Executive Bookshelf : Creative Confidence - Tom & David Kelley
Synopsis
IDEO founder and Stanford d.school creator David Kelley and his brother Tom Kelley, IDEO partner and the author of the bestselling The Art of Innovation, have written a powerful and compelling book on unleashing the creativity that lies within each and every one of us.
Too often, companies and individuals assume that creativity and innovation are the domain of the "creative types." But two of the leading experts in innovation, design, and creativity on the planet show us that each and every one of us is creative. In an incredibly entertaining and inspiring narrative that draws on countless stories from their work at IDEO, the Stanford d.school, and with many of the world's top companies, David and Tom Kelley identify the principles and strategies that will allow us to tap into our creative potential in our work lives, and in our personal lives, and allow us to innovate in terms of how we approach and solve problems. It is a book that will help each of us be more productive and successful in our lives and in our careers.
Tom’s Take
I've always had an internal struggle about my areas of interest and passions. On one hand, give me a raw piece of wood, an idea for a leatherworking project, or a unique spin on an event and my creative side goes into overdrive. On the other hand, give me an excel spreadsheet and I am comfortable in creating analytic models. The side of me that loves karaoke singing and magic tricks always had a hard time reconciling the economics major in me.
Since I don’t have the skills in more traditional creative arts, I've always thought of my creativity as a fluke.
Creative Confidence is one of the best guides to unleashing that inner creative talent, even within more traditional managers. I've been fortunate to have learned the background and foundations of design thinking in my consulting work. I’ve had the opportunity to experience the full set of design thinking methodologies and started to become more open to letting my full self – both the creative and analytic sides - finally live together in my work.
It's a fun journey to take with the Kelley brothers as they use both humor and storytelling to bring readers into the new world that is design thinking. This work includes both examples of how the "old" way misses out on innovation and how to use the design thinking method to unleash creativity. Done well, this process gets at the best (and most appropriate) solutions to problems across businesses, non-profits and everyday life.
Short, easy to read and enjoyable, don't let this book fool you. If you start on this journey, you will not be able to go back. After you get a taste of design thinking, I imagine most innovative executives will add it to their toolkits. It's uncomfortable to try something so new and so different, but there are plenty of experts that are able to build that capacity within organizations and teams.
I don't want to give too much away, but if you are seeking to move yourself and your organizations to a new level of creativity and innovation, run, don't walk, to get this book.