Showing posts with label creativity. Show all posts
Showing posts with label creativity. Show all posts

Idea Mapping: How to Access Your Hidden Brain Power, Learn Faster, Remember More, and Achieve Success in Business Review

Idea Mapping: How to Access Your Hidden Brain Power, Learn Faster, Remember More, and Achieve Success in Business
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Idea Mapping: How to Access Your Hidden Brain Power, Learn Faster, Remember More, and Achieve Success in Business ReviewFrankly, I regret to point out that this book is just another 'how-to' mind-mapping book. Essentially, it's no different from what Tony Buzan or Vanda North or Joyce Wycoff had written earlier.
Except for one: The author has now fully incorporated the use of MindManager software to go with it. Undoubtedly, MindManager can expedite the mind-mapping process. [With all the available third-party add-ons, MindManager is really a godsend!]. In some way, you can say reading this book is like reading any of Tony Buzan's mind-mapping books, syntopically with the 'MindManager for Dummies' book! In reality, this book is not ground-breaking & does not offer any new insights into idea generation.
I must add, however, for a beginner into techno-savvy mind-mapping, this book is still great stuff. I also want to compliment the author for listing out a series of 28 mind-mapping applications & suggested practice activities in the Idea Mapping Menu at the end pages!. For beginners, this is obviously a very good place to start.
My only adverse comment about mind-mapping as envisioned by Tony Buzan & his staunch followers is that every topical idea must seemingly take a radial approach & commence from the centre. This book doggedly follows the same approach.
Nancy Margulies, in her debut book, Mapping Innerspace, during the early eighties, took a radical departure from the Buzan routine. She created 'mind-scaping' - your topical idea can start from anywhere you like - which I thought is really great!.
To some extent, 'Idea-mapping' as the book title is quite a misnomer. It is obvious to me that the author has a somewhat narrow perspective, arising from her only chosen exposure to Buzan's mindmapping routines & the MindManager software.
A truly 'idea-mapping' book should provide readers with a smorgasbord of options to go beyond traditional mind-mapping & just MindManager alone. To illustrate a quick point, 'mind-scaping' routines appear exceptionally wonderful with SmartDraw Pro (with its abundant templates & cliparts) or even Microsoft Visio.
'Concept mapping' routines, with the topical idea starting from the super-ordinate hierarchy as postulated by Joseph Novak, & 'causal loop diagramming' routines (from the field of systems thinking) are pieces of cake with 'Inspiration' software. 'Fish-bone diagramming' & 'flow-charting' (which are other forms of idea-mapping) with either 'Inspiration' or 'SmartDraw' softwares are some good examples, too. There are too numerous other software examples to cover in this review. [For readers who are visual thinkers with a high propensity towards conceptual modeling, I would even suggest the AXON Idea Processor. It has an impressive 3-D modeling capability, with a 500-level depth migration. Incidentally, it's also a Singaporean thoroughbred!]
In the course of my work, I have come across a lot of followers who are simply indoctrinated by the mindsets of mind-mapping as envisioned by Tony Buzan.
I would like to share with readers the true power & value of idea-mapping:
An idea-map is just a visual tool to jot down & organise ideas & then use it to generate insights, irrespective of whether they are from reading a book or just stretching your brain for a change. This is the initial response. Once, this map is drawn up - with or without software -, it's just an exploded-view (map) of what you have just captured. Period! Most kids at primary school level can do it very well.
After the idea- map is done, you step back, take an helicopter view & reflect on it, by seeing the bigger & broader picture as well as from the systemic relationships between what has been written or drawn on the map. You can then add to or may even subtract from the map. A lot of thinking (& reflection) on your part goes into this stage. Tactically, you also cross-pollinate from what you have read elsewhere as well as from your own &/or other peoples' experiences in connection with your reflections (or memory jogs!) from the idea map. This is what I call the reflective response.
Lastly, comes the final response, with which you readily integrate (or internalise) what you have done in the initial & reflective responses, into what you are thinking &/or planning to do. The resultant outcome is your assimilative response. Using another lingo, this is your strategic model. This is where the actual value of an idea map is primarily located! Not in the beautiful map - with or without software - you have drawn in the first place! (I also note that a lot of Buzan followers simply love to spend time & effort in beautifying their mind-maps! This is really crazy!)
I love to call this end-point process the 'water logic' of idea generation, to borrow a phrase from Edward de bono.
The true value or ROI of an idea-map is WHERE IT LEADS YOU TO.
Of course, having a beautifully drawn or crafted idea-map is good for the ego - looking good, but going nowhere!
Just as I have said earlier, this book has really great stuff for the beginner into techno-savvy mind-mapping. But, please don't just stop here because life as well as business issues are never centralised. So, keep exploring! The world is full of possibilities!
To summarise my review, the author, regrettably with all her good intentions, did not focus on the true power & value of idea-mapping in this book.
Idea Mapping: How to Access Your Hidden Brain Power, Learn Faster, Remember More, and Achieve Success in Business Overview

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The Psychology of Creative Writing Review

The Psychology of Creative Writing
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The Psychology of Creative Writing ReviewFirst, this book isn't really for the average reader -- it's definitely an academic book, with emphasis on not just literature reviews but original studies performed by the authors of various chapters. For the academic reader, however, the book covers ground you're going to have trouble finding journal articles on in PsycINFO. I nearly gave the book five stars for covering ground so rarely covered, but while some chapters are five-star material, the book as a whole isn't strong enough to warrant such a high rating.
I'm thrilled with things like the breakdown of different types of blocked writers (perhaps it's not the block that's the problem, but the writer who has issues), the exploration of great manuscripts as collaborative projects (read: projects to which crit partners have contributed ideas and even prose), and the variety of theories on the creative process. Having read Susan Perry's book Writing in Flow: Keys to Enhanced Creativity, I liked that there is a chapter from her that compresses the findings of that book into a briefer space.
Other chapters are weaker -- I had trouble with the chapter that suggested that physiognomy is valid; and despite my appreciation for evolutionary psychology, the chapter arguing that creative writing may be an adaptive process was weak. I also got a bit of a chuckle at the irony of a chapter that states that phrases like "plodding sluggishly" and "sauntering languidly" are good, evocative terms for writers to use when in fact they're weak writing (use strong verbs! avoid adverbs!). Even those with some expertise on writers may not be masters of the art themselves, it seems.
For those who are interested in digging into the research behind creative writing and creative writers, this is a worthwhile read -- especially for those who have already exhausted/are already familiar with the famous creativity research of authors like Kay Redfield Jamison (Touched with Fire: Manic-Depressive Illness and the Artistic Temperament), Nancy Andreason (The Creative Brain: The Science of Genius), and Mihalyi Csikszentmihalyi (multiple books on the topic of Flow) and want to go farther.The Psychology of Creative Writing Overview

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The Other 8 Hours: Maximize Your Free Time to Create New Wealth & Purpose Review

The Other 8 Hours: Maximize Your Free Time to Create New Wealth and Purpose
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The Other 8 Hours: Maximize Your Free Time to Create New Wealth & Purpose ReviewI'm pretty shocked at the generally high reviews of this book. While I found there to be some vaguely useful tips, in general it's pretty long winded and short on usable info. In particular the folksy story that started each chapter were useless. The frequent references to church and the bible are fairly annoying and borderline preachy. How is it that he manages to incorporate faith in almost every chapter of a book on how to maximize your time??
In short I would say that if it hasn't occurred to you that watching less television would be a good way to increase productivity in the other 8 hours of your day, then you could probably benefit from reading this book. If you're already somewhat analytical about how you're spending your time, then this book might be a waste of your time.
I'm giving it a star for some useful websites that could be helpful in starting a business, but even then his treatment of how business are started isn't particularly thorough. He frequently mentions angel investors vs. VC investors without describing the important differences between the two. Is the author assuming his audience who doesn't know video games are a time suck already aware of the differences in these two important funding sources for getting their business off the ground?? Throughout the book the author recommends putting together an e-book to test the waters for your business idea, and in the end this book reads like a bunch of 20 page e-books compiled in to a collection of tips, not a comprehensive study on time management.
DO NOT PAY FOR THIS BOOK. Get it from your local library. The small amount of useful information is not worth the space it will occupy on your bookshelf.The Other 8 Hours: Maximize Your Free Time to Create New Wealth & Purpose Overview

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Benchmarking for Best Practices: Winning Through Innovative Adaptation Review

Benchmarking for Best Practices: Winning Through Innovative Adaptation
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Benchmarking for Best Practices: Winning Through Innovative Adaptation ReviewAs a responsible management consultant, virtually every one of my engagements involves measurement and benchmarking in one form or another. This is one of several books I turn to time and again to assist me in ensuring that my clients' initiatives are (1) meeting expectations (2) providing competitive advantage and (3) delivering customer satisfaction. If you have any questions, please feel free to email me - adamleft@webspan.net.Benchmarking for Best Practices: Winning Through Innovative Adaptation Overview

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Gifted Grownups: The Mixed Blessings of Extraordinary Potential Review

Gifted Grownups: The Mixed Blessings of Extraordinary Potential
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Gifted Grownups: The Mixed Blessings of Extraordinary Potential ReviewThis book is an absolute must-read for all of us who grew up as "gifted children", but soon found that the real world did not welcome us with open arms. So many of Ms. Streznewski's observations were frighteningly accurate descriptions of my own life experiences, and the many interviews she conducted made me feel less alone.
I've been meandering through life for over ten years thinking that my high IQ was useful in school, but had little relevance in the professional world. Finally, I am enlightened to the fact that "giftedness" does not end at graduation. Suddenly my spotty job history (I get bored very easily and bosses find my outside-the-box thinking threatening), and difficulty in choosing a long-term career make some sense!
I agree with others who stopped at four stars, because although this book provided me with incredibly valuable information about why I am the way I am, it doesn't offer much insight as to how to better focus my potential. I believe that there is a lot of talent being wasted every day because many extraordinarily gifted, talented people are not accepted by society and the business world. How about a sequel that addresses the challenges unique to gifted adults, and strategies to overcome them?Gifted Grownups: The Mixed Blessings of Extraordinary Potential Overview

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Identifying Hidden Needs: Creating Breakthrough Products Review

Identifying Hidden Needs: Creating Breakthrough Products
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Identifying Hidden Needs: Creating Breakthrough Products ReviewMost experts fail to explore the foundation of innovation: research. Authors Keith Goffin, Fred Lemke and Ursula Koners believe most new products fail because they are not based on research that uncovers consumers' "hidden needs." Developing new offerings based on the data produced by outdated research methods is like trying to cook a gourmet meal with inferior ingredients. The authors try to put a human face on ethnographic research by supplying several case studies per chapter, but that does little to relieve the dry and technical nature of the subject matter. The text is not for the casual reader. For market researchers and product developers, however, getAbstract believes this treatise will offer new, worthy ideas and methods presented in a variety of formats with charts, graphs, grids and more.Identifying Hidden Needs: Creating Breakthrough Products Overview

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Family Art Therapy: Foundations of Theory and Practice (Family Therapy and Counseling) Review

Family Art Therapy: Foundations of Theory and Practice (Family Therapy and Counseling)
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Family Art Therapy: Foundations of Theory and Practice (Family Therapy and Counseling) ReviewThis book takes some family therapy perspectives mixed with art therapy. It is a very good idea to use a structural perspective or a narrative perspective from family therapy, but art therapy will always be the best matter to work with. Very interesting to have many other ideas, to go beyond words and start to using a paintbrush.Family Art Therapy: Foundations of Theory and Practice (Family Therapy and Counseling) Overview

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Changing on the Job: Developing Leaders for a Complex World Review

Changing on the Job: Developing Leaders for a Complex World
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Changing on the Job: Developing Leaders for a Complex World ReviewReading Jennifer's writing is like being in the room with her, sitting by the fire, sharing ideas about life, people, hope, and aspirations. Her writing is at once warm, personal, and incredibly insightful and to the point. I have read this book several times already....the first time I read it cover to cover and now I frequently use it as a reference (I must admit, I read advance copies, which is why I've had the time to read it so many times!) The book starts with extremely helpful descriptions about developmental stages and how real people make meaning as they move through those phases. She brings the stages to life through her her down to earth style and makes it easy for someone new to adult development to understand, but also highly relevant for those more experienced with the theories. The basic descriptions are followed by a little something for everyone---how we ourselves can get keener insight into our own meaning making, how coaches might go about helping their clients depending on stage of development, and how leaders and organizations can use their knowledge of people's meaning making systems to help people grow.....and how, by using this lens, we can all do our part to make the world a better place, a world where people are encouraged and supported to be the most of who they are. I have recommended this book to practically everyone I know---my coaching colleagues, my clients, and my friends and family. It's for anyone who wants to take a new look at how people grow and change over time, and how we can help ourselves and others on the journey.Changing on the Job: Developing Leaders for a Complex World Overview

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Practical Genius: The Real Smarts You Need to Get Your Talents and Passions Working for YOU Review

Practical Genius: The Real Smarts You Need to Get Your Talents and Passions Working for YOU
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Practical Genius: The Real Smarts You Need to Get Your Talents and Passions Working for YOU ReviewThis easy to read manifesto style book will really be usefull, to build your communication around the genius in you. Discover your other G-spot (your genius spot) where what you love to do (fun) means business! Then Gina Amaro Rudan takes you deep into her lessons that exemplify how to tell your story in the most compelling ways.
Since Gina's message has depth, you may want to go back to it more then once. I have also purchased the MP3 audio file.
I for one enjoyed rerunning the chapters one by one by listening; in the car and on the Ipod.
I would say this book is the really cool follow up on: Now discover your strengths by Marcus Buckingham (you should run the online strength-finder-test if you haven't yet uncovered your real talents). So be genius and go ad 'm to your cart ;)
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Positivity: Groundbreaking Research Reveals How to Embrace the Hidden Strength of Positive Emotions, Overcome Negativity, and Thrive Review

Positivity: Groundbreaking Research Reveals How to Embrace the Hidden Strength of Positive Emotions, Overcome Negativity, and Thrive
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Positivity: Groundbreaking Research Reveals How to Embrace the Hidden Strength of Positive Emotions, Overcome Negativity, and Thrive ReviewI've read 4 books on the subject of positive psychology and this here was my least favorite. It isn't terrible by any stretch of the imagination, but I'll outline my final judgment with a list of pros and cons.
Pros:
1. The author's research and contribution to the field of positive psychology is both interesting and useful. The awareness that positive emotions "broaden and build" is insightful and intuitively makes sense.
2. Decent introduction and overview of positive emotions and psychology.
3. Some useful exercises.
Cons:
1. Much of the book is written in a way that, like many self help books, is just bloated. The author, like many others, spends pages and pages telling you what the book is going to do for you when it could be telling what it should be telling you so that it could do something for you. In short, I don't want a book to spend pages and pages pumping me up by telling me what it's going to do for me over and over. It's like a bad infomercial and a complete waste of pages.
2. There are better books out there on this subject, one of which is titled "The How of Happiness" and which I found to just be better in every respect.
My suggestion is to read the research from the author of "Positivity...", as it seems to be an important and consistently reproduced contribution to the field, and get "The How of Happiness".Positivity: Groundbreaking Research Reveals How to Embrace the Hidden Strength of Positive Emotions, Overcome Negativity, and Thrive Overview

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Why Are We Bad at Picking Good Leaders A Better Way to Evaluate Leadership Potential Review

Why Are We Bad at Picking Good Leaders A Better Way to Evaluate Leadership Potential
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Why Are We Bad at Picking Good Leaders A Better Way to Evaluate Leadership Potential ReviewMost leaders look good on paper - they are confident, they work hard and they are smart - and yet most of them fail to live up to expectations, according to Jeffrey Cohn and Jay Moran in this book. The book describes how there are seven key leadership attributes - integrity, empathy, emotional intelligence, vision, judgment, courage and passion - and good leadership selection decisions depend on accurate assessment of these attributes.
*Integrity is the fundamental leadership attribute. It includes honesty, consistency and solid ethics. It can be assessed with 360-degree referencing and with questioning involving hypothetical hard-to-recognize ethical dilemmas.
*Empathy is important for creating trust in followers. One way to assess a leader's empathy is through a simulation exercise requiring decisions and communication under strenuous conditions.
*Emotional Intelligence can be assessed through group 360-degree interviews and through questions designed to probe a leader's awareness of his or her own weaknesses and willingness and ability to learn from mistakes and grow.
*Vision is what enables leaders to take people to a new place. It can be assessed through a leader's ability to ask big unusual questions and articulate a theme as a story.
*Judgment is what a leader relies on to achieve a vision. Hypothetical case studies which require problem-solving ability provide one way of assessing this attribute.
*Courage and grace under pressure are required when a leader faces inevitable conflicts, competing forces and adversity. The attribute can be assessed by probing a leader's commitment to core values, ability to navigate uncertainty, and patience to endure.
*Passion provides a competitive fire necessary to overcome obstacles. It can be assessed through questions designed to dig beneath the surface to find out where the leader's drive comes from.
There are plenty of books on leadership which describe the character and attributes of a good leader, but there are few which give detailed insight into ways of assessing each of those attributes in a potential leadership candidate. This book provides a convincing description of the well-thought-out leadership assessment approach used by the authors, and anyone involved in leadership selection will find it useful.
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A Question of Balance: Artists and Writers on Motherhood Review

A Question of Balance: Artists and Writers on Motherhood
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A Question of Balance: Artists and Writers on Motherhood ReviewWhether or not you are an artist or another career-woman, this book offers insight and advice and encouragement to anyone who is struggling with combining ambition and motherhood while keeping sane. I recommend this book to my women's group and any mother I meet.A Question of Balance: Artists and Writers on Motherhood Overview

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