Book Description
In just the last few years, traditional collaboration—in a meeting room, a conference call, even a convention center—has been superseded by collaborations on an astronomical scale.
Today, encyclopedias, jetliners, operating systems, mutual funds, and many other items are being created by teams numbering in the thousands or even millions. While some leaders fear the heaving growth of these massive online communities, Wikinomics proves this fear is folly. Smart firms can harness collective capability and genius to spur innovation, growth, and success.
A brilliant guide to one of the most profound changes of our time, Wikinomics challenges our most deeply-rooted assumptions about business and will prove indispensable to anyone who wants to understand competitiveness in the twenty-first century.
Based on a $9 million research project led by bestselling author Don Tapscott, Wikinomics shows how masses of people can participate in the economy like never before. They are creating TV news stories, sequencing the human genome, remixing their favorite music, designing software, finding a cure for disease, editing school texts, inventing new cosmetics, or even building motorcycles. You'll read about:
• Rob McEwen, the Goldcorp, Inc. CEO who used open source tactics and an online competition to save his company and breathe new life into an old-fashioned industry.
• Flickr, Second Life, YouTube, and other thriving online communities that transcend social networking to pioneer a new form of collaborative production.
• Mature companies like Procter & Gamble that cultivate nimble, trust-based relationships with external collaborators to form vibrant business ecosystems.
An important look into the future, Wikinomics will be your road map for doing business in the twenty-first century.
Customer Reviews:
Great Book to Read.......2007-10-02
Wikinomics: How Mass Collaboration Changes Everything
As I refresh my professional career for the second decade of the 21st Century, I decided ro read this book, and I was not wrong. This is a most read book for everyone that's looking to stay relevant in the digital economy and the disrupting collaboration paradign. I highly recommeded.
Good, but not critical enough and scores high on the buzzword-meter.......2007-09-12
The book gives a quick tour of the new collaborative ways in which people aggregate and process information. It points out that collaboration can also be applied to produce new 'stuff', outside of software and even applying to manufacturing. It makes for interesting reading for people who a) know something about open source and want to know about its business implications and b) managers who don't know about open source/collaboration but would like to.
It is, imho, less interesting for those who want in-depth answers to the real thorny _business_ problems around open-source. I.e. How to make money at it, if you want to. It hints at important questions such as rewarding the community at large, not losing the family jewels as you open up, etc. Unfortunately, it never quite gets down to specific recommendations beyond "you have to find the right mix of proprietary vs. open source IP".
Not to criticize it overmuch. Wikinomics often jars your thinking with insightful nuggets. For example, it cites Goldcorp as the example of a mining company which opened up its secret prospection data to outsiders. Wikinomics, probably rightly, uses that as a counter-intuitive example of enlisting external help for a type of company that never shares that kind of data. Hmmm, why not share? If the prospection data applies to land on which only your company can operate, isn't that a pretty safe gamble? I don't know, really, but the point is that the anecdote makes you think of things differently. Same with IBM's success at getting a new OS (Linux)almost for free, while gathering goodwill from the community and genuinely collaborating. How far Big Blue's embarrassing anti-trust proceedings seem now...
Less helpful is Wikinomics' recurring use of cherry-picked anecdotes by sector, rather than a broad analysis of various businesses. First of all, it rarely compares its chosen 'smart companies' to their competitors. Yes, BMW is opening up. Does that make their cars any better? How is their stock doing? vs. Toyota? How is their reliability? How innovative are their cars?
Red Hat is a huge success story in Linux, but its dominance also highlights the relative failure of other Linux vendors. No explanation is given for that - network effects? first mover?
I would have welcomed some case studies of failures for big corporations in opening up. What caused those failures? What can be learned from them?
Google is also cited as a big example of openness. That is only partially true and could have served to highlight the necessary(?) split between proprietary information and public openness. Google opens up its APIs and the search is certainly free. I am a big fan myself. However, they have not chosen to release much code back to the community (cf. MapReduce) , mostly by sidestepping the GPL because they don't distribute their software. Their choice, and probably motivated by good business logic. Apple also walks a fine line between leveraging open source and keeping its business very much a secret.
This is just the kind of case studies Wikinomics could sink its teeth into, but it spends way too much time gushing over all the boundless possibilities of collaboration.
Conclusion: a good eye-opener but take it with a grain of salt. Note that my perspective is that of a developer interested in open source _and_ business profits.
An interesting read........2007-09-04
I liked this book, and it opened my eyes to many other "community-driven" technologies/companies. While I thought a lot of the ideas were very "common sense", it was well written, and had some great anecdotes. I recommend this book for anyone interested in social networking, building communities, etc.
The community is the company.......2007-09-02
Wikinomics is about opening your company to the world where communities come together, individuals share ideas, intelligence, peer produce, innovate; the communities are driven primarily by self-motivation or respect from peers. The idea is awesome; the authors are right that this is a new era; some of the most successful companies in the world use wikinomics; the most successful Internet companies are based upon it. The companies cost is dramatically cut, they become trustworthy, and individuals create what they want.
But the book is almost irritating to read. They paint a world where wikinomics is practically perfect, where the communities created by the company are utopian, and the companies who refuse the wikinomic ideology as evil. According to the authors, the companies that don't jump on the bandwagon will ultimately fail because they can't compete with speed and innovation that wikinomic companies can produce (compare wikipedia with any encyclopedia).
The reality is the communities created are often not egalitarian. Digg is a good example -- the community is driven by a faction of a top 100 users who control the front page content, any article or comment outside the digg mindset is quickly buried, and websites have been created where you can pay to get dugg.
In addition, the book ignores wikinomic companies who have failed completely or to a large extent (amapedia, a million penguins, la times wiki editorial, the thousands of 2.0 clones) and they give the reader no idea how to start a successful web 2.0 company. The book is also too long and each chapter adds little to the last. The entire book is read in the first chapter.
While I feel companies opening up to the world is an awesome concept and many of the ideas in the book are right, I would have preferred a more balanced book which makes this book unsatisfying. In the end, I still question whether wikinomics is just a bubble going to burst.
Required reading for Strategic Thinkers.......2007-08-29
In this interesting and example filled book, Authors Tapscott & Williams explore how convergence of the New Web (technology) and the Net Generation (demographics) have reduced transaction costs within the knowledge economy (or the knowledge element of the industrial economy) to create or allow for mass collaboration. Citing four (4) principles underlying this mass collaboration - openness, peering, sharing, and acting globally - they identify seven (7) trends that are transforming existing business models and challenging leaders to create entirely new business models.
1. Peer Production - building intellectual property bit by bit thru open source
2. Ideagoras - buying and selling solutions to problems / research
3. Prosumers - new product design by consumers/users (think hackers)
4. New Alexandrians - sharing science / thinking on a massive scale
5. Platforms for participation - global stage for partnering to create value and build new businesses
6. Global plant floors - transport technology across borders/organizations for local fab labs
7. Wiki workplaces - really workspaces, where playgrounds replace more traditional business processes
While one may argue with the distinctions between these seven, somewhat overlapping trends, the authors provide ample examples to stimulate thinking and help the reader see how this new world might be integrated into current business models or force us to create new ones. This book is recommended as required reading for anyone responsible for strategic thinking - for themselves or for their business.
Customer Reviews:
Nice Introduction / Well organized book.......2007-08-31
Very helpful book and I give it 5 stars for easily fulfilling its purpose, i.e. an introduction to many of the problem solving techniques, and I highly recommend it for that purpose. This book does not go into a comprehensive discussion of the various techniques, nor was it intended to, but it does give a very good introduction to each and you can research further those techniques you would like to use. I have researched some of them on the internet (free of charge).
He categorizes the techniques by function (in other words, he presents the various techniques in the particular stage of the problem solving process in which they are most effective) and gives you an excellent summary in the Appendix.
I have read quite a few books on Problem Solving / Decision Making and they all come down to Divergence and Convergence, or Creative and Critical thinking. One book I read (Psychology of Intelligence Analysis) made the very good point that creative and critical thinking are both absolutely necessary in the problem solving process, however, in his words, they do not mix well. You must consciously and diligently halt all criticism and judgment, no matter how small, during the divergent phase of the problem solving process - "deferred judgment". This is the foundation for any productive brainstorming session, or even any individual analysis of a problem. There will be plenty of time to evaluate later on.
This book functions as a brainstorming session...it presents many ideas and approaches, and allows you to review each one and determine which is best for your situation. Many of the techniques in this book, and any other problem solving book, are really just different variations of brainstorming sessions (larger or smaller groups, an extra step or two, limitations on one thing or another, a change in procedure, etc..) which is OK too. Most problem solving techniques are either brainstorming sessions of some sort, or techniques designed to force you to lay aside your preconceived opinions and study a problem from different angles (yes that is a major simplification).
The book is organized and formatted very well. The information is presented in an interesting manner and never gets boring. Most of the sections are short and sweet, and what few times he goes beyond a couple pages is by necessity. I really liked the "Summary of Steps" that are throughout the book and the mini case studies were nice as well. Personally, I would like to have seen at least a couple extended case studies, but that was not the purpose of this book.
One of my favorites is the Delphi technique. I have actually used a form of it several times in my work before I even knew it was a technique, and I suspect many of you have used it too in an informal way. I have had some good success with it and believe it to be an excellent technique in any stage of the problem solving process, whether I am dealing with professionals, layman, mechanics, or bozos.
Very helpful, well written and well-organized book. The $15 or so for the book is a great investment for your career or business. I am sure there are more comprehensive books that cost alot more, but this one fulfills it purpose nicely.
Practical tools for problem solving and brainstorming.......2007-01-06
There are a lot of books out there on creative problem solving that are inspiring, but a person is left wondering how to really solve problems.
101 Creative Problem Solving Techniques is a great books filled with practical tools/exercies/activities to get people to think outside-the-box. My company has embraced brainstorming and problem solving as a critical element in doing business; this book is a much used resource.
Nice book with good ideas.......2005-09-14
I liked the book because it shows you in a clear way several techniques to generate ideas. Some of the techniques are unpractical, and some are incredibly simple, effective and easy to implement. I have a copy of this book at work and I use it with my team.
Excellent.......2004-03-10
This book is an excellent collection of creative-thinking techniques that will make you more creative in your business and personal lives. This ranks close to the classic book on creative-thinking "Thinkertoys" by Michael Michalko.
Original and good.......2004-02-08
This book is both original and good. The part that is good is not original and the part that is original is not good.
Book Description
Asking the old questions, according to authors Dick Whitney and Melissa Giovagnoli, means getting the same old answers. And that can be deadly for any group or company that wants to move ahead. Instead, they offer 75 outrageous, thought-provoking questions that clean out the corporate cobwebs and get workers’ minds working in new and productive directions. Drawing from their own experiences as top international business consultants, Whitney and Giovagnoli provide field-tested "cage-rattlers" that can help improve leadership, resolve on-the-job conflicts, stimulate innovation, facilitate better communication, and much more. Additionally, the guide benefits individuals as much as it does teams, small groups, small businesses, and larger corporations.
Customer Reviews:
Well worth the price.......2006-11-03
I'm the author of "Thinkertoys: A Handbook of Creative Thinking Techniques" and pretty much read everything that is published in the creativity field. I find this book useful, entertaining and enlightening. Buy it. It's well worth the price.
Makes you fully aware of the pitfalls of patterning in our minds & to encourage you to constantly challenge your assumptions!.......2006-10-21
75 Cage Rattling Questions to Change the Way You Work: Shake-Em-Up Questions to Open Meetings, Ignite Discussion, and Spark Creativity
by Dick Whitney, Melissa Giovagnoli
This book has been around for almost a decade. I have found it to be a very good book as it teaches readers how to break the normal thinking patterns in the mind. To use a popular neuro-linguistic term, how to do a 'pattern interrupt'!
Patterning is one of three principal operating principles of the human mind. (The other two: selective recognition & self-organising.)
The good thing about patterning is that you don't have to relearn the same pattern if you are comfortable with it or it works for you, e.g. riding a bike or driving a car or using a piece of software. The bad thing about it is that you may get stuck with it, especially when the old pattern doesn't work any more. In the same vein, the patterning makes it hard for a new idea to get fair treatment in your mind.
Edward de Bono, the father of lateral thinking puts it very beautifully: "The mind is habitually uncreative - it is usually preoccupied with organising masses of incoming data into convenient patterns. Once the pattern is established, then the mind tends to rely upon that pattern in future situations, in order to facilitate decision making & action in an otherwise complex world."
Dr David Perkins, author of 'Outsmarting IQ: The Emerging Science of Learnable Intelligence', explains further: "...As we go through life, puzzle out problems, & gain experience, we store up patterns that work well for us. In meeting new situations, we automatically try to make a match to what we know & select a pattern from our storehouse that might apply. This matching process gets influenced not only by what patterns we have stored up, but also by our goals, prejudices & passions."
So, how does one break old patterns or get out of complacency? On workable method is to pose to ourselves challenging, thought-provoking questions. Better still, wild & crazy ones!
Why such questions?
Well, for one thing, they set off processional effects that have great impacts beyond your imagination. Questioning your limitations is what tears down the walls in life - in business, in relationships. I believe growth & progress are often preceded by new & challenging questions.
This book offers 75 outrageous, thought-provoking questions that can clean out the cobwebs in your minds & get you working in new & productive directions.
The essence of the book is not so much using the 75 field-tested "cage rattlers" to shatter the complacency. I feel that the primary objective of the two authors is to make you fully aware of the pitfalls & dangers of patterning in our minds & to encourage you to constantly challenge your assumptions!
This book has 75 short chapters, fully corresponding to the self-described 'cage rattling' questions. Each chapter opens with the question, provides you with some ways to use the question, shares a war story & gives you further tips for using the particular question.
Frankly, I would encourage readers to formulate your own list of 'cage rattling' questions to be used in your own different situation. Certainly, you can make use of the book's questions as a springboard.
Sometimes, the questions to be asked don't even have to be 'cage rattling'. All you need to do is to reframe the question. For example, in problem solving, I always like to ask myself, 'what else can I do?' instead of 'what can I do?'; 'what has not yet happened here?' instead of 'what has happend here?'...
Questions and More!.......2006-05-06
This book has 75 short chapters, one for each of the self-described "cage rattling questions." Each chapter opens with the question, provides you 3-5 ways to use the question, shares a "war story" and gives you some tips for using this particular question.
I have long been a proponent of, and encouraged people to build lists of questions they could use in different situations. This book would be a good place to start your list if you are a trainer, consultant, facilitator, or team leader. You will find many of these questions useful to spark conversations, trigger new ideas and build synergy.
Look at it this way... if you got only one great question that you use to great advantage it would be worth the cost of the book. I'm sure you will get at least several more than that
You can come up with these.......2000-12-19
I wouldn't disagree with any of the other reviews, but it's a matter of personal preference where I spend my money. I wouldn't spend it on this book. Once you focus on what you want to accomplish (ie., "shake-em-up"), you could come up with a lot of these challenges. "If your company were a car...If your company were a footbal team.." and so on. In a word, analogy. I've found in workshops I've conducted, whether they're on Creativity, Problem-Solving, Leadership, or other topics, I'll use this "provocative" technique maybe once or twice in a full day. Beyond that the novelty has worn off.
Much of the text that accompanies each question is also a little repetitious - the "war stories" all start to sound alike.
Actually useful.......2000-09-09
I was surprised at how useful this book is. When I first looked at it, I thought the questions looked obvious and simplistic, but they work very well to start off team meeting sessions. The authors provide lots of good ideas about how to use them, and little anecdotes to inspire you to believe that the questions can actually change the way you do business. I've used them for meeting kick-offs and to jump-start moribund discussions.
Book Description
Can your company manage -- even encourage -- turbulence in ways that actually strengthen its competitive stance? Absolutely. In this work, top organizational psychologist Stanley Gryskiewicz argues that challenges to the status quo can be catalysts for creativity, innovation, and renewal and shows leaders how they can keep their company on the competitive edge by embracing a process he calls Positive Turbulence. Developed through the author's work with many of the world's leading companies over the course of thirty years, Positive Turbulence delivers proven methods for creating an organization that continuously renews itself through the committed pursuit of new ideas, products, and processes.
Customer Reviews:
Stay Innovative.......2001-08-17
Positive Turbulence is a very practical guide to keeping your organization moving at a healthy pace and continuing to innovate in order to compete in today's ever-changing marketplace. The theories included can be easily applied and related to any organization with Positive or Negative turbulence. It's a fluid read that's over before you know it.
Practical Guide for Leaders.......2001-02-20
Positive Turbulence is helpful for leaders at all levels of an organization. With theories and examples, the author promotes the need to see the world of work with fresh eyes and to learn from unexpected situations. As a well-known authority on creativity and innovation, Dr. Gryskiewicz provides convincing information about the value of using changing, often turbulent conditions, to shape a flexible organization, open to new ideas. A good source of practical approaches and lots of resources in an easy-to-read format--this is a good book to include in your leadership library.
C.M.Steward Managing Director The Crossland Group
You'll come away embracing change, not avoiding it.......2000-10-07
Stan Gryskiewicz has a gift for telling a story. This makes his book, Postive Turbulence, a pleasure to read. More important, he has years of experience in helping organizations, teams, and individuals become more innnovative. This makes Positive Turbulence truly useful.
This optimistic, upbeat book stands out because of Gryskiewicz's ability to show how his ideas can be put into action. Pragmatic and practical, he shares his ideas and experience generously. Strategies such as "Focusing on the periphery as a source for innovation and renewal" come to life as a way of spotting technology shifts and marketplace trends.
As a psychologist and consultant, I work with R & D teams and with managers who need to become more effective, forward-looking leaders. This is a book I can and will recommend to my clients and to my colleagues.
Real Innovation? Wow a,d How!.......2000-02-25
As a business man and entrepeneur for more than 40 years, I am forced to confess that this is the most "down to earth" high quality thinking book that came into my hands in many years. It shows from the very begining -and in each page- what real innovation is and should be in any organization operating in any country. It is written out of a life experience which obviously includes knowledge and hard extended atentive work (a good life!). It is not an "instant happening", like instant coffe and other much popular approaches to delicate and far reaching issues, accompanied by an extensive and highly practical "how to" hints and tools for each managerial level and position. Mr. Gryskiewicz, if you intend to keep on writting on the subject, it is not going to be easy to surpass this "Positive Turbulence" you generated. Angel Sanhueza, Executive Director, CPS International.
Innovation Principles That Produce Results.......1999-12-22
POSITIVE TURBULENCE is enjoyable to read, logical in its structure but not stiff, and it really reflects the essence of 30 years of top-level insight into major organizations around the world. The author provides us with the best of this experience, and not all writers do this-they often try to withhold a few gems for the next book, making the current product less than it could have been.
It is our good fortune that the author has avoided this temptation. Rather, this book is a sincere sharing of a breakthrough experience that has lessons of value the reader can immediately put to productive use. I am one of those that tries on a lot of books, and few seem to fit; but POSITIVE TURBULENCE fits perfectly and, like a favorite, it will be enjoyed and appreciated for a lifetime.
Book Description
Unlock and Embrace a New Mindset about Business Creativity
The 20th century saw the United States dominate the world of innovation, but at the dawn of the 21st century it’s become pretty clear that the pace of change in a global economy demands not only innovation, but creativity. We must become as good at changing our perceptions as we have become at changing reality.
Inspiring creativity is one of the most pressing needs for American corporations, particularly those in markets that are forcing them not only to improve but transform themselves. Yet true creativity can be had only if you are willing to break the rules that have locked you in a set way of thinking, not just doing. This unique book will help managers think about how they think. This understanding will help them inspire creativity and sense when it is time to focus on the second half of change—changing perception.
The Forgotten Half of Change differs from other books the same way perception differs from reality. It is at once humorous and humanistic, making fun of our weaknesses yet sympathizing with our challenge to be both active and thoughtful. It entertains and challenges its readers at the same time with an array of examples drawn from philosophy, mathematics, technology, and linguistics. Ultimately, this book may help us regain our ability to astonish ourselves and others.
Customer Reviews:
Excelente.......2007-01-10
Es un muy buen libro esta realmente interesante y deja unas lecciones de vida muy buienas
"Change twice".......2006-02-09
Built on the thesis that sustained change (and in particular the change to living with continuous change) requires that we 'change twice'. The first change - in arrangements, structures, relationships, processes and so on - does not stick without the second change, which is in perception - how we see the world. The author works through tools and techniques that challenge our established mind-sets and so facilitate this second change. The text contains useful lists - for example of types of questions and the impact of asking questions in different ways - and a variety of visual puzzles designed to challenge our view of 'the obvious'.
The style and coverage is somewhat reminiscent of the de Bono books, but with a tighter linkage to change in organizations.
Helpful to a broad range of people.......2005-11-10
Luc de Brabandere's book The Forgotten Half of Change: Achieving Greater Creativity Through Changes in Perception is a useful work in that it discusses many of the core elements concerning the stimulation of creative thinking. I picked this book in particular because more importantly, de Brabandere largely views the topics of creativity and innovation from the perspective of deconstructing stereotypes. Much of his work is concerned with going beyond the movements of creativity and innovation. He devotes a great deal of time addressing the necessity of altering one's persepective on problem solving, as well as the workings of businesses in general.
The book's chapters are broken down as follows:
Introduction:
This summary will attempt to provide the reader with a general overview of the topics that the author addresses in his book, and will provide some interesting anecdotal information regarding the issues of Creativity and Innovation, and their past and present applications in the business world.
Chapter 1: "Changing Twice"
De Brabandere discusses that change occurs in two phases: firstly, it happens through an alteration of reality-that is, changes in methodologies. Yet the second and more important phase of change is brought about through a change in perception, and in the way individuals see problems in relation to themselves and the greater world.
Chapter 2:
Discusses the notion that in our global socioeconomic system, frontiers are rapidly vanishing, and it may not always be possible to explain how or why things happen or function-be it organizations, individuals, or economic systems.
Chapter 3:
The author turns to the issue of perception, and how true innovation and creative thought stems from abandoning established ways of perceiving problems. Argues that human beings are hard-wired to think in a certain way, and that we must step out of these modes of thinking in order to be more creative.
Chapter 4:
Seeks to address the growing notion that change itself is ending in our modern society, and argues that change on a more local level occurs through "breaks," or instances in which an individual or organization makes a break from a preconceived way of looking at a product or process.
Chapter 5:
Generally discusses the notion that no idea is born good, and that ideas must be nursed into fruition through collaboration with others, and also through thinking that melds the creative with the rational mindsets.
Chapter 6:
The "eureka" moment is not simply a moment of instant creative freedom; it's a multi-phasic process that can be generated.
Chapter 7:
Talks about ideas in several broad senses, most notably that there exists a definite need to anticipate the future even as uncertainty increases in situations where new ideas are driving progress towards a goal. Stresses the need of constant, not erratic, creativity. Discusses the need for feedback in any creative process, regardless of the cost, be it material or temporal.
Chapter 8:
Discusses specific advice for managers on how to stimulate creativity in a workplace. For example, the author advocates giving small, symbolic gifts for every instance in which a creative idea is generated by an employee.
On the broadest sense, I feel that the book was a bit too abstract at times. While de Brabandere does an excellent job of interspersing his narrative with colorful examples, his subject matter occasionally drifts away from what I feel should have been emphasized more in his work: the notion that creative thought and innovative processes result in things that sell, and that any business that does refuses to act in accordance to that principle is doomed. I would further improve on de Brabandere's work by expanding on his advice regarding management in relation to the ideas of gaining new perspectives on existing problems, and using innovating techniques to crate new and revolutionary solutions.
On balance, however, I felt that The Forgotten Half of Change is an immensely useful book because it does place creativity and innovation in a practical light. De Brabandere's writing effectively conveys the urgency with which companies, organizations, and individuals need to embrace methods of creative thought. To de Brabandere, learning to think outside of one's traditional perspectives is not an infusion of technique. Rather, it is a process of finding capabilities and facets of the self that were previously hidden by existing stereotypes and fixed modes of thought.
Enjoyable and insigtful.......2005-09-17
Change is a normal part of life and as such it is also a normal part of business and the need to adapt. The problem is that the change is only the first step and there is more to change than change by itself. Dealing with the other half of change - a change of perception is what this book is about. The author challenges the reader to examine such things as thinking about how you think and inspiring creativity so that you can change perception.
With a light writing style that is at times humorous Mr. Brabandere leads the reader to an enlightening view of the human mind and how it traps us into particular ways of thinking. Escaping from this trap by changing our perception is what this book is all about. A lesson in creative thinking and getting out of the stereotypes that we have learned and handicap our thinking, The Forgotten Half of Change is highly recommended and fun to read.
A feet-up chat with your most intelligent friend.......2005-09-16
The tone of The Forgotten Half of Change could easily become preachy and admonishing, touting the value of change for change's sake. It doesn't. Instead, de Brabandere embraces the reader's own past experiences and gently challenges them with the question "what if...?".
In business, as in life we've all faced the disappointment of the great plan hamstrung by flawed execution or been amazed at the even middling success of the seamlessly executed, though fundamentally weak plan. De Brabanedere offers balance. He obviously respects and honors the thinker, the planner, the architect, and the inventor. At the same time though he pays homage to the mechanic, the guy with a metaphorical cutting torch, roll of baling wire, and can-do attitude.
Perception, it's a powerful thing. The end product might not be the conventionally beautiful artwork that the creative mind developed. Innovations tend to leave lumps, burns, and scars. We learn from de Brabandere though to love the scars, to acknowledge their role in the growth experience.
Put this book in your toolbox. Whether it rests beside fourteen pencils or a cutting torch you will find yourself putting it to work.
Book Description
Delivers tools and strategies to become authentic, trail-blazing pioneers who will thrive in this age of unprecedented uncertainty.
Customer Reviews:
This Book Is Fabulous and I'm Living Proof.......2006-01-20
Don't waste another minute. You are thinking about buying this book because something inside of you is screaming for you to make a change, to move out of the "chaos". I was there not too long ago and after reading this book, I decided to do something about it.
"Capitalizing on Career Chaos" by Helen Harkness was the match that sparked a new reality for me. Along with prayer, I decided to utilize the things I learned from this book and start a new career. One poignant moment in the book is the "Formula of Change: C = P > F. It states that "change happens only when pain is greater than fear". After learning this, I realized that the pain of a unfulfilling career was overcoming the fear of stepping out on faith. It wasn't my limitations that were holding me back from true success; it was my fear of the unknown. I'm sure you understand what I am saying, because you're there right now, but this book is chock-full of stories and activities to spark your future life. As the book states, "Look inward, outward, forward, and beyond - and take creative control of your career!" Definitely a great read!
You get a do over.......2006-01-19
Dr. Harkness' wealth of experience in her field is manifest in her writing. Not only is she an educator, unlike most arm chair authors writing about what they've studied in a lab, Dr. Harkness writes about reality as she is LIVING the experiment or should one say, the adventure. Like the friend, aunt, mom or mentor you never had, she clearly shows you how to shed the preconcieved, society proclaimed notions of what success is supposed to be and learn how to become yourself in the work force. For anyone looking for a way out of a dead end job, be warned, there are no easy or quick fixes and Dr. Harkness is very clear about that. But you do have options and knowing what they are can be the key to an extraordinary new chapter in your life. "Chaos" is a great first step to getting a do over.
How to redesign a career by pinpointing important strengths and using them appropriately.......2005-07-04
Helen Harkness' Capitalizing On Career Chaos: Bringing Creativity And Purpose To Your Life And Work advocates two basic steps and shows how to achieve them: looking inward to connect with real needs, then looking outward to match core instincts and talents to workplace realities. Chapters cover the basics of how to redesign a career by pinpointing important strengths and using them appropriately.
Book Description
Although many leaders acknowledge and invest in creativity, we seldom see it hold a credible place in the business development process. Creativity at Work takes a practical approach to creativity, showing how to select practices to produce results and add value. The authors explain how to:
- Understand the creative preferences of organizations, departments, work groups, and individuals
- Identify and compare the different creativity profiles that describe specific purposes, practices, and people
- Produce the desired results by developing the right practices
- Blend creativity practices to meet the complex needs that characterize most work situations
o Develop required creative abilities in a team and in oneself
Download Description
Although many leaders acknowledge and invest in creativity, we seldom see it hold a credible place in the business development process. Creativity at Work takes a practical approach to creativity, showing how to select practices to produce results and add value. The authors explain how to:
- Understand the creative preferences of organizations, departments, work groups, and individuals
- Identify and compare the different creativity profiles that describe specific purposes, practices, and people
- Produce the desired results by developing the right practices
- Blend creativity practices to meet the complex needs that characterize most work situations
o Develop required creative abilities in a team and in oneself
Customer Reviews:
Theory Made Practical.......2002-11-23
Books on creativity are often interesting to read but almost impossible to translate into practice. Not so with this book.
This book broadened my personal definition of creativity; it challenged me to consider creativity as a core competency in more than just innovation. Distinguishing it from other books that I have read, it focuses more on the specific outcomes of creativity instead of the sometimes mysterious process of creativity. It makes the often implicit skills involved in creativity much more explicit.
On a practical note, it serves as a toolkit with an array of different assessment tools, exercises, and suggestions for generative work that can be tailored to different organizational needs at different times. We're currently using these tools in a healthcare setting, but I think they could be equally well applied to a myriad of other settings.
This book has been a great addition to my business bookshelf - accessible, easy to read, and full of useful suggestions - I think of it as a user's guide to fostering and tailoring creativity in the work place.
Getting a Handle on Creativity.......2002-10-28
If you thought creativity was an elusive and muse-driven quality ascribed to only artistic types of people, this book will set you straight. Here is a tangible approach to making creativity work for you and your organization. It will help you assess your needs, select the most effective practices for your situation and identify the people you need for successful implementation. The straightforward format and accessible language makes this a practical handbook for any level of manager or consultant in organizations large and small.
Creative Work vs. Just a Job.......2002-10-09
Creativity at Work is a must read for anybody who wants their job to be more than just work. It surveys all of the elements of an organization and then clearly supports the reader on his/her professional journey with the necessary tools to attain results. It's well-written, easy to read and tells all of the stories one needs to stimulate their creativity and own ideas. It is the only book that I have read and finished believing that I could now add value to the folks I work with in innovative and concrete ways.
Book Description
This book not only to make up for this glaring error of omission, but also probes deeply into all the major roots of organizational spirit.
Customer Reviews:
It just made sense to me!.......2004-03-18
I enjoyed his books. Father Spitzer does not seek to gain millions by publishing his books. He broadcasts his ideas in the books on EWTN for free. Thank you and God bless you Father Spitzer!
weLEAD Book Review by the Editor of leadingtoday.org.......2004-02-17
Robert Spitzer has been the President and CEO of Gonzaga University in Spokane, Washington. He also has extensive experience as an organizational consultant. It is from this experience he has written The Spirit of Leadership. The main point of the book is valid and clearly expressed. Far too many individuals in leadership positions spend a large amount of energy and resources to improve the products or processes of their organizations with mediocre results. As Spitzer comments in the introduction of this book, "Joe had blinded himself consistently to one of the three Ps of leadership. By concentrating on product and process, he had altogether ignored people".
The Spirit of Leadership correctly emphasizes that when people are ignored; their essential spirit is stifled resulting in a lack of trust, common cause, participation, teamwork and creativity. The purpose of the book is to show the reader how to create a espirit de corps within the heart of an organization. Spitzer defines this as the ability to transcend the material world to "gain energy when doing something creative". He continues to define espirit de corps in terms of the capacity to go beyond the self, or beyond known paradigms, or to become more alive. He believes this is fostered by three elements: vision, rational communication and four sets of commitments discussed in the book. This allows for an environment of inspired and motivated workers as well as high performing teams.
The Spirit of Leadership is composed of eighteen chapters within five well organized sections. The sections are entitled, The Mind and Vision of the Inspired Leader, The Heart of the Inspired Leader, People Commitments, Ethical Commitments and Leadership Commitments. As you can tell by these titles, Spitzer believes a great leader must have a consistent and heartfelt commitment toward growing people, sound moral behavior, and the responsibility that comes with being a leader! He begins the book by making a compelling case for the need of Inspired Leadership, in contrast to the traditional Driven Leadership we see so often in organizations today. He concludes the book with how to create a espirit de corps in your organization. Many chapters are featured with numerous steps, stages or points to clarify the author's main ideas.
The Spirit of Leadership does not break new ground, but it is a good read. Some of the strengths of the book are its readability, ethical foundation and it's many charts that condense larger ideas into visual snapshots. If you believe and understand the importance of building people in your organization, this may be a good book for your library.
something to forget.......2004-01-18
I have often heard people refer to this author as a "Genius", a "Great Administrator", a "Superb and inspirational teacher", - but I have found him to be heretical and discriminatory. His recent actions as Gonzaga University's president, permitting the School of Law's Student Bar Association (SBA) to refuse to recognize a Christian student organization, a Pro-Life Law Caucus's, is "discriminatory", cowardly and anti-Catholic/Christian - cowardly for cowering to the ABA.
Unlike the tradition of Ricci, Verbeist, and other great Jesuits, Father Spitzer has doned the garb of contemporary culture for, to him, one very simple, but incredibly important reason-he's a heretic who is sponging off the Catholic Church - remember that when you write that check...
Given the "S.J." which follow his name, we consider a person who has taken a vow of poverty and yet has probably generated millions, given his recent actions one can only conclude - it stands for Society of Judas.
Makes one wonder how a holy man reconciles his actions with his theology .. could be a fruitful source of neurosis if allowed to coexist indefinitely ..
something to think about.......2001-09-07
I have often heard people refer to this author as a "Genius", a "Great Administrator", a "Superb and inspirational teacher", but all these descriptions (while true) fall short of what the man and his work really are. If you read this book, what you will really be reading are the words of a holy man.
In the tradition of Ricci, Verbeist, and other great Jesuits, Father Spitzer has doned the garb of contemporary culture for one very simple, but incredibly important reason-that the gospel message will be proclaimed in a language which people will listen to, people who otherwise might not hear it.
This task of translating the good news into the language of business is no small matter (not if it is going to be done with subtlety), or one that is easily undertaken. We ought to wrap our minds around the extreme humility of the author and consider the sanctity of his life as perhaps the greatest testimony of all.
What else would a serious mission to a culture like our look like? Take for instance the some 15 books for sale on amazon.com right now by Robert J. Spitzer-look at the titles alone. Talk about Mission!
This persons authority is not limited to one discipline but spans so many that it temps me to question his very humanity, for it is not like the humanity I know.
Given the "S.J." which follow his name, we consider a person who has taken a vow of poverty and yet has probably generated millions-all given away freely. A man who's gifts causes him to shine more brightly than any CEO of any corporation in this country, and yet he has chosen a path of obedience.
The question why? begs an answer. This book is not about business alone, read more carefully, each line has about 3 layers of meaning.
Collaboration.......2000-08-31
I highly recommend this book...especially for the business professional who is interested in "leading" versus "managing" and who desires to learn more about "collaborating" rather than "comparing". Truly a worthwhile investment of your time.
Book Description
On Creativity, Innovation, and Renewal features the best thinking from top experts on strategic innovation, sparking creativity, and transforming organizations. Written in a concise style that is ideal for the busy executive with little spare time, the book presents a stellar roster of contributors. On Creativity, Innovation, and Renewal is one title in the Leader to Leader Guides, which draw from the most compelling articles that have appeared in Leader to Leader, the Drucker Foundation's award-winning journal.
Customer Reviews:
Insights from Wise Minds.......2002-03-30
This small book contains twelve chapters from some of the most respected and talented experts on innovation and renewal. Their chapters are an inspiration to those of us seeking new ways to think and see.
Look at the contributors. They are known for their leadership in science, technology, management, leadership, publishing, and more. Together they provide a tapestry. See the sample chapters at the Drucker Foundation Web site. Buy a copy for your boss and your one for your daughter.
The esteemed authors are:
John Seely Brown; James Champy; Stephen Jay Gould; Gary Hamel and Peter Skarzynski; Frances Hesselbein; Randy Komisar; Dorothy Leonard and Walter Swap; Costas Markides; Nigel Nicholson; Harriet Rubin; Patricia B. Seybold; and Noel Tichy.
Book Description
n New Ideas About New Ideas, Shira White offers a fresh, lively, and inspiring perspective on innovation. Drawing from in-depth interviews with dozens of today's most fascinating people-from architect Frank Gehry to physicist Brian Greene-White illustrates how anyone can achieve a creative mindset and let the sparks fly. Whether you are building a new organization, turning around a company, launching a new ad campaign or product line, or staying a step ahead of your competitors on any front, New Ideas About New Ideas is bound to change the way you look at your life, your work, and your world.
Customer Reviews:
Where do I get my money back ?........2006-04-18
Not often one can find a book so irrelevant as this. It repeats the same trivia in support of irrelevant points and never gets to make a contribution to creativity. It is amazingly ignorant on scientific, technical and art issues and oddly enough it tells lies about those whom supposedly has interviewed. Where do I get my money back ?.
Brainstorm in a book.......2003-06-06
I have to admit that I bought this book over a year ago and started to read it and put it down out of frustration due to a feeling that this was just a rehash of creative ideas, with no real direction. I have read many books on creativity and innovation and this book seemed to be nothing new.
BUT 1 year rolls around, I am looking to have something stimulating to read and this book seems to be calling me again. I pick it up and scan it, there seems to be some interesting ideas here, some interesting profiles of innovators that I have admired (Nathan Myhrvold, Brian Greene etc.). So I decide to take it on a business trip with me. I start reading it again and this time I am immersed in this creative storm. The book is stimulating so many ideas and thoughts; I can't put the book down. I find myself waking up at 3am and devouring the book. I get out my post notes and highlighter and go back through and start marking pages and paragraphs.
I am not sure what this book was aiming to do, but the most amazing aspect of this book is that it gives an insight in a creative thinkers mind. It's like taking a peek at Shira White's Idea notebook. I am not sure that she keeps a notebook of ideas, but this book is chock full of ideas and snippets from many diverse sources reflecting her research. It is hard to get used to the style, which others have described as confusing with no direction. But if you read this book and let your self go and follow along with White as she brainstorms ideas, random connections between thoughts and facts you will find yourself immersed. I am not sure there is a genre for this book; it's a brainstorm in a book. It is like being inside White's mind as she bounces from one idea and thought to another, making some very interesting conclusions along the way. If you have ever read any of James Burke's books "Knowledge Web", "Circles", where he walks you through how ideas are connected to each other. This book gives you a similar feeling of being on creative journey through ideas.
I highly recommend this book to anyone looking for a stimulating and inspirational read. This book can be very rewarding if it is read in the right state of mind (in this case the right state mind = using the right hemisphere of your brain).
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- Applebee's America: How Successful Political, Business, and Religious Leaders Connect with the New American Community
- Art Deco New York
- Atomic Ranch
- Barcelona and Modernity: Picasso, Gaudi, Miro, Dali
- Best Practices in Leadership Development and Organization Change: How the Best Companies Ensure Meaningful Change and Sustainable Leadership (Essential Knowledge Resource)
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Communications
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The Starfish and the Spider: The Unstoppable Power of Leaderless Organizations
The Long Tail: Why the Future of Business is Selling Less of More
Made to Stick: Why Some Ideas Survive and Others Die
Open Business Models: How to Thrive in the New Innovation Landscape
The Wisdom of Crowds
