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The Creative Thinking Handbook: Your Step-by-Step Guide to Problem Solving in Business
Creativity directly impacts results and productivity, yet few of us understand how it happens or how to put it into practice. This book shows you not only how to get things done, but how to do them better and more creatively.
The Creative Thinking Handbook provides the correct application for creative thinking and action, by offering clear, practical tools and strategies so that you can develop creative thinking skills and help find brilliant solutions for any professional challenge.
Based on research and proven-to-work creative thinking models, Chris Griffiths and Melina Costi present a clear introduction to what creative thinking is, explain why we all need to do it and will help you generate ideas and make better decisions.
The Creative Thinking Handbook gets you to think differently by thinking creatively.
The Creative Thinking Handbook provides the correct application for creative thinking and action, by offering clear, practical tools and strategies so that you can develop creative thinking skills and help find brilliant solutions for any professional challenge.
Based on research and proven-to-work creative thinking models, Chris Griffiths and Melina Costi present a clear introduction to what creative thinking is, explain why we all need to do it and will help you generate ideas and make better decisions.
The Creative Thinking Handbook gets you to think differently by thinking creatively.
264 pages, Hardcover
Published September 27, 2022
55 people are currently reading
455 people want to read
About the author
Chris Griffiths
21 books12 followersChris Griffiths is the CEO of ThinkBuzan, the organisation behind Mind Mapping, the thinking tool used by millions worldwide. ThinkBuzan have been leaders in creativity and innovation for over 40 years with the mission to grow ‘minds’ and help individuals ‘think’ and ‘be’ better.
Chris is an expert in combining modern brain based thinking strategies, processes and techniques with creativity and technology. He founded his first business at 16 and sold his first company at the age of 25. Companies with which he has been involved have ranked in the 'Deloitte Fast 50' and 'The Sunday Times / London Stock Exchange Fasttrack 100'. He has also won awards for innovation and creativity.
Chris Griffiths is a sought after seminar and conference speaker, inspiring audiences worldwide with his distinctive take on what stops people being creative and how to unlearn the bad habits that stifle the formation of great ideas. He has facilitated brainstorming sessions for business, academic and humanitarian events, including the Petra Conference of Nobel Laureates in 2008, which was attended by some of the world’s greatest minds with the aim of finding solutions to end child poverty.
Chris Griffiths recently co-authored ‘Mind Maps for Business’ with Tony Buzan, which featured on the Amazon UK bestseller list. His writing draws on his own extensive observation and experience to introduce insightfully practical concepts that empower people towards success. Chris’s books have been sold in over 15 countries and translated into five languages.
His material has also been integrated into a nationally accredited qualification endorsed by a major UK Awarding Board to help children maximise their thinking skills.
He is responsible for iMindMap – the software tool that topped the Amazon charts in Japan to become the number one ranked software product across all categories. iMindMap has been used by over a million people worldwide in over 170 countries and 15 languages.
Chris, who is married and has two wonderful children, is a firm believer in a ‘healthy body equals a healthy mind’, hence his on-going study of the martial arts, which he has practised for 23 years.
In his new book, Chris explains why most people struggle to be innovative and demonstrates how anyone can let go of the unhelpful thinking habits that hold them back from applying their limitless creative potential. ‘GRASP The Solution’ presents a powerful and focused four-step approach for finding the ‘best’ answers to any challenge.
Chris is an expert in combining modern brain based thinking strategies, processes and techniques with creativity and technology. He founded his first business at 16 and sold his first company at the age of 25. Companies with which he has been involved have ranked in the 'Deloitte Fast 50' and 'The Sunday Times / London Stock Exchange Fasttrack 100'. He has also won awards for innovation and creativity.
Chris Griffiths is a sought after seminar and conference speaker, inspiring audiences worldwide with his distinctive take on what stops people being creative and how to unlearn the bad habits that stifle the formation of great ideas. He has facilitated brainstorming sessions for business, academic and humanitarian events, including the Petra Conference of Nobel Laureates in 2008, which was attended by some of the world’s greatest minds with the aim of finding solutions to end child poverty.
Chris Griffiths recently co-authored ‘Mind Maps for Business’ with Tony Buzan, which featured on the Amazon UK bestseller list. His writing draws on his own extensive observation and experience to introduce insightfully practical concepts that empower people towards success. Chris’s books have been sold in over 15 countries and translated into five languages.
His material has also been integrated into a nationally accredited qualification endorsed by a major UK Awarding Board to help children maximise their thinking skills.
He is responsible for iMindMap – the software tool that topped the Amazon charts in Japan to become the number one ranked software product across all categories. iMindMap has been used by over a million people worldwide in over 170 countries and 15 languages.
Chris, who is married and has two wonderful children, is a firm believer in a ‘healthy body equals a healthy mind’, hence his on-going study of the martial arts, which he has practised for 23 years.
In his new book, Chris explains why most people struggle to be innovative and demonstrates how anyone can let go of the unhelpful thinking habits that hold them back from applying their limitless creative potential. ‘GRASP The Solution’ presents a powerful and focused four-step approach for finding the ‘best’ answers to any challenge.
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Displaying 1 - 22 of 22 reviews
March 22, 2019
For a hundred years, Kodak was one of the most popular camera brands. They were successful from the early 1900s, offering cameras that middle-class people could afford. They had a stable product. Their stock was probably good stock to invest in. They survived throughout the entire century, through all the changes that made the beginning and the end of the century look so completely different. But now? No one uses Kodak cameras anymore. Kodak flopped, and you want to know the reason? They failed to be creative. They failed to think ahead.
No, this book isn’t the story of Kodak. It’s a handbook, actually – a complete guide to being creative. Filled with examples and illustrations as well as multiple quotes from well-known thinkers and business-owners, The Creative Thinking Handbook is a wonderful resource for every entrepreneur or business-owner. As an entrepreneur myself, I’ve seen what succeeds and what doesn’t. Without creative thinking, we would never have had the light bulb, the automobile, or a handheld phone without buttons. All these things were deemed impossible at one point, but now they’re commonplace. Nearly everyone has access to things that once were only dreams.
With the exercises that the author includes, we begin to see the world differently. Let’s forgo thinking outside the box – what if there is no box? No rules? Some illustrations in this book seem absurd, but he’s just training you to think creatively. In a world where success is measured by innovation, this resource is needed.
This book is well-written, not only filled with practical examples, but includes careful steps to get you where you need to be to think creatively. If you or your company is struggling with being innovative and staying on top of the market, you need to read this. Even if you haven’t a company and simply want to learn how to think more creatively, I recommend this guide.
A few things included in this book:
- Eye-opening illustrations of real companies
- Tips for how to brainstorm more effectively
- Thinking exercises to train you to think with no boundaries
- Creative ways to run your business more efficiently
- A step-by-step guide to finding solutions
- Directions to put everything together that you have learned
As the author accurately puts it, “Creativity is the new power. Success is no longer about what we know, but what we can create.”
FTC Disclosure: I received a complimentary copy of this book from Netgalley. A positive review was not required. These are my honest thoughts.
No, this book isn’t the story of Kodak. It’s a handbook, actually – a complete guide to being creative. Filled with examples and illustrations as well as multiple quotes from well-known thinkers and business-owners, The Creative Thinking Handbook is a wonderful resource for every entrepreneur or business-owner. As an entrepreneur myself, I’ve seen what succeeds and what doesn’t. Without creative thinking, we would never have had the light bulb, the automobile, or a handheld phone without buttons. All these things were deemed impossible at one point, but now they’re commonplace. Nearly everyone has access to things that once were only dreams.
With the exercises that the author includes, we begin to see the world differently. Let’s forgo thinking outside the box – what if there is no box? No rules? Some illustrations in this book seem absurd, but he’s just training you to think creatively. In a world where success is measured by innovation, this resource is needed.
This book is well-written, not only filled with practical examples, but includes careful steps to get you where you need to be to think creatively. If you or your company is struggling with being innovative and staying on top of the market, you need to read this. Even if you haven’t a company and simply want to learn how to think more creatively, I recommend this guide.
A few things included in this book:
- Eye-opening illustrations of real companies
- Tips for how to brainstorm more effectively
- Thinking exercises to train you to think with no boundaries
- Creative ways to run your business more efficiently
- A step-by-step guide to finding solutions
- Directions to put everything together that you have learned
As the author accurately puts it, “Creativity is the new power. Success is no longer about what we know, but what we can create.”
FTC Disclosure: I received a complimentary copy of this book from Netgalley. A positive review was not required. These are my honest thoughts.
October 6, 2022
Creative thinking can be very hard when learning the concept. I remember having to complete creative writing assignments in college and I think this book would have helped the process be more enjoyable.
📚Disclosure: I received a review copy of this book from the author/publisher via Netgalley. All thoughts, opinions, comments, and interpretations of the story are my own and bias free. I did not receive any money in exchange for this review. Thank you to the publisher for allowing me the opportunity to review. Reviews are cross-posted to social media, goodreads, and blog. 🦄
📚Disclosure: I received a review copy of this book from the author/publisher via Netgalley. All thoughts, opinions, comments, and interpretations of the story are my own and bias free. I did not receive any money in exchange for this review. Thank you to the publisher for allowing me the opportunity to review. Reviews are cross-posted to social media, goodreads, and blog. 🦄
March 10, 2020
Personally I'd expected more, however, still a good read.
April 3, 2021
Takeaways:
Businesses need to integrate creative thinking into their workplace cultures.
Teams must commit to removing common thinking errors that constrain creativity.
The “Solution Finder’s” systematic approach establishes a culture that promotes creativity.
Start by defining the problem.
Devise a brainstorming strategy.
Analyze ideas in ways that allow you to move toward action.
Prepare your chosen solution for implementation.
Team leaders need to encourage creative thinking by implementing innovative strategies.
Summary:
Businesses need to integrate creative thinking into their workplace cultures.
Through applied creativity, business owners can move their businesses from “getting by” to “moving forward.” Managers must foster openness to new ideas and implement innovations deliberately. Yet many businesses don’t cultivate an environment that’s conducive to creative thinking.
Through applied creativity, you can find new ideas about the causes of problems, ideas to help you solve those problems, ideas to make common executive decisions, and ideas about where you will go.
Business leaders’ future success will rely not on what they know or what worked in the past, but on what they can create. Today’s innovative companies – Starbucks, Amazon, Apple, Microsoft, and the like – position themselves to innovate regularly and to use creative problem-solving. Using one-off brainstorming sessions is insufficient; instead, implement a company-wide mind-set for creativity.
Teams must commit to removing common thinking errors that constrain creativity.
Bad decisions often result from errors in thinking rather than errors in information. When employees view information without checking their underlying biases and assumptions, it affects their ability to keep their minds open to new ideas and to see clear paths to resolving challenges. Common thinking errors tend to belong to one of three categories:
“Selective thinking” – People rely on ideas that reinforce the way they think and ignore those that don’t; this tendency strongly influences the decisions they make. Choosing observations and facts that complement rather than challenge your thinking inhibits the creative process. Kodak, for example, ignored technological innovations and stayed focused solely on film-based photography because it had worked for years. When digital cameras, digital printing and file sharing upended the world of photography, Kodak lost its dominance in the industry.
“Reactive thinking” – When making quick decisions, people rely on instinct and past performance rather than deliberate analysis of a host of ideas. Reactive thinking may result in an efficient path forward; however, it discards viable and perhaps stronger options. Success stories in business demonstrate that the first company out with an idea isn’t always the one that lasts, as successors take the time to improve on the original ideas. For example, Hydrox created the chocolate and cream sandwich cookie in 1908, but most people immediately associate that description with Oreo cookies.
“Assumptive thinking” – Thinking based on assumptions limits the range of options and presents an obstacle to new business models. Assumptions maintain “business as usual” and can prevent companies from moving forward. The Body Shop achieved remarkable success when it challenged assumptions in the cosmetics industry; at the outset, it broke the rules by selling natural products in refillable plastic containers, but it appealed to a new market segment: the environmentally conscious shopper.
The Solution Finder’s systematic approach establishes a culture that promotes creativity.
In market-driven companies, experience and analysis drive decision-making. Market drivers, on the other hand, think progressively and cultivate innovative ideas. Forward-thinking companies, such as Starbucks, Ikea to FedEx and Amazon, create agile environments that nurture creativity and innovation. The strategies they employ integrate both divergent thinking – the expansion of ideas – and convergent thinking – the narrowing down of the ideas into viable solutions.
You can’t drive a car in first gear and reverse at the same time. Likewise, you can’t create and evaluate simultaneously.
The Solution Finder process offers business leaders a systematic strategy for addressing challenges by clarifying the problems they wish to solve; generating ideas; thoughtfully analyzing those ideas and following them through to implementation.
Start by defining the problem.
Challenges don’t immediately identify themselves clearly in concise, positive language. To develop a solution, leaders must explore the problem: Ask questions, challenge it from different perspectives, and remain open to differing opinions. For example, if the company’s goal is to increase a department’s productivity, leaders within that department might restate the challenge using more concrete and positive language, such as “we want to remove obstacles that are making it hard for you to complete your assignments.”
Reframing also helps to simplify a problem to stimulate new thinking. When we’re overburdened with a problem, we can get stuck in complexity.
Such reframing can inspire a new business model as well. Hotel room capacity, notoriously in short supply in San Francisco when major conferences come to town, inspired entrepreneurs Brian Chesky and Joe Gebbia to reframe the challenge: Conference attendees needed low-cost, no-frills overnight accommodations. They offered their spare room to overnight guests and, thus, Airbnb – a website that helps people find short-term lodging in noncommerical properties around the world – was born.
Devise a brainstorming strategy.
Business leaders and employees gather in group brainstorming sessions, often in off-site settings, to focus on specific challenges the companies want to address. Research suggests, however, that people generate better ideas when working independently. Peer pressure, for one, leads many to agree with other viewpoints instead of posing alternatives. In addition, time-boxing sessions don’t allow for important processing time that enable people to reflect and imagine.
Most members of the group have hooked into a reactive or selective mode of thinking – in their minds, they’ve already decided and set off down a certain path. This isn’t brainstorming!
Business leaders can enhance brainstorming sessions by implementing a few alternative approaches:
Allow members time to generate ideas on their own and in small groups before presenting ideas to the entire group.
Encourage and embrace all ideas – even the seemingly nonsensical ones. Combine and rework these ideas to produce more promising ones. For example, while coming to work naked isn’t practical, combining the thought with a desire for a more relaxed work environment may lead to ideas for casual workdays and pajama-party celebrations.
Try different techniques to challenge members’ thinking patterns. For example, use metaphors to restate the problem in another way; ask “what if” to encourage members to imagine different scenarios; or pose the question in reverse so members quickly recognize what steps to avoid.
Analyze ideas in ways that allow you to move toward action.
After generating a multitude of ideas, teams begin to sift and evaluate the proposals. Many people find this process overwhelming without the proper tools to thoughtfully filter and measure ideas. In this analysis phase, leaders can take a three-step process to avoid getting stuck:
“Sort” – Focusing on the original problem, sort ideas into logical categories or clusters to narrow down the possibilities. Categories will likely vary for different activities and challenges. Remove duplicate ideas and those that stray too far from the problem. Focus on positive, rather than negative aspects of the proposals.
“Screen” – Take time to fully investigate the remaining ideas. Evaluate the ideas both emotionally and logically, since many successful innovations and campaigns appeal to both emotions and logic. Additionally, explore the pros and cons of the ideas from different sectors of the organization to create a comprehensive view.
“Select” – Test each idea thoroughly by asking key questions: Can it be done? Will it give a decent return? Do people want it?
Prepare your chosen solution for implementation.
Implementing a chosen solution successfully requires a strategic plan. Teams need to evaluate and challenge the final idea to strengthen it and help identify potential shortcomings.
The implementation stage is crucial for turning ideas into positive change.
Several approaches help to develop a solution and prepare for implementation. Teams can generate a list of pros and cons, and think of ways to strengthen the positives while making adjustments to address the negatives. Observing customers who use the product can help identify potential pain points in a servicing solution. Providing product samples can lead to direct feedback on a new product. The founders of Innocent Drinks, for example, tested their smoothies at a music festival, asking customers to drop empties into buckets labeled “Yes” or “No.” The overwhelmingly positive response gave them the confidence to move forward with their formula.
Teams need to celebrate the implementation of a chosen solution. However, they need to continue to fine-tune and evaluate, even while it’s coming to market. Note that many successful businesses developed several iterations of their products before they achieved commercial success. Dyson, for one, persevered through 15 years and hundreds of prototypes before successfully launching the bagless vacuum cleaner. Walt Disney and Elon Musk both went through bankruptcy at different points in their careers. The developers of the popular online game Angry Birds continue to evaluate and innovate by regularly updating their app and by branching out into merchandise, books and cartoons.
Team leaders need to encourage creative thinking by implementing innovative strategies.
Being a creative leader often means transitioning the workplace culture to one that encourages ideas and creativity. Leaders should look at current and possible habits and decide which ones aid or hinder transitions to an agile, innovative workplace. For example, leaders can consider:
What to stop doing, such as making quick, reactive decisions.
What to keep doing, such as giving workers free time to toy with ideas.
What to start doing, such as adding individual idea creation time to group brainstorming sessions.
Your company can also increase creativity by gaining insights from failures as well as successes. Failures serve as vital learning opportunities. Instill fun in the workplace: Play at work keeps creativity flowing. Create an environment of collaboration and support. Sharing information across teams helps employees grow.
Businesses need to integrate creative thinking into their workplace cultures.
Teams must commit to removing common thinking errors that constrain creativity.
The “Solution Finder’s” systematic approach establishes a culture that promotes creativity.
Start by defining the problem.
Devise a brainstorming strategy.
Analyze ideas in ways that allow you to move toward action.
Prepare your chosen solution for implementation.
Team leaders need to encourage creative thinking by implementing innovative strategies.
Summary:
Businesses need to integrate creative thinking into their workplace cultures.
Through applied creativity, business owners can move their businesses from “getting by” to “moving forward.” Managers must foster openness to new ideas and implement innovations deliberately. Yet many businesses don’t cultivate an environment that’s conducive to creative thinking.
Through applied creativity, you can find new ideas about the causes of problems, ideas to help you solve those problems, ideas to make common executive decisions, and ideas about where you will go.
Business leaders’ future success will rely not on what they know or what worked in the past, but on what they can create. Today’s innovative companies – Starbucks, Amazon, Apple, Microsoft, and the like – position themselves to innovate regularly and to use creative problem-solving. Using one-off brainstorming sessions is insufficient; instead, implement a company-wide mind-set for creativity.
Teams must commit to removing common thinking errors that constrain creativity.
Bad decisions often result from errors in thinking rather than errors in information. When employees view information without checking their underlying biases and assumptions, it affects their ability to keep their minds open to new ideas and to see clear paths to resolving challenges. Common thinking errors tend to belong to one of three categories:
“Selective thinking” – People rely on ideas that reinforce the way they think and ignore those that don’t; this tendency strongly influences the decisions they make. Choosing observations and facts that complement rather than challenge your thinking inhibits the creative process. Kodak, for example, ignored technological innovations and stayed focused solely on film-based photography because it had worked for years. When digital cameras, digital printing and file sharing upended the world of photography, Kodak lost its dominance in the industry.
“Reactive thinking” – When making quick decisions, people rely on instinct and past performance rather than deliberate analysis of a host of ideas. Reactive thinking may result in an efficient path forward; however, it discards viable and perhaps stronger options. Success stories in business demonstrate that the first company out with an idea isn’t always the one that lasts, as successors take the time to improve on the original ideas. For example, Hydrox created the chocolate and cream sandwich cookie in 1908, but most people immediately associate that description with Oreo cookies.
“Assumptive thinking” – Thinking based on assumptions limits the range of options and presents an obstacle to new business models. Assumptions maintain “business as usual” and can prevent companies from moving forward. The Body Shop achieved remarkable success when it challenged assumptions in the cosmetics industry; at the outset, it broke the rules by selling natural products in refillable plastic containers, but it appealed to a new market segment: the environmentally conscious shopper.
The Solution Finder’s systematic approach establishes a culture that promotes creativity.
In market-driven companies, experience and analysis drive decision-making. Market drivers, on the other hand, think progressively and cultivate innovative ideas. Forward-thinking companies, such as Starbucks, Ikea to FedEx and Amazon, create agile environments that nurture creativity and innovation. The strategies they employ integrate both divergent thinking – the expansion of ideas – and convergent thinking – the narrowing down of the ideas into viable solutions.
You can’t drive a car in first gear and reverse at the same time. Likewise, you can’t create and evaluate simultaneously.
The Solution Finder process offers business leaders a systematic strategy for addressing challenges by clarifying the problems they wish to solve; generating ideas; thoughtfully analyzing those ideas and following them through to implementation.
Start by defining the problem.
Challenges don’t immediately identify themselves clearly in concise, positive language. To develop a solution, leaders must explore the problem: Ask questions, challenge it from different perspectives, and remain open to differing opinions. For example, if the company’s goal is to increase a department’s productivity, leaders within that department might restate the challenge using more concrete and positive language, such as “we want to remove obstacles that are making it hard for you to complete your assignments.”
Reframing also helps to simplify a problem to stimulate new thinking. When we’re overburdened with a problem, we can get stuck in complexity.
Such reframing can inspire a new business model as well. Hotel room capacity, notoriously in short supply in San Francisco when major conferences come to town, inspired entrepreneurs Brian Chesky and Joe Gebbia to reframe the challenge: Conference attendees needed low-cost, no-frills overnight accommodations. They offered their spare room to overnight guests and, thus, Airbnb – a website that helps people find short-term lodging in noncommerical properties around the world – was born.
Devise a brainstorming strategy.
Business leaders and employees gather in group brainstorming sessions, often in off-site settings, to focus on specific challenges the companies want to address. Research suggests, however, that people generate better ideas when working independently. Peer pressure, for one, leads many to agree with other viewpoints instead of posing alternatives. In addition, time-boxing sessions don’t allow for important processing time that enable people to reflect and imagine.
Most members of the group have hooked into a reactive or selective mode of thinking – in their minds, they’ve already decided and set off down a certain path. This isn’t brainstorming!
Business leaders can enhance brainstorming sessions by implementing a few alternative approaches:
Allow members time to generate ideas on their own and in small groups before presenting ideas to the entire group.
Encourage and embrace all ideas – even the seemingly nonsensical ones. Combine and rework these ideas to produce more promising ones. For example, while coming to work naked isn’t practical, combining the thought with a desire for a more relaxed work environment may lead to ideas for casual workdays and pajama-party celebrations.
Try different techniques to challenge members’ thinking patterns. For example, use metaphors to restate the problem in another way; ask “what if” to encourage members to imagine different scenarios; or pose the question in reverse so members quickly recognize what steps to avoid.
Analyze ideas in ways that allow you to move toward action.
After generating a multitude of ideas, teams begin to sift and evaluate the proposals. Many people find this process overwhelming without the proper tools to thoughtfully filter and measure ideas. In this analysis phase, leaders can take a three-step process to avoid getting stuck:
“Sort” – Focusing on the original problem, sort ideas into logical categories or clusters to narrow down the possibilities. Categories will likely vary for different activities and challenges. Remove duplicate ideas and those that stray too far from the problem. Focus on positive, rather than negative aspects of the proposals.
“Screen” – Take time to fully investigate the remaining ideas. Evaluate the ideas both emotionally and logically, since many successful innovations and campaigns appeal to both emotions and logic. Additionally, explore the pros and cons of the ideas from different sectors of the organization to create a comprehensive view.
“Select” – Test each idea thoroughly by asking key questions: Can it be done? Will it give a decent return? Do people want it?
Prepare your chosen solution for implementation.
Implementing a chosen solution successfully requires a strategic plan. Teams need to evaluate and challenge the final idea to strengthen it and help identify potential shortcomings.
The implementation stage is crucial for turning ideas into positive change.
Several approaches help to develop a solution and prepare for implementation. Teams can generate a list of pros and cons, and think of ways to strengthen the positives while making adjustments to address the negatives. Observing customers who use the product can help identify potential pain points in a servicing solution. Providing product samples can lead to direct feedback on a new product. The founders of Innocent Drinks, for example, tested their smoothies at a music festival, asking customers to drop empties into buckets labeled “Yes” or “No.” The overwhelmingly positive response gave them the confidence to move forward with their formula.
Teams need to celebrate the implementation of a chosen solution. However, they need to continue to fine-tune and evaluate, even while it’s coming to market. Note that many successful businesses developed several iterations of their products before they achieved commercial success. Dyson, for one, persevered through 15 years and hundreds of prototypes before successfully launching the bagless vacuum cleaner. Walt Disney and Elon Musk both went through bankruptcy at different points in their careers. The developers of the popular online game Angry Birds continue to evaluate and innovate by regularly updating their app and by branching out into merchandise, books and cartoons.
Team leaders need to encourage creative thinking by implementing innovative strategies.
Being a creative leader often means transitioning the workplace culture to one that encourages ideas and creativity. Leaders should look at current and possible habits and decide which ones aid or hinder transitions to an agile, innovative workplace. For example, leaders can consider:
What to stop doing, such as making quick, reactive decisions.
What to keep doing, such as giving workers free time to toy with ideas.
What to start doing, such as adding individual idea creation time to group brainstorming sessions.
Your company can also increase creativity by gaining insights from failures as well as successes. Failures serve as vital learning opportunities. Instill fun in the workplace: Play at work keeps creativity flowing. Create an environment of collaboration and support. Sharing information across teams helps employees grow.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
February 9, 2020
Read a summary of this book on Blinkist. It was interesting enough to check if my local library has it, but average enough that I wouldn't buy it.
December 14, 2020
Anyone can be very creative.
To build creativity you need to be strategic about how you think.
Selective, reactive, and assumptive thinking all block your creativity.
Taking the time to understand your challenge is key to developing a creative solution. Don't jump to solutions too early. What you know and don't know about your problem? What are your assumptions and which can you probe? Ask 5 Ws questions. Ask why in multiple levels.
Creativity doesn't just happen. It needs a combination of structure and freedom.
Select a time and place. Designate a facilitator for the team. Brainstorm individually and then as a group. The more ideas you have and explore the richer the solution will be.
Your head and heart both have a role to play when choosing the right ideas. Approach your ideas with logic and emotion. Pros and cons on all factors.
You need confidence, a solid plan, and a constant supply of creativity to bring your ideas to life.
To keep the creativity flowing, make time for it and build an environment that supports it. Be aware of your most productive hours!
To build creativity you need to be strategic about how you think.
Selective, reactive, and assumptive thinking all block your creativity.
Taking the time to understand your challenge is key to developing a creative solution. Don't jump to solutions too early. What you know and don't know about your problem? What are your assumptions and which can you probe? Ask 5 Ws questions. Ask why in multiple levels.
Creativity doesn't just happen. It needs a combination of structure and freedom.
Select a time and place. Designate a facilitator for the team. Brainstorm individually and then as a group. The more ideas you have and explore the richer the solution will be.
Your head and heart both have a role to play when choosing the right ideas. Approach your ideas with logic and emotion. Pros and cons on all factors.
You need confidence, a solid plan, and a constant supply of creativity to bring your ideas to life.
To keep the creativity flowing, make time for it and build an environment that supports it. Be aware of your most productive hours!
November 10, 2024
Загалом, це досить типовий представник бізнес-літератури про "наша методологія дозволить досягти вам успішного успіху".
Загалом тут є сильні сторони, такі як концентрація на практичному підході до речей, та багато прикладних матеріалів, які за підходящого контексту можна дійсно використовувати в роботі.
Але позиціонування абсолютно не відповідає справжній начинці. В першу чергу - це не посібник з креативного мислення, це один з підходів до вирішення проблем через метод брейншторму, тобто вкрай однобока штука. Це проблема, від якої всі ці інфоцигани, чи то консультанти та коучі, страждають - one size fits all. Так, це легше продавати, але очевидно, що далеко не всі (дуже далеко) знайдуть тут відповіді на свої запитання.
Іще одна серйозна проблема, яка викликає антипатію, це водичка, якої тут багато. Тобто попри вже згаданий фокус на практичності, десь половину книжки наповнюють стейтменти по типу "Якщо вам здається, що це неможливо, вам здається бо це можливо. Копійка гривню береже, а собака хату стереже".
Не зовсім згаяний час, але страждає від надміру амбітних обіцянок.
Загалом тут є сильні сторони, такі як концентрація на практичному підході до речей, та багато прикладних матеріалів, які за підходящого контексту можна дійсно використовувати в роботі.
Але позиціонування абсолютно не відповідає справжній начинці. В першу чергу - це не посібник з креативного мислення, це один з підходів до вирішення проблем через метод брейншторму, тобто вкрай однобока штука. Це проблема, від якої всі ці інфоцигани, чи то консультанти та коучі, страждають - one size fits all. Так, це легше продавати, але очевидно, що далеко не всі (дуже далеко) знайдуть тут відповіді на свої запитання.
Іще одна серйозна проблема, яка викликає антипатію, це водичка, якої тут багато. Тобто попри вже згаданий фокус на практичності, десь половину книжки наповнюють стейтменти по типу "Якщо вам здається, що це неможливо, вам здається бо це можливо. Копійка гривню береже, а собака хату стереже".
Не зовсім згаяний час, але страждає від надміру амбітних обіцянок.
February 9, 2020
“Creativity might feel like a talent that only some people are gifted with, but the reality is that anyone can become more creative. By learning how to think differently and working through the process from understanding all the way to implementation, you’ll develop the skills to creatively and effectively take on any challenge.
Actionable advice:
Take advantage of your most productive hours.
Do you wake up energized and excited for the day? Or do you get the most work done in the afternoon or towards the evening? Spend a week or two paying attention to when your focus and productivity peaks, and start using these times to work on tasks that require some creative brainpower.”
Actionable advice:
Take advantage of your most productive hours.
Do you wake up energized and excited for the day? Or do you get the most work done in the afternoon or towards the evening? Spend a week or two paying attention to when your focus and productivity peaks, and start using these times to work on tasks that require some creative brainpower.”
September 30, 2020
When I started this book I didn’t think it was going to teach me anything I didn’t know about problem solving, but I was wrong! The book encourages you to look at problems from different angles and to ask questions about the problem and your goals. It encourages and inspires you to be creative and to foster creativity in your organization.
July 4, 2024
Great ideas for effective problem-solving are in this book.
Unfortunately, the online resources are locked behind giving Chris Griffiths your email address, which doesn't seem to work, as I have not received anything.
Unfortunately, the online resources are locked behind giving Chris Griffiths your email address, which doesn't seem to work, as I have not received anything.
April 7, 2025
Посібник-інструкція, під час читання якої добре думається. Непоганий інструментарій із покроковими планами для генерування ідей, вирішення проблем, керованого мозкового штурму. Буде корисною для розширення креативних горизонтів.
Із мінусів - посилання з книжки застаріли (
Із мінусів - посилання з книжки застаріли (
February 9, 2020
To be creative you need to have an 'everything is possible' mindset.
April 26, 2020
Pratico, fácil de aplicar e muito pertinente.
March 1, 2021
A book with a lot of repetition and that have a method to achieve creativity through a few steps. I don't think it's enough to worth our time, but has a few good tips at least.
December 13, 2021
Look at current and possible habits and decide which ones aid or hinder transitions to an agile, innovative workplace.
September 23, 2022
Overall Good for me. I will recommend keeping it on your book Shelves.
February 9, 2020
The Creative Thinking Handbook equips you with an easy-to-follow guide for making creativity an integral part of how you work. Research at the Yale School of Management predicts that by 2027, 75 percent of leading US firms will lose their place to currently unknown companies. This indicates that to succeed in a time of ever-changing technology and needs, requires fast, adaptable, and creative thinking. In the age Artificial Intelligence revolution, creativity is one of the most important things for survival.
Creativity might feel like a talent that only some people are gifted with, but the reality is that anyone can become more creative. By learning how to think differently and working through the process from understanding all the way to implementation, you’ll develop the skills to creatively and effectively take on any challenge.
Diagnose yourself as at which time of the day your creativity mind unlocks either in the morning or towards the evening and start using these times to work on tasks that require some creative brainpower.
Creativity might feel like a talent that only some people are gifted with, but the reality is that anyone can become more creative. By learning how to think differently and working through the process from understanding all the way to implementation, you’ll develop the skills to creatively and effectively take on any challenge.
Diagnose yourself as at which time of the day your creativity mind unlocks either in the morning or towards the evening and start using these times to work on tasks that require some creative brainpower.
September 14, 2022
This book got me thinking differently and provided exposure to new strategies to innovative thinking. The mini activities kept me engaged in the reading material and sparked my problem-solving skills. I highlighted and bookmarked many sections to revisit and plan to apply the Solution Finder process (UIAD) to improve my ‘thinking’.
I highly recommend this book. I know I will be purchasing a hardcopy and checking out the Ayoa website.
Thank you NetGalley and Kogan Page Ltd for the eARC.
I highly recommend this book. I know I will be purchasing a hardcopy and checking out the Ayoa website.
Thank you NetGalley and Kogan Page Ltd for the eARC.
October 8, 2022
You may find this book practical or inspirational. For me both count because, on one side, the book has a well-designed structure on how to develop creativity for you individually as well as how to lead creative thinking processes for a team or company. There are good quotes and case studies that illustrate the importance of creative intelligence. Some frameworks are not new however they support the overall living and breathing of urgency to be creative in today's world.
February 28, 2019
Useful ~ Fun ~ Challenging (i.e. Challenges the reader)
tl;dr: Problem-solving skills can be learned and improved
Griffiths and Costi have put together an incredibly useful book, a primer to help people in any professional area. Each section has clear learning outcomes (though not framed that way formally and described in a interesting, non-academic way). As someone who does workshops, I was impressed at how the book doesn't stick to the usual methods. In some ways, I would guess, Griffiths and Costi have lived the creativity thinking process to create this book. Everyone should give this book a try. Honestly.
Thanks to NetGalley for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.
Seema Rao Write : Instagram| Blog| Twitter|
tl;dr: Problem-solving skills can be learned and improved
Griffiths and Costi have put together an incredibly useful book, a primer to help people in any professional area. Each section has clear learning outcomes (though not framed that way formally and described in a interesting, non-academic way). As someone who does workshops, I was impressed at how the book doesn't stick to the usual methods. In some ways, I would guess, Griffiths and Costi have lived the creativity thinking process to create this book. Everyone should give this book a try. Honestly.
Thanks to NetGalley for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.
Seema Rao Write : Instagram| Blog| Twitter|
March 2, 2019
There are lots of good ideas and examples here. Many of them are not new (maybe I've read too many books...), but they can still be helpful. My faves included drilling down to the root "why" and a more effective brainstorming process. There are a number of activities and exercises to help get the juices flowing. There are also some good checklists and dos/don'ts.
This is a "straight" book that doesn't try to be funny like other books on creativity, which works well for these authors. In some ways, this is a psychology book -- which is used to help us be creative.
While this was well-written, it did not blow my socks off. I'm not sure I can identify the exact reasons. Nonetheless, the info here is solid, and will undoubtedly benefit many readers seeking some new creativity in their business/life. Recommended.
I really appreciate the advanced copy for review!
This is a "straight" book that doesn't try to be funny like other books on creativity, which works well for these authors. In some ways, this is a psychology book -- which is used to help us be creative.
While this was well-written, it did not blow my socks off. I'm not sure I can identify the exact reasons. Nonetheless, the info here is solid, and will undoubtedly benefit many readers seeking some new creativity in their business/life. Recommended.
I really appreciate the advanced copy for review!
May 24, 2019
Is your company market driven or market driving? Do you agree to the following: ‘Everything that can be invented has been invented.’ Charles Duell, Commissioner, US Office of Patents? This statement is from 1899 and how first it sound today?
Creativity is the key element for successful business today. The book is great with exercises/activities to train your brain along while reading the book. There are many interesting case studies that show practical applications of creative thinking.
Creativity is the key element for successful business today. The book is great with exercises/activities to train your brain along while reading the book. There are many interesting case studies that show practical applications of creative thinking.
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