting technology environment. I do wish Shirky had picked some different examples (Shirky can't mention Lolcats enough for some reason), but his general premise seems reasonably exemplified. Builds on the ideas elaborated his last book, Here Comes Everybody: The Power of Organizing Without Organizations.

"Media is the connective tissue of society" - Chpt. 2: Means
Cognitive Surplus: the collective intellectual capacity made available due to technological advances that enabled citizens of the world to do something else other than watching TV.

"That doesn't mean we'll stop mindlessly watching TV.It just means that consumption will no longer be the way we use media.And any shift, however minor, in the way we use trillion hours of free time a year is likely to be a big deal."Ch. 1 (Gin, Television, and Cognitive Surplus)

Shirky does a masterful job at citing real-world examples (PickUpPal, Ushahidi, PatientsLikeMe, Responsible Citizens) to make his case that in today's connected society is not only about collective sharing but also motivation and common interest or purpose.Also, the Ultimatum Game research in the discussion concerning group governance, the Soma Cube puzzle research on intrinsic and extrinsic motivation, and Gneesy and Rustichini's "A Fine is a Price" research in the Culture chapter was simply fascinating.

The Stupidest Possible Creative Act Is still a Creative Act
Cognitive Surplus is written by the author Clay Shirky. He is also a teacher at New York University, where he teaches "New Media" at the Interactive Telecommunications Program. His previous book is called Here Comes Everybody where he tackled the subject of the power of the web for groups to organize. Shirky has also written for publications like The New York Times and Wired.

My first exposure to Clay Shirky was a talk he gave about the so called problem of information overload. In the talk he explained that the problem is not really information overload. We have had an over abundance of information for centuries. The problem, he said, is a filtering issue. He explains that since the cost of publishing on the web is zero, there's no loss if you don't filter for quality. In traditional publishing the costs are high thus the need to filter for quality before taking that risk. In this book he writes about this subject when he gets to the history of the printing press.

My first impulse to read this book was because I wanted to hear the good news first. What I mean by that is that it was either Nicholas Carr's The Shallows or this one. For the last couple of months, there's been this debate going on on how the web is doing x to us. Mostly negative. How it's robbing our attention, our ability to concentrate, etc. Now that I read Cognitive Surplus, I wouldn't say the it has an opposing view to The Shallows. Carr's is about psychology and the web and Shirky's is about sociology and the web. But one is definitely viewing the glass half empty, and the other is viewing the the glass half full. While Clay Shirky is definitely a techno optimist, don't confuse him with a social media 2.0 guru enthusiast.

If I could sum up the book with one idea it would be this: "The stupidest possible creative act, is still a creative act." This quote comes from the first chapter of the book we're he discusses LOLCATS. Here Shirky is acknowledging that sure, there's a lot of crap on the web, but it's better than having nothing. And it's not just about a content creator making something for an audience, but about creating something to share with a community. For that purpose, the quality is secondary.

The key idea in the book though is free time and television. Television is so embedded in our culture that we don't realize how much time we actually spend on it. Shirky started looking at this because of the frequently asked question, "Were do people find the time." The time has always been there since industrialization and the 40 hour work week. It's that for the last 50 plus years or so, we have spent that free time passively staring at a light emitting box. The so called boob tube. Shirky's conclusion is that the people who have opted to watch less television have made Wikipedia possible, as well as LOLCATS.

Through out the book Shirky also answers why we're doing this for free and what motivates people to do it. The short answer: because we can. The opportunity is there. People just don't want to be a passive consumer anymore. They also want to create and more importantly, to share with people. Now we can. He also writes about the impact and the potential that social media can have with civic service.

This is a big deal. It's an interesting time to be in. We still watch a lot of television, but while we're watching it, we look up info on IMDB from our smart phones. We listen to music, but look for what people are saying and we rate them. We are no longer just an audience, we are the people formerly known as the audience.

Look from round-the-corner ...
Before going into essence of the review, let me first point out that Clay Shirky had selected not very cleverly the title of the book, while the name of book lures your thought more to the psychology or self-development zone ... Which is a terrible and wasteful mistake ...

... The book is really focusing on the social media trends and their impact on how business and society is running. Besides plotting some interesting (and not much discussed) trends that make you think how to leverage that out in your area of interest/concern.

What is the strongest point of the book however is the author's genial stories from past that illustrate why age of social media was no question to come. Honestly, we all know that social media are here and that they will cause profound change, Therefore, just limiting yourself to commenting that would be waste. However, author took an extra mile and brought clear examples from past (reaching back to 19th century) that bring round-the-corner view of facts that make social media possible. My high compliments.

If you are bored about bla-bla on social media, this is book for you. It uncovers real principles and inspired me to several business cases and innovations.

Not a waste of time!
Shirky makes interesting observations about our changing culture and society, drawing insightful parallels from surprisingly diverse places in history. ... Read more

Product Description
The Cambridge Handbook of Creativity is a comprehensive scholarly handbook on creativity from the most respected psychologists, researchers, and educators. This handbook serves both as a thorough introduction to the field of creativity and as an invaluable reference and current source of important information. It covers such diverse topics as the brain, education, business, and world cultures. The first section, "Basic Concepts," is designed to introduce readers to both the history of and key concepts in the field of creativity. The next section, "Diverse Perspectives of Creativity," contains chapters on the many ways of approaching creativity. Several of these approaches, such as the functional, evolutionary, and neuroscientific approaches, have been invented or greatly reconceptualized in the last decade. The third section, "Contemporary Debates," highlights ongoing topics that still inspire discussion. Finally, the editors summarize and discuss important concepts from the book and look to what lies ahead. ... Read more

Product Description
A complete creativity education in one volume. Everything you need to know to increase and unleash your creativity, by America's leading expert on the psychological side of creativity.

Whether you're a painter or a human resources manager, a novelist or an information services specialist, says Eric Maisel, whatever you do, creativity helps you do it better.

In this book, Maisel presents a complete one-year plan for unleashing your creativity. It uncludes two discussions/exercises per week, and culminates in a guided project of your choice--from working on your current novel to planning a new home business. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (14)

If any book can teach creativity... it's surely not this one.
Disclaimer: I am not this book's target audience. I didn't buy it or intend to read it. I'm only even aware of its existence because a friend had a copy in her bathroom, which I've now read in bits and pieces. The only reason I'm moved to comment on it is because I suppose I qualify as what the author calls an Everyday Creative Person; I have made my living for my entire adult life primarily as a musician, and to lesser degrees as a writer, inventor, and theatrical performer. And as a creative person, I'm here to say this guy is grossly misrepresenting us. Neither I nor any of my professionally creative friends (or at least, the ones I've discussed it with) have ever done any of the stuff in this book. In fact, we all think it's silly and rather lame.

This book does not teach you how to be creative. Rather, it teaches you how to be a pretentious, self-important eccentric with delusions of creativity, which you're then encouraged to inflict upon the world around you. The exercises in it seem designed to make you go out and do wacky, unconventional, mind-expanding things, which in turn are supposed to help you think and act creatively. The problem is, the creative people I know don't do those things, and the people I know who DO do those things really aren't creative; they only wish they were.

The author openly and unapologetically approaches creativity as a religion, and appropriately, he endows it with all the heavy-handed dogma you would expect: lots of Thou Shalts and Thou Shalt Nots; lots of bold proclamations about the way things are, what creative people do, and what they don't do; and precious little in the way of supporting evidence other than his own say-so. And frankly, it's all, in this creative guy's humble opinion, wildly off the mark. In real life there are no specific things that creative people do, that other people don't do, except for the obvious: create. Everything else - the methods, the inspirations, the preparation, the execution - is a crap shoot, with as many variations as there are creative people. Sure, I suppose there might be a creative person somewhere who, for example, was helped in some way by writing the names of her heroes in all capital letters on Post-It notes and sticking them around her house... but for someone else to do that because they read it in a book, and expect the same result, misses the point entirely.

I don't know if there are prescribed exercises or action plans that can truly enhance one's creativity. What I do know is that merely surrounding one's self with the (alleged) trappings of creativity won't do the trick. And unfortunately, that's what this book seems to teach.

Great for some, but not for me
I purchased this book because I find that my creativity has greatly decreased over the last 5-7 years. I am in my 30s and bought this book as I was hoping that it would help the creative juices flow again or at least provide some inspiration. It started off okay, but some of the exercises are just not for me - like curling up on a chair with a cup of tea and taking in your surroundings. I'm a busy woman and wanted exercises that would help me use my creativity in a more of a design/creation way and not just through thoughts. I didn't find what I was looking for in the first quarter of this book, so I gave the book away. The person that I gave it to thought it was fantastic and I have no doubt it will greatly benefit her. For me, the exercises were a bit too silly, but my friend who received the book thought they were great. So I would say that while this book was not for me, I'm sure others benefit greatly from it.

The Creativity Book
I love this book!It is very inspirational... just what I need to keep my creative spirit going on a daily basis!

Bite-Size Brillance
Since creativity usually reveals itself in small doses (and because most creative folks have short attention spans), I'm drawn to creativity-related books that stick to the point and offer bite-size morsels of materials. (In fact, both books I've written on this topic -- "IdeaSpotting" and "Zing!" take the approach of single-page messages.)

By presenting his content in a sequential, year-long plan, Maisel gives the reader digestible, easy-to-access inspiration and exercises for higher creativity and fresh ideas. Too many books force the reader to dig for the nuggets in volumes of narrative. Maisel's Creativity Book keeps the reader doing rather than digging!

Worth a Year of Your Time
Eric Maisel has given us a nice book filled with inspiration and creative guidance.

This book is structured in 52 weekly segments starting with beginning work and ending up with a project that should be completed. Each short chapter contains a brief essay of guidance and then an inventive exercise to try on for size.

The author of this book, Eric Maisel, Ph.D., is a psychologist who teaches that the act of creating impacts all aspects of one's life. So this book is intended for everyone, not just those struggling to survive artistic blocks. Executives can develop new business ideas, cooks can create better dishes, lawyers can find new ways to argue, politicians can consider alternative ways to create democracy, children can become better students and so on. Overall an extremely good book for those willing to put forth a bit of effort towards creating new ideas. ... Read more

Product Description

Pastors and church leaders in many congregations have attempted to form teams for the purpose of planning, or designing, worship. Getting a group of people together in one room is fairly easy. But whether large or small church, staff or volunteer, most discover that it is difficult to form a team that actually works.

Using the metaphor of early flight, this resource analyzes how to be a part of a worship design team that works. Major sections include discovering a strategic approach to worship, tips for team composition, a look at how to overcome a series of obstacles that frequently keep teams from finding success together, and some of the usual “mechanical difficulties” that keep teams grounded.

Customer Reviews (1)

A great resource!
Pastors and church leaders in many congregations have attempted to form teams for the purpose of planning, or designing, worship. Getting a group of people together in one room is fairly easy. But whether large or small church, staff or volunteer, most discover that it is difficult to form a team that actually works.

Using the metaphor of early flight, this resource analyzes how to be a part of a worship design team that works.

Major sections include:

*discovering a strategic approach to worship
*tips for team composition
*a look at how to overcome a series of obstacles that frequently keep teams from finding success together
*and some of the usual "mechanical difficulties" that keep teams grounded.

... Read more

Customer Reviews (2)

Buy it!
Mr Davis (pronounced "Csikszentmihalyi") has a wicked sense of humor that pervades every pore of this quite amusing and yet very informative book on creativity. Buy it.

As far as textbooks go...
I used this textbook for a Creative Psych class in my M.A. program and as far as textbooks go it was good.It had a lot of useful information that was presented in an easy to understand format.If you have an interest in this subject this is a very good book and is excellent for really all careers fields from teacher to r & d this has amazing insights into human creativity. ... Read more

Product Description
In the modern economy, where most workers are knowledge workers, creativity and innovation are the most easily sustainable competitive advantages. In The Big Book of Creativity Games, Harvard trained psychologist Robert Epstein provides dozens of games and activities designed to stimulate creativity and generate innovation in the workplace.

Dr. Epstein describes the scientific principles of creativity that underlie the games, and how these principles can be applied to tasks like problem solving, new product development, and marketing. Timely and innovative, The Big Book of Creativity Games is the ideal book for managers to turn to whenever they need:

• Games that are easy to lead and fun to play
• Exercises that go far beyond standard brainstorming techniques
• Innovation jump-starters for team meetings and work groups

Customer Reviews (7)

Creativity from one who knows the source
The book is firmly rooted in science, and the exercises are proof:This is not a cookbook. You need to understand the rationale behind the exercises. The book builds up a coherent set of argument, points to further reading, and is a veritable treasure trove of how to be, and help others be, creative. I highly recommend it.

Hare-Brained
This book delivers so much less than it promises that I have found it virtually useless in training actual human beings. Maybe it was tested on hares. You would do much better (and be much more creative) coming up your own exercises.

Disappointed Innovator
This book was a total disappointment.I have never written a review online before, but if I can stop someone from buying this series I will feel like I've saved someone their hard-earned dollars.The subtitle says "Fun Activities for Jumpstarting Innovation".It should have said "Invent your own games because we don't have any good ones to tell you about".At least half the games were not games at all, but instructions for the participants to CREATE THEIR OWN GAMES!!!!! I COULD HAVE DONE THAT!One after the other are worded as follows:"Participants design and carry out their own exercise to demonstrate the importance of _____ for the creative process" -- (insert chapter topic in the blank).Sorry, that doesn't help me at all.STAY AWAY!

Unleash Your Creativity
It is probably no accident that Robert Epstein's _Big Book of Creativity Games: Quick, Fun Activities for Jumpstarting Innovation_ appears at first glance to be a book for children. Its title, colorful cover, and interior design are reminiscent of children's books. While many of the games can be used in classrooms, the primary audience for the book is adults -- people who want to improve the creativity of those in their businesses or other organizations.

The forty-eight games in the book are based on Epstein's Generativity Theory. His ideas about the creative process grew out of his laboratory research. In addition to refuting popular myths about the creative process, Epstein identifies four core competencies that help individuals express their creativity (plus four more competencies to nurture creativity in others):
1. Capturing new ideas
2. Challenging yourself so that new ideas emerge
3. Broadening your base of knowledge and experience
4. Surrounding yourself with an environment -- both physical and social -- that encourages new ideas

Despite the fact that the book is grounded in theory and research, the information it contains is practical and easily accessible. The book is written in lay terms, and the information is as easy to understand as the juvenile format leads you to expect it to be.

The games are categorized by purpose (such as "convincing people that they're creative") and by core competency. It is easy, therefore, to find games to fit a particular need. Epstein devotes about three pages to each game, providing a summary of the game, its objective, the time required (ranging from 5 to 90 minutes), the materials needed (generally readily available), the procedure, and discussion questions. The discussion questions are indeed a key feature of the book, for the games are intended not only to boost creativity but also to demonstrate creativity's basic principles.

Epstein places a high premium on failure. He says that failure causes us to recall past methods of dealing with a problem -- and often discover a new solution. Without failure, creativity is not needed (remember the Apollo 13 mission). Many games involving the second competency, Challenging, deal with managing the frustration and other negative emotions that often accompany failure.

In addition, the book includes an abridged version of Epstein's Creativity Competencies Inventory for Individuals (ECCI-i) along with a self-scorer. These tools are effective for evaluating a person's overall creativity and each of the four competencies. It is easy, then, for a person to see which areas would benefit from development.

CREATIVE PROCESS DEMYSTIFIED
Thank you, Robert Epstein, for demythologizing creativity. As a writing teacher I found this book very helpful in several ways. The games are fun and each one makes a strong point. My students respond to the core competencies with excitement and gratitude and most can't wait to develop these concrete skills. I've found nothing better for tackling the problem of "writer's block." I have used this book with students in classroom and workshop situations and recommend it to managers who want to jump start their employees' creativity. ... Read more

Product Description

Customer Reviews (5)

Drummer's review
This book seemed very comprehensive in terms of the challenges an artist, musician, writer faces - a lot of thought provoking material.I am doing a re-read.I would recommend this book for those pursuing an art of any kind.

Eric Maisel is simply great!
This book addresses, with great honesty and comprehensiveness all aspects of the artist's personality and the artist's life.It provides insight, validation, support, inspiration, besides providing just good facts and information about the world of the artist.

I love all of Eric Maisel's books.His knowledge of the artist's temperament and life is profound and comprehensive.He does not balk at the hard stuff.And having the hard stuff out on the table makes me feel understood and supported and inspires me to keep moving forward with my work and life.

Whenever I feel alone in my life's goals with writing, I read any of Eric Maisel's books and immediately feel better and encouraged.He really has a great writing style and a beautiful way of pointing out the truth with heart.That's a rare gift.Thank you Eric!!!

A good overview of the creative personality
The author presents a fairly detailed and good overview of the artistic personality and the challenges that the artist faces, both in terms of internal challenges via the personality of the artist, and career challenges that can also occur for the artist. The author also includes exercises at the end of each section that can the artist can use to help him or herself out by answering some good questions. Additionally creativity coaches can also use the exercises to help clients.

A couple problems I found is that the exercises weren't really integrated into each chapter. The writing is also fairly dry, which occasionally had me feeling that I was slogging through the book.

Overall, I'd recommend this book as a resource to both creativity coaches and artists who are looking for some understanding and help.

Midwest Book Review, May 2007 Issue
The latest from Eric Maisel is an amazing and wonderful book that any writer, musician, artist, or performer would benefit from reading. In CREATIVITY FOR LIFE, Maisel brings together concepts and ideas he's discussed in previous books, but here every part is synthesized and complete. It's a smorgasbord of examples and tactics. He breaks new ground in detailing the artist's personality in ways that that the non-psychologist reader will instantly understand, and the book is highly accessible to anyone from beginner to master.

In the introduction he distinguishes between the "artful life," which is the way many people wish to live; the "art-filled life," which includes the joy that art brings; and an "art-committed life," the process of actively choosing to be creative. It's this latter that's the focus of the book.

"As soon as you decide to be creative in a particular domain and that you mean to live as a novelist, biochemist, actor, or sculptor, you introduce a set of profound challenges that you would not have confronted if you had `settled' for artful living and an art-filled life" (p. xii). In four major sections, Maisel thoroughly examines the challenges faced in seeking an art-committed life: The Challenge of the Artistic Personality, The Challenge of the Work, The Challenge of Relationships, and Strategies & Tactics. Each section is brilliantly detailed and will make sense to anyone at any stage of invention, innovation, or imagination.

Because creative folks face major obstacles that non-artists do not, Maisel spends a great deal of time giving hints, ideas, and suggestions. Just a few include ways to silence negative self-talk, using visualization, focusing, and practicing one's craft while bringing to it skills such as regularity, honesty, self-direction, intensity, joy, discipline, and more. He tells us, "Creativity is the act of making one choice after another" (p. 120). Living an art-committed life is the same. As Maisel says late in the book, "Lifelong creativity isn't given to you. You must earn it and attend to it every day... You will have to dig deep to find the requisite honesty, courage, and resilience to live an artful, art-filled, art-committed life... You must really want it and really commit to it in order to have it... to crack through everyday resistance and create for a lifetime" (p. 319-320).

I approach every new nonfiction book by Maisel with giddy excitement, wondering what fresh aspect of the creative process he'll unearth, dust off, and show around. Sometimes I feel like the man must personally know me and the challenges I face in writing - but we have, of course, never met. Maisel is just an amazing creativity coach and counselor who knows the secrets and insecurities, triumphs and tribulations of those who seek the creative life. This book is the next best thing to personally experiencing Maisel's creativity coaching, and I highly recommend it. ~Lori L. Lake, Midwest Book Review

Comprehensive and Enlightening,
As a trainer of creativity coaches, I felt like this book was a delightful feast. The information is both exceptionally intuitive and timelessly helpful to both those who work with creative people and the creative individual themself. If you are a creative person all you need to do is open this book to feel validated, understood and inspired. It is a motivating reality. ... Read more

Product Description
Helps fellow designers keep the creativity and the great design flowing. Presented in sketch-book style, 25 case studies show how award-winning designers imagine, polish and sell their designs. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (19)

Better than Expected
I purchased this book under the assumption that it was a used book. You can imagine my surprise when I received my book and it was in PERFECT condition. The spine still crackeled like a new book does when you first open it. This book appears to have never been used, so I am EXTREMELY happy with my purchase. My book arrived on time and everything! If memory serves me right, I believe it actually arrived in fewer days than quoted. I would definitely recommend this seller to anyone!

Great Help for Designers
This book is a great help for the soon to be graphic designer.It will help you keep your creativity going for many years if you follow its suggestions.

Creativity for Graphic Designers
This is an amazing book. If you are looking for a book that explains the specifics without it turning in to jibberish, then this is the book for you. I am taking Graphic Design 1 and this book has really helped me to understand what exactly goes into creating designs for your client. What I like about the book, it is not bulky. The author really simplified the book which makes it even more of a pleasant read.

easy reader
I am currently using this for a class I am taking online and I do like the way it is set up.There are visuals practically on every page and although the print is kind of small there is not much on the pages.

Design basics
I like the book it helped me understand what it takes to be a graphic designer. Great Book for those looking into Graphic Design as a career. ... Read more

Product Description
Most people tend to idealize artists, writers, and others of the “creative class” as uniquely gifted. But the capacity to create is part of being human–whether that means writing, making art, cooking, gardening, sewing, dancing, acting, singing, or virtually any activity. In Chi and Creativity, Kaleo Ching and Elise Dirlam Ching show readers how to use a wide range of strategies to harness the energy of chi to uncover, and cultivate, that often elusive inner artist.

Based on their popular workshops, the authors offer an integrative process to generate the joy, wonder, and sense of well-being necessary for artistic self-expression. Specific exercises draw on everything from acupressure and breathing techniques to Chi Kung movement and meditation. Through Chi Awareness, the body, mind, emotions, and spirit come into greater harmony. Through guided imagery, they dialogue. Through journaling, they speak. Through art, they join in creative expression of the inner discoveries along the path to greater balance and integration. Chi and Creativity is the authors’ way of sharing this magical transformative process and can be used by anyone who wants to add fuel to their creative fires. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (31)

Kaleo and Elise Ching, Chi and Creativity
Just reading Elise and Kaleo Ching's book "Chi and Creativity: Vital Energy and Your Inner Artist" is bound to give you energy. I sometimes like to begin my first readings of books from back to front, and then front to back. The Chings' book facilitates that--once you read it you find there is no end and no beginning,and you can reread it countless ways; perhaps that is because both its form , and the spirit and intelligence that inform it, do not easily fit beginnings and endings. This is not your usual narrative. The book does not disappoint. I was energized just by the creativity in which the authors mixed genres. This was my first clue that I was onto new terrain. This is not yourusual chi gong book, nor is it your usual creative art book, nor your usual spiritual guide, nor your usual poetry book, nor your usual memoir, nor your usual eastern philosophy book, nor your usual how-to book. It is all of these: it is a poetic, artistic, spiritual, physical, psychological journey and guide into a third space, one which connects us with a creative spirituality and energy that moves beyond the boundaries of physical existence, by using physical movements and art as the entrance and transit points to a spiritual journey.

Since I began at the end of the book,the Appendix "Materials, Herbs, and Spices for Art", gave me my first hint that I was in for an creative, intellectual and spiritual journey .The conclusion made me understand that I was going to witness and experience an individual transformation that had the power to transform everyone around me, and then everyone around them, and so on. If creativity informs transformation, this is an immensely creative book.

We see Kaleo Ching, in one of his last chapters,teaching us frame by frame the Tiger's breath chi kung, and we learn in his movementshow to gain physical strength, flexibility, and balance through a dance of moving meditation.He demonstrates for us,a spirit-body dance in which the object is not to separate one from the other. Through the body,moves breath, life, energy.Posterior to that (or anterior, depending in what direction you read the book), we read in one of Kaleo's journal entries an account of his father's and mother's death, in which he shows us that death is not an ending nor an end itself, since we carry our "ancestors in us...we are their blood, marrow, bones, DNA. We are their spirit, their shadow, their wisdom." Kaleo and Elise don't merely say this; they live it, teach it, and breathe it.The book teaches how to use and combine journal writing, mask making, painting, collage, and poetry as meditative, physical, and spiritual vehicles to self and the world.

We also read journals his students write, and we see paintings and masks his students create; we hear Kaleo and Elise's instructions as if their ancestors' chi is speaking through them and recreating it in us, so that we too can re-create it in those around us. Some of the high points in this book are Elise's poems, which function to show how the divinity of words can reflect that of the world, and how the worldly word can teach us about other-worlds.One of my favorite poems is "Becoming Stone," in which Elise muses on the strengthand silence of a stone as it is absorbed back into a river:

How long must I stand here
Until I turn to stone

Wheel of life:
No spokes or rim or soft tube
But ring of light
Like water in the sun circling me

I become smoother and smoother
Until I am rubbed back to nothing
But the river

Like the book, this poem is about metamorphosis, transformation, change, and interaction. As we read the poem, so we read the book. By the end of the book or by the beginning (if you read from back to front, as I did),we feel we are transformed by the act of reading, learning, practicing, creating, breathing, living-- and, following the instructions of our teachers, Kaleo and Elise, who teach us how to use everything we have in mind and body, and gift it to others. This is Chi and this is Creativity.

accessing creativity and healing
Like a many-colored mosaic, this book offers an exquisite combination of practices to awaken and integrate chi energy and artistic expression. It is a treasure trove of exercises, images, art modalities, individual stories, and ancient wisdom that together combine to lead us into a deeper awareness of the interconnectedness of mind, body and spirit, and our capacity to heal. The love that Kaleo and Elise pour into their work is as palpable here in this book as it is in the classes they teach. Their unique approach, coming from a lifetime of experience, is truly soul-work.

Chi and Creativity
This book is a bible for all body workers and people who work with energy medicine.Anyone can access its information to use on their own healing and body awareness.This book id one of the most looked at when I have visitors.It' a treat to sit for a rest in the middle of the day with a cup of tea and open to any page to get refreshed and have your brain enjoy the richness ln Chi and Creativity . I am grateful for the experiences this book brings forth. Apreciately,Maggie Castanonretired sales representative for Random House

The best book on the subject
I am so grateful that I found this book. Because chi is a relatively abstract and foreign concept, describing it in words can be a challenge. Elise Dirlam Ching and Kaleo Ching have successfully bridged the gap between language and practice to foster understanding of chi's ancient principles. In spite of the book's voluminous size, its feel is unintimidating and the presentation of its information inspiring and accessible. If you want to learn about chi and / or chi kung, this book is utterly essential.

Chi Energy
I love the new book by Kaleo and Elise, as a Massage Therapist I will incorporate the healing practice that are taught in this book.The breathing exercises must be practiced daily to gain the chi energy.The chi kung processes and breathing exercises are expressed and laid out for the reader to practice and incorporateinto everyday life.Kaleo and Elise are inspirational as teachers and mentors who enlighten and encourage me to new heights of life. It is like bringing in sunshine on a rainy day. Should you have an opportunity you should take the 'Chi Kung,' class that Kaleo teaches and you will be ever grateful that you gave yourself a gift. ... Read more

Product Description
Alan Robinson and Sam Stern have traveled all over the world investigating creative acts in organizations and discovered what companies can do to increase their creative performance. The book puts forward a radically new way to promote creativity within business settings and includes numerous success stories.Amazon.com Review
Alan G. Robinson and Sam Stern, university professors who haveserved as advisors on creativity to organizations around the world,believe that the proper combination of imagination and originality iswhat really pumps life into a company. In Corporate Creativity: HowInnovation and Improvement Actually Happen, they cite numerousexamples of its place in celebrated corporate success stories andsuggest various ways that other firms can harness it. Focusing on sixelements they see as essential to the process, the authors show howvirtually any institution can work to encourage creativity within itsranks. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (20)

Promoting and Encouraging those Innovative Ideas
This book offers valuable data and processes to promote innovation and creativity in the workplace. This book builds from the first book "Ideas Are Free," in which it defines serendipity and further illustrates what steps a company should and needs to do in order to retrieve ideas from the front-line and sustain idea flow. I originally bought this book for a class I took with the author (Creating a High Performance Organization through Employee Ideas). If you ever have the opportunity to take a class with Robinson, I highly recommend it. However, his book does give valuable insight into idea innovation and gives confidence to managers who are adaptable to change.

Corporate creativity
The book is a comprehensive anaysis of the subject of organizational innovation that remains perfectly updated in spite of the year os its edition

Creativity at Work
I read this book after a class on Creativity. It was the right time to read it, because I have more expert eyes, and even know how to read between the lines.
This is an astonishing book on putting creativity in corporations. It is full of great suggestions, great real world examples on so many different aspects involving creativity.
I'm so happy with it, because it opened my mind to great new ventures.
I greatly recommend this book to any corporate executive and serious entrepreneurs.

Analysis of Corporate Creativity
Corporate Creativity is a good read for a person that is looking for examples of how innovative thinkers working within a company came up with ideas to save money. The book is riddled with examples of stories that come from large organizations that made cost-cutting measures due to the creativity of an employee. Examples come from many large corporations, such as 3M, American Airlines, and Kodak. The authors outline their six essential steps to corporate creativity, alignment, self-initiated activity, unofficial activity, serendipity, diverse stimuli, and within company communication, providing real examples all along the way.

There is one particular aspect of the book that could use improvement. I thought it would be better for Robinson and Stern to weave a few narratives throughout all six of their steps. Instead, they jump around between numerous stories that fit any single step. This leaves the reader puzzled as to how the authors steps can be applied to their organization. Seemingly cookie cutter examples that fit perfectly within the parameters of what Robinson and Stern are trying to describe are all the reader gets. The stories are good and entertaining, yet there is no explanation as to how these examples can be digested by the reader and used in their own corporations.

This is a good starting point for anyone that is intersted in corporate creativity. By focusing on examples and not implementation, the authors have not provided clear means for the utilization for their ideas. Examples that have worked in other companies are great, but the authors do not provide enough help in linking those past occurences with the problems of the current reader.

Quite entertaining, not meant as a "how to"
The book is good for readability and wide ranging examples of creativity in action.But I found its gee-whiz diagnoses of why and how creativity occur are superficial.OK for a weekend reading and maybe idea generation, but not of much practical use. ... Read more

Product Description
Explaining Creativity is an accessible introduction to the latest scientific research on creativity.In the last 50 yearss, psychologists, anthropologists, and sociologists have increasingly studied creativity, and we now know more about creativity that at any point in history.Explaining Creativity considers not only arts like painting and writing, but also science, stage performance, and business innovation.Until about a decade ago, creativity researchers tended to focus on highly valued activities like fine art painting and Nobel prize winning science.Sawyer brings this research up to date by including movies, music videos, cartoons, videogames, hypertext fiction, and computer technology.For example, this is the first book on creativity to include studies of performance and improvisation.Sawyer draws on the latest research findings to show the importance of collaboration and context in all of these creative activities.

Today's science of creativity is interdisciplinary; in addition to psychological studies of creativity, Explaining Creativity includes research by anthropologists on creativity in non-Western cultures, and research by sociologists about the situations, contexts, and networks of creative activity. Explaining Creativity brings these approaches together within the sociocultural approach to creativity pioneered by Howard Becker, Mihaly Csikszentmihalyi and Howard Gardner.The sociocultural approach moves beyond the individual to consider the social and cultural contexts of creativity, emphasizing the role of collaboration and context in the creative process. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (7)

Explaining the Creativity of this Review
I have rarely seen a text that focuses on creativity from a scientific perspective. Typically, I have heard of creativity as merely being a measure of how creative others within vicinity of your work think you are. While this may still seem true in the whole of society, rest assured that it is only seeming.

This book explores how the idea of creativity has evolved from the Individualist approach to the Contextualist approach with supporting research. In a society where Individualism is endemic, I feel it becomes even more important to understand how effective collaboration can bring about innovation as well as how our social environment in turn effects our generation of ideas.

I do not recommend this text for those with only a practitioners interest in the subject of bringing about innovation, however. (although there is a short section relevant to implementation)
This text focuses more on the theoretical aspects of creativity and innovation that have came about historically as well as recently.

Comprehensive and easy to read
An excellent overview of creativity research. Approachable for both layman and researcher. Interesting findings from much research over the years. An important piece in the perspectives on creativity.

Good book on creativity
Mr.Sawyer does a very good job on presenting conclusions and approaches in research on creativity. It looks like he is very enthusiastic about the work of Mihaly Csikszentmihalyi. I would recommend readers interested in this fascinating field to look also for one of his books. I also recommend the Handbook of Creativity, that is a collection of articles on creativity. I learned some and enjoyed a lot reading Mr. Sawyer's book.

The Science of Creativity
"Explaining Creativity" is one of the best introductions to the science of creativity. It develops a perspective on creativity---an approach known as the sociocultural model---and applies it to a striking range of areas. This sophisticated book requires an open mind. Readers looking for a treatise on the "healing power of the creative spirit" and related pop-psyc pseudoscience will not enjoy "Explaining Creativity," but readers curious to know scientific facts about creativity and innovation will get a lot out of it.

For a different perspective, see Robert Weisberg's fine book "Creativity."

poor to good yet narrow minded
This is a academically written treatise by "a self-proclaimed" expert on creativity who loves music and has read mostly only his own writing, it appears.

He begins highly critical of the massive research done in the creativity research rield from 1950 to 1980 then praises the work of his contemporaries and his own work.

I wrote more challenging notes in the margins of my copy then he wrote on most of the pages.

Often I found in correct statements about fields he seems to have only shallow knowledge of.This often lead me to doubt the value of his writing about fields I have minimal knowledge of.

If you are looking for an overview of creativity research and no other such books are available then you might read this one but be cautious of the extremelly restrictive biases often provided. ... Read more

Product Description

Customer Reviews (7)

A must for people want to keep up in a world where staying ahead is a matter of live or death
After meeting Paul Sloane at the "Best of TechEd og Convergence" Microsoft conference in Iceland where he was a key note speaker and was immediately impressed with the way he captured the audience and had a nice presence. And after attending his training I was even more impressed, feeling compelled to get his book and he even autographed it. So he had proved to me that he was a great speaker, then that he was kind and down to earth...and now, after reading his book I can say that I can, no, must recommend him as a trainer and a writer. The book was easy to read, vitamin for the brain and now I'm using some of the concepts in my company and in my board meetings.

Review of Innovative Leader
Excellent, Excellent Book! I highly recommend it. Many down to earth, easy to understand thoughts, ideas and new ways to bring innovation to my team.

Inspirational, fun and most importantly practical
The Summary
Paul Sloane, an expert on creativity and problem solving, has written a highly entertaining and idea-packed book on how to foster creativity and innovation in your teams. Every leader wants their teams to be more innovative, but don't always know how to go about it. Sloane, has gathered together a whole plethora of tools and techniques to stimulate teams into innovation overdrive.
NOTE: This review might seem a little over-excited! My only excuse is that it is hard not to be excited by Paul's exuberance that overflows throughout book!

The Audience
This booked is aimed at leaders that want to foster innovation and creativity into their teams. If you are looking for a practical book with techniques and tools that can be applied immediately to stimulate your teams, then look no further!

The Details
This is a short, fun book on how to build innovative cultures. Don't be fooled by this slim volume, it is jam-packed with innovative techniques and tools! Paul Sloane is described as an entertaining, thought-provoking and motivational speaker. I have never seen him live, but after reading this book, I can believe the hype! He has managed to imbue his enthusiasm into this very practical book!

The book is organized into 6 sections:
- Section 1 - Leading Innovation - How to become an innovative leader, how to kick of an innovative culture.
- Section 2 - Problem Analysis - How to frame problems
- Section 3 - Generating Ideas - How to generate lots of ideas!
- Section 4 - Implementing Innovation Processes - How to structure innovation projects in your organization
- Section 5 - Building a Creative Culture - How to build a culture where creativity thrives
- Section 6 - Personal Creativity - How to develop personal creativity skills

The tools and techniques described are accompanied with stories and examples that drive home the message.

The Take-Aways
I have read many books on innovation and creativity and even I managed to discover some techniques that I had not seen before. Paul is most definitely an expert on innovation and has managed to write an inspirational book on how to become an innovative leader.

If you are a busy manager and want a practical book packed with techniques you can use at work on Monday morning, then buy, read and kick start your innovation engine!

Kes Sampanthar
Inventor of ThinkCube

Both an Inspiration and a Reference for Success in Innovation
"When I picked the book up, I was at first riveted by Paul Sloanes' commentary of the social and business impact of innovation.His tips go on to help you understand new ways to do this that could be used in your company.I immediately wanted to stop, put the book down and take action on the points made in the text, such as Paul's "10 Ways to Increase Innovation."I picked the book up again for a second dose of enthusiasm and noted that there are powerful historical references to how people have applied concepts of innovataion before. The Innovative Leader is now an important reference that I like using in building consulting strategies with our clients. One of my favorites in Paul's book is, "give everyone two jobs..."I highly recommend this book to anyone looking for ways to add value to their business,and improve their own career potential."

The Innovative Leader helps bosses to `get' innovation
Busy leaders and senior level executives will love Paul Sloane's new book, The Innovative Leader. It distills numerous innovation lessons and strategies into a concise, actionable executive summary format that speaks to their needs.

Sloane combines an impressive depth of knowledge about what works and doesn't work in the world of innovation, along with a strong background in lateral thinking - a chief source of ideas that fuel breakthrough innovation. He also weaves in real-world examples from innovative companies like IBM, Google and Virgin.

Unlike some innovation books, in which the author spends several hundred pages outlining his or her pet innovation framework, Sloane provides the reader with an eminently practical collection of innovation tips, examples and strategies. You'll find ideas that you'll want to implement right away in your business. ... Read more