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Dangerous Ideas: When Provacative Thinking Becomes Your Most Valuable Asset
Dangerous Ideas is a bestselling book on creativity for people who do not like books on creativity. Written by Alf Rehn and translated to eight languages (including Chinese, Russian, Spanish and Italian), it challenges the overly positive manner in which creativity is often presented and argues for a broader understanding of the phenomenon – including paying attention to disgusting, childish and unseemly things. For only by daring to push far beyond the realm of the serious and the proper can you truly challenge a business, a system, or yourself.
For when was the last time you truly came up with a great idea? An idea which changed the direction of your sector, never mind your company? In all likelihood, far too long ago. But you're not to blame. In fact, creativity itself has been turned into an uncreative, pale imitation of the radical force it once was. Today our brain tricks us into thinking that we are creative when we really aren't, and although our potential is greater than we're aware of, the risk of getting stuck in comfortable thinking is far greater than we tend to think. This provocative book argues that creativity should strive to become dangerous. This is the level truly successful mavericks have achieved, and it is here we can meet the truly challenging, radical and revolutionary. This is creativity that doesn t fit neatly into PowerPoints, creativity that shakes things up. If you want to avoid the mediocre and come up with something of real value, you have to get dirty and dangerous. For dangerous thinking doesn t just generate ideas, it can change the world. And this extraordinary book, by one of the most dangerous business thinkers around, shows you how.
For when was the last time you truly came up with a great idea? An idea which changed the direction of your sector, never mind your company? In all likelihood, far too long ago. But you're not to blame. In fact, creativity itself has been turned into an uncreative, pale imitation of the radical force it once was. Today our brain tricks us into thinking that we are creative when we really aren't, and although our potential is greater than we're aware of, the risk of getting stuck in comfortable thinking is far greater than we tend to think. This provocative book argues that creativity should strive to become dangerous. This is the level truly successful mavericks have achieved, and it is here we can meet the truly challenging, radical and revolutionary. This is creativity that doesn t fit neatly into PowerPoints, creativity that shakes things up. If you want to avoid the mediocre and come up with something of real value, you have to get dirty and dangerous. For dangerous thinking doesn t just generate ideas, it can change the world. And this extraordinary book, by one of the most dangerous business thinkers around, shows you how.
189 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 2010
25 people are currently reading
91 people want to read
About the author
Alf Rehn
21 books34 followersAlf Rehn is a Finnish professor, author and speaker based in Finland. He currently holds the Chair of Management and Organization at Åbo Akademi University in Finland. Rehn works as a columnist, and sits on the board of directors for several companies, including Veikkaus.
Rehn was listed as #13 on the 2009 Thinkers 50, in the "Up and Coming Business Thinkers” list. He was listed for a second time 2011.
Rehn was listed as #13 on the 2009 Thinkers 50, in the "Up and Coming Business Thinkers” list. He was listed for a second time 2011.
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Displaying 1 - 15 of 15 reviews
February 26, 2023
Poimittu työpaikan poistoista. Rehn tykkää kai ärsyttää, mutta mua ärsytti lähinnä poukkoileva ja tajunnanvirtamainen teksti, josta en tajunnut oikein mitään. Avainajatus oli kai provosoida ajattelemaan toisin eli vastavirtaan eli jotenkin - toisin. Punainen lanka ei ole ollenkaan yliarvostettu minun mielestäni eli sitäkin vähän kaipailin.
March 7, 2013
By a coincide I bought Dangerous Ideas by Alf Rehn. I had forgotten book I'm reading to home and I had to go to dentist waiting room that day. I didn't want to go there without any book and I stopped by in a local book store to pick up just some book. There this book was and as I knew the book already I quickly decided to give it a try. I'm glad I did, it was excellent.
Due to Alf Rehn being a Finn I had followed his career from media for some time. For some reason it hadn't raised my expectation towards the book. I actually had decided not to read the book. I'm happy I gave it a second change .
The book is about creativity. It challenges the whole creativity business and is provocative towards many other things also. That's what I liked in the book. It at least tried to be different from other creativity and innovation books I've read. It made me think differently on many things.
One reason I liked the book was that it matches my thinking in many things. I've seen in many occasions, that these creative persons actually all think alike. Also they quite often hate criticism and questioning their thinking. Which I think is funny, they say to be open minded for all ideas, but can't work with new ideas from other people. I think Alf Rehn has similar message whole out the book
Dangerous Ideas was an excellent book for those who have to create new things once in a while. I highly recommend it to everyone. It is provocative enough to hate and love some parts of the book. I'm sure everyone will get something out of it.
I got the impression from the book that Alf Rehn wouldn't be always nice guy to work with. My own experience is that best guys to work with are really the ones who are not the nicest and easiest. With the guys who are hard sometimes, I at least have done the best work so far.
This is a book I do remember reading for some time in the future. That is what makes a book special for me.
This was originally published in my blog - here
P.S I have to admit I read the finnish version: "Vaaralliset Ideat". Book was originally written in Swedish (as that's Alf Rehn's native language) and the Finnish translation was actually quite bad. It used language not suiting well to Finnish language. That's not Alf Rehn fault, but translators. That doesn't concern most of you, but I had to mention for those who can speak Finnish and might think of getting the Finnish version.
Due to Alf Rehn being a Finn I had followed his career from media for some time. For some reason it hadn't raised my expectation towards the book. I actually had decided not to read the book. I'm happy I gave it a second change .
The book is about creativity. It challenges the whole creativity business and is provocative towards many other things also. That's what I liked in the book. It at least tried to be different from other creativity and innovation books I've read. It made me think differently on many things.
One reason I liked the book was that it matches my thinking in many things. I've seen in many occasions, that these creative persons actually all think alike. Also they quite often hate criticism and questioning their thinking. Which I think is funny, they say to be open minded for all ideas, but can't work with new ideas from other people. I think Alf Rehn has similar message whole out the book
Dangerous Ideas was an excellent book for those who have to create new things once in a while. I highly recommend it to everyone. It is provocative enough to hate and love some parts of the book. I'm sure everyone will get something out of it.
I got the impression from the book that Alf Rehn wouldn't be always nice guy to work with. My own experience is that best guys to work with are really the ones who are not the nicest and easiest. With the guys who are hard sometimes, I at least have done the best work so far.
This is a book I do remember reading for some time in the future. That is what makes a book special for me.
This was originally published in my blog - here
P.S I have to admit I read the finnish version: "Vaaralliset Ideat". Book was originally written in Swedish (as that's Alf Rehn's native language) and the Finnish translation was actually quite bad. It used language not suiting well to Finnish language. That's not Alf Rehn fault, but translators. That doesn't concern most of you, but I had to mention for those who can speak Finnish and might think of getting the Finnish version.
June 11, 2015
Creative thinking and how to get the right mindset for it. I think the topic of the book is both interesting and highly current since it seems everybody is talking about creativity nowadays. I expected a little more of the book, a more hands-on approach, because sometimes it felt like Rehn was talking more about what creativity is not and how uncomfortable creativity can be.
Rehn loves to provoke his audience, but it felt like Rehn was really firing up the engine in the last 3-4 chapters with some good advice on how to become more creative and when it is good to be creative and when it is not. Although I think it would have been a 4-star book with some editing, I still think you should read it if you are interested in creativity. Downloadable from Alf Rehn's website, so there is nothing stopping you :-)
Rehn loves to provoke his audience, but it felt like Rehn was really firing up the engine in the last 3-4 chapters with some good advice on how to become more creative and when it is good to be creative and when it is not. Although I think it would have been a 4-star book with some editing, I still think you should read it if you are interested in creativity. Downloadable from Alf Rehn's website, so there is nothing stopping you :-)
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February 7, 2016Excellent. I really like authors, who question common beliefs and methods - in this case the common idea of creativity. Alf Rehn, who is professor of management and organization, promotes creativity as dangerous, unfitting even disgusting. Thinking out-of-the-box is not enough, since we have *another* box in our mind, which *really* restricts our thinking. Our brains are built in the way, that it rewards us when we don't try to use them too much. If an idea feels good and it's readily accepted - dump it. The author emphasizes also, that organizations must be able to put stop to all creativity at some point and put ideas in real work - that's leadership. I read the Finnish version of the book.
April 17, 2014
A great book. It really makes a point on the need to look at creativity differently. With a prose superbly written and humor not left out anywhere in the book, it covers several topics regarding the application of truly creative thinking in the organizations. The end is indeed great as well.
While there are some inconsistencies between chapters, affirming and neglecting the same thing respectively, the overall book sets itself apart from the main creative literature. Something of great value nowadays.
While there are some inconsistencies between chapters, affirming and neglecting the same thing respectively, the overall book sets itself apart from the main creative literature. Something of great value nowadays.
March 2, 2013
Interesting. Sometimes quite provoking. I sensed too much dedication on being different from other creativity authors. Nevetheless, I would recommend the reading. I miss more examples. And the "team" side of creativity only comes in one of the final chapters, which I would say underestimates a core dimension of creativity. Maybe this relates to Rehn so strong desire to appear as original, unique,... Which can explain this strong focus on the individual.
November 17, 2012
Olisin odottanut enemmän provokaatiota; en tiedä, johtuuko siitä, että olisin erityisen avoin ajatuksiltani vai niin kyyninen, mutta oikein mikään Rehnin ärsyttämään tai kuvottamaan tarkoitetuista esimerkeistä ei oikein toiminut tarkoituksensa mukaisesti.
Muuten kirja oli mielenkiintoinen ja mukaansatempaava. Tutustutti kivasti aiheeseen, joka ei normaalisti kiinnosta juuri ollenkaan.
Muuten kirja oli mielenkiintoinen ja mukaansatempaava. Tutustutti kivasti aiheeseen, joka ei normaalisti kiinnosta juuri ollenkaan.
April 24, 2012
Yksissä kansissa kaikki ne markkinointiviestinnän ja yrityskulttuurin asiat, mistä olet joskus miettinyt että: "eihän näin voi tehdä".
Sinänsä mitään kovin uutta en kirjasta löytänyt, mutta jos kaipaat sitä viimeistä potkua jyrkänteen reunalla, niin tämä kirja potkaisee.
Sinänsä mitään kovin uutta en kirjasta löytänyt, mutta jos kaipaat sitä viimeistä potkua jyrkänteen reunalla, niin tämä kirja potkaisee.
September 13, 2015
Ich habe das Buch in der deutschen Übersetzung "Gefährliche Ideen" gelesen und war begeistert. Ich kann es nur jedem empfehlen, der sich mit Innovationen und Innovationsmanagement auseinandersetzt. Sehr schön recherchiert und geschrieben.
January 29, 2011
Erinomainen kirja, tosin yksi tähti putosi vähän turhastakin asioiden toistamisesta.
May 25, 2012
fun! it make it inevitable to compare everything he says about your working situation. Very interesting!
November 9, 2013
Excellent and exceptional view about creativity.
December 1, 2013
Tissiposki.
July 10, 2014
It is ironic that in the first chapter Alf tries to convince that his book differs from other creativity manuals.
July 8, 2011
starts well...
Displaying 1 - 15 of 15 reviews