The Forgotten Half of Change: Achieving Greater Creativity through Changes in Perception

The Forgotten Half of Change: Achieving Greater Creativity through Changes in Perception
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Excelente

"Change twice"

Helpful to a broad range of people

Enjoyable and insigtful

A feet-up chat with your most intelligent friend

The Forgotten Half of Change: Achieving Greater Creativity through Changes in Perception
Luc de Brabandere
Manufacturer: Kaplan Business
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

General | Business & Investing | Subjects | Books
Management | Management & Leadership | Business & Investing | Subjects | Books
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ASIN: 1419502751
Release Date: 2005-05-01

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.

Creativity and Perception in Management (Published in association with The Open University)

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Creativity and Perception in Management (Published in association with The Open University)
Jane Henry
Manufacturer: Sage Publications Ltd
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

General | Organizational Behavior | Business & Investing | Subjects | Books

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ASIN: 0761968253

Book Description

The book provides students with the principles and practices entailed in the new form of management associated with creative and innovative organizations. It introduces the creative approaches in management, revealing the role and impact of cognition, intuition and perception. Jane Henry differentiates between a variety of personal styles and shows their implications for creativity, problem solving, communication, decision making and role preference.

Students using this textbook will understand the impact of cultural values and certain historical habits of thought on management and organization, and identify the main ways in which management can enable organizations to be more sustainable and responsible.

The text includes student activities, illustrative cartoons, boxed examples and recommended readings. It can be used alongside the Readers Creative Management 2nd edition (Henry) and Managing Innovation and Change 2nd edition (Henry and Mayle).

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Creativity and Perception in Management
Jane Henry
Manufacturer: Sage Pubns 01/1//2001
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback
ASIN: B000MBW0QY

Book Description

Coping with Financial Fragility and Systemic Risk identifies and discusses the sources of perceived fragility in financial institutions and markets and its potential consequences throughout the economy. It then examines private sector solutions for dealing with systemic risk and mitigating the consequences. Finally, the book examines regulatory solutions to these problems.

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Coping with Financial Fragility and Systemic Risk
Harald A. Benink
Manufacturer: Springer-Verlag New York, LLC
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover
ASIN: B000MUXUOQ

Book Description

The coconut palm occupies a significant place in the world economy as an important subsistence and cash crop in all the areas where it is cultivated. Unfortunately, yields are generally well below potential, despite recent developments with improved planting stock and agronomic practices. In the last 50 years, both aspects have received considerable attention, but the focus is shifting to investigate how the use of recently developed biotechnological techniques can benefit the coconut industry.
This volume is the first one published on coconut biotechnology; the papers were presented at a symposium on this subject held in Mexico in December 1997. The book describes recent research in three important areas of this field: (a) molecular markers, diversity and genetic improvement; (b) molecular detection and diagnosis of diseases; and (c) in vitro propagation. It also deals with the impact of biotechnology on the coconut industry, weighing the advantages and pointing out areas where work should be directed to stimulate further research.

Book Description

Exceptionally helpful for those taking any course in Organic Chemistry (I to III). The book is also invaluable for those preparing to take admission tests for medical and dental schools. All principal classes of organic compounds are covered. Topics include nomenclature, preparation, synthesis and reactions, characterization tests, and spectroscopy.

Customer Reviews:

Incredibly well organized, well presented, comprehensive, clear.......2007-05-09

I am currently teaching myself Organic Chemistry and this book is making it much easier and interesting. REA organic chem problem solver is an incredible book that is presented in question / answer format to stimulate a problem centered understanding of the subject. Contrary to previous reviewers, I think the book succeeds at exactly what it was designed to do - supplement a textbook. The book in no way boasts of replacing a textbook, which would be ridiculous since this book does not go over in great detail the characteristics of the compounds studied. Instead it is designed to solidify concepts you may be shaky on by providing an enormous amount of conceptual practice material. The questions are designed so that rigorous practice leads to a much greater intuitive feel for the subject matter.

So I deeply recommend this book to anyone studying organic chem who is having a problem memorizing the compounds since working through them constantly almost stores them in memory automatically. This book provides the problems, the concepts, and the practice necessary to master the basics. But never lose sight of the fact that it is designed as a supplementary text and hence is NOT complete unto itself. Again it was not designed to be complete unto itself and therefore the book achieved quite well what it sought to.

I recommend in addition to this book:
1) Organic Chemistry as a Second Language - by David R Klein
2) Organic Chemistry - by John McMurry (a very good and clear textbook)

Do The Textbook Problems First!.......2000-08-29

Like "3000 Solved Problems in Organic Chemistry" from Schaum study series, the problems in this problem solver are just a bit off from what you will expect on a midterm exam. Problems are either too simple or too involved. Students should make sure they understand lectures (and concepts behind lectures) and attempt problems in the textbook. Students should pay close attention to mechanism problems and stereochemistry. The problem solver itself might seem overwhelming and may not be in concord with concepts being discussed in major organic texts. The problem solver, yet does provide a plethora of extra problems students can look at and try solving. Another item I suggest students checking out from the library rather than spending money on.

Not very helpful.......2000-05-28

the format is too confusing. very few questions with mini lectures as explanations. It is very difficult to find the exact question to help with the hard to grasp areas.

An Example of an Excellent Supplement for Organic Chemistry.......2000-03-30

The Organic Chemistry Problem Solver is an excellent supplement for first-time students taking organic chemistry. If fact, in my opinion, it is the best at what it does -- provide students with much-needed guidance in their study of organic chemistry. It is also helpful as a review to students who are taking an upper-level course, even the first graduate course. It is more than a set of problems with their solutions, however. It is that, but it also provides a discussion of the approach to working a type of problem or to a general topic in organic chemistry -- stereochemistry, for example. The description of approache to the study and application of organic chemistry, detailed solutions, and accompanying discussions and descriptions are the strength of the book and is what makes it so valuable to the student. I would particularly reccommend it to a student who is in a course where the professor is not using a specific textbook or is not following the assigned textbook very closely, because many of the topics in a first-year organic course are described in enough detail to provide the background needed to understand most of the principles of the subject; it that sense, it acts a written tutor for the subject. Two characteristics are somewhat distracting, but they are minor: an older-looking font is used in the text (Courier ?) and the drawings and chemical structures (the extended structure of propane, for example) are crude in comparision to the slick drawings and structures found in today's chemistry textbooks. I would look past these, however, and get this book if I were taking a first-year course (or an intermediate or first-year graduate course). Used appropriately with the assigned texbook, it will be a great help with a time-consuming course that is considered to be very demanding to most students.

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Manufacturer: Research & Education Assoc.
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback
ASIN: B000HHZJ3E

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Manufacturer: Research and Education
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback
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Book Description

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Manufacturer: Dover Pubns
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback
ASIN: 084465826X

Book Description

Intended for beginners in ergodic theory, this book addresses students as well as researchers in mathematical physics. The main novelty is the systematic treatment of characteristic problems in ergodic theory by a unified method in terms of convergent power series and renormalization group methods, in particular. Basic concepts of ergodicity, like Gibbs states, are developed and applied to, e.g., Asonov systems or KAM Theory. Many examples illustrate the ideas and, in addition, a substantial number of interesting topics are treated in the form of guided problems.

The Great Pint-Pulling Olympiad: A Mostly Irish Farce
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An outrageous humane comedy.

Keep this by your bed if you don't want to sleep

A rollicking roller coaster of a novel

Hilarious and smarter than you OR me - especially me.

Absolutely hilarious

The Great Pint-Pulling Olympiad: A Mostly Irish Farce
Roger Boylan
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback
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Killoyle: An Irish Farce

ASIN: B000HWZ1ZU

Book Description

Roger Boylan's first novel, Killoyle, established him as a brilliant successor to such Irish masters as Joyce, Beckett, and J. P. Donleavy. Now his new farce follows the hapless inhabitants of Killoyle, Ireland, through the frenetic week of the Pint-Pulling Olympiad. After local lush Mick McCreek gets into a car crash with a cross-dressing church sexton, he enlists a lawyer, Tom O'Mallet. As it turns out, the lawyer's real gig is selling missiles to the IRA, and he plans to use his clueless client as a patsy. O'Mallet also hoodwinks Anil, an Indian waiter who has found himself the unlikely target of a manhunt. What Tom doesn't know is that his lucrative weapons are destined for a massive terrorist attack on the Pint-Pulling Olympiad, and that Anil's sexy cousin Rashmi — a sweatshop worker turned intelligence operative — is hot on the bombers' trail. With a wink and a nudge, Boylan's pyrotechnic prose brings to life Ireland at its manic extremes, proving the author a dazzling and distinctive talent in American fiction.

Customer Reviews:

An outrageous humane comedy........2004-06-25

Hilarious--Boylan has scored another comic triumph. The Great Pint-Pulling Olympiad keeps the reader reeling with dazzling displays of erudition, caustic commentary, and a constant barrage of laugh-out-loud episodes. But this is a farce with a heart; even at their most ridiculous, Boylan's characters are deftly drawn and fully human. If you think you'll finish this book without caring about the people within it, then the joke's on you.

Keep this by your bed if you don't want to sleep.......2004-04-23

More captivating than Boylan's Killoyle. The Olympiad has characters that are rich in their actions, preoccupations and obssessions. Boylan is witty and erudite, and his book is a treasure-trove of deliciously clever details and footnotes. There are some hysterically funny scenes you shouldn't miss. A book unlike any other. Buy it!

A rollicking roller coaster of a novel.......2004-04-14

Very highly recommended reading, The Great Pint-Pulling Olympiad: A Mostly Irish Farce is a rollicking roller coaster of a novel by Roger Boylan and set in the days leading up to the Pint-Pulling Olympiad in the town of Killoyle, Ireland. A cross-dressing church sexton, a drunk who loses his job as a car tester and sues for wrongful termination, unemployment seminar hosts who sell missiles to the IRA on the side, and other memorable characters populate the pages of this engaging and topsy turvy tale with surprises hiding around every corner.

Hilarious and smarter than you OR me - especially me........2004-02-04

I am not quite finished this book - it's taking a while because I keep putting it down to laugh. The footnotes are a great addition and an entertaining read in and of themselves. Boylan's language is as fast and intriguingly unpredictable as Mick McCree's test drive. Don't know what that means? RYou'll have to read the first several pages to find out.
If you have despaired of reading a book that is both hilarious and literary, despair no more. I also recommend that you drink a pint or two while reading.

Absolutely hilarious.......2004-02-04

I teach comic fiction, and this is one of the funniest novels I know. It has been years since I was so sorry to see a book end. It is, however, far more than a collection of laughs. Like the work of other Irish masters from Swift and Sterne to Beckett, Flann O'Brien, Patrick McCabe, and Martin McDonagh, Boylan's novel continually blends the comic with the dark, revealing profound connections. He provides, for example, access into the minds of terrorists, from Irish ultranationalists to Basque separatists, yielding insights you will find nowhere else. His characterizations are masterful, and, like Sterne, Joyce, and Beckett, he is also a great formal innovator. I will never again consider teaching my Irish Comic Writers course without this marvelously rich novel.

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