New Thinking / Ideas and Inspiration
This section has books that sharpen
thinking, cause a buzz, and could change your practice.
The topics they cover span some of the other more traditional
headings of the main booklist.
We welcome suggestions from you on books
you have found that fit under this category.
We keep some titles on it despite the fact that their publication dates show they have been around for some time, because if you have not found them yet, we still think that they represent an important injection of ideas.
The books vary from tiny, easy read, grab-at-the-airport
ones to listed titles on Open University management
courses.
The Art Of Possibility: Transforming Professional and Personal Life by Rosamund Zander & Benjamin Zander
Pub Harvard Business School Press 2000
ISBN 0875847706
Benjamin Zander is both conductor of the Boston Philharmonic Orchestra and is internationally renowned for his presentations on leadership. His recent presentation and performance at the Catalyst Conference in Liverpool (16th September 2005) had many people totally enthused by the experience but others were critical of it.
Decide for yourself – try the book. It offers a set of breakthrough practices for human creativity and draws from the authors’ diverse experiences of orchestras and psychology. There are some lovely anecdotes and parables and some deceptively simple practices that suggest that, with new definitions, much more is possible than people ordinarily think.
Create! A toolkit for creative problem solving in the not-for-profit sector
By Mark Butcher
Pub DSC 2005 ISBN 1903991579 £14.95
The author describes creativity as the critical (and often ignored) element in the successful application of the management skills. “Creativity enables you to see beyond the accepted, usual, normal ways of acting and behaving – in order to find a better, more effective or quicker way of achieving the results you need.”
It is a wonderful resource with an enormous range of powerful ideas presented in an accessible and friendly manner. There are practical exercises to try out with well-reasoned explanations of why it is worth giving them a try and each chapter includes examples of creative ideas put into practice within the voluntary sector. A very valuable toolkit. Review
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Changing Minds: The Art and Science of Changing Our Own and Other People’s Minds
By Howard Gardner
Pub Harvard Business School Press 2004 ISBN1578517095
Written by top cognitive psychologist, and author of Frames of Mind, this is a book for leaders and managers and people who influence others. The focus is on applying our own knowledge of how the mind works to bring about positive change, both for ourselves and for those who impact on our daily lives. The author uses examples from science, religious leaders and artists, people who have broken the mould and helped to reshape our thinking. Of art in the form of literature, music and sculpture, to name but a few, he challenges his readers to acknowledge the subconscious power of the arts; the power to bring about a change of mind and new ideas.
Out of Our Minds - Learning to Be Creative
By Ken Robinson
Pub: Capstone 2001 ISBN 1841121258
Why is it essential to develop creativity, promote creativity, and what is involved in developing it? This book tackles these questions and argues for radical changes in how we think about intelligence and human resources and in how we educate people to meet the extraordinary challenges of the 21st century. Review
The Elephant And The Flea: Looking backwards to the future
By Charles Handy
Pub: Hutchinson ISBN 0099415658
A great book from the most arts-management-friendly guru on the planet. Handy adopts a simple, friendly, autobiographical and anecdotal style in this, his latest, management book in which he explores the future of everything – education, work, capitalism, management and society. If you haven’t read any Handy yet (and if not, why not?) then this is a great one to start on – as he provides a summary of his earlier important big ideas as well as his latest thinking. This rates next to Age of Unreason as one of the most important management books around. Review
The Age of Unreason: New thinking for a new world
by Charles Handy
Pub: Arrow Business Books 1989 ISBN 0099548313
A book of dangerous ideas written for people in organisations "because it is their hands that rest on the levers of change, although they may not always realise it." Classic Handy - a compelling read that introduces ideas that have caused major ripples in management thinking. This is where you find upside -down thinking, the triple I organisation, the Shamrock Organisation, the Inverted Doughnut and lots on learning, reframing and portfolios. Handy encourages us into "thinking the unlikely and doing the unreasonable". Thirteen years on and it's still all relevant. Highly recommended. Review
Dialogue at Work: Making talk developmental
for people and organisations
by Nancy M. Dixon Pub Lemos & Crane £12.99 [plus
p&p]
This book makes the case for dialogue or “developmental
talk” between work colleagues. Far from
stating the obvious, this book examines some well-grounded
theories about the nature of developmental talk and
then makes practical suggestions for how to make sure
it happens more often at work. Thought provoking, possibly
even inspiring. Well worth a look.
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Navigating Complexity - The Essential
Guide to Complexity Theory in Business and Management
by Arthur Battram
Pub: The Industrial Society 1998 £12.99 ISBN 1
858358701
In the running for my 'Book of the Year' award. A delightful,
visually appealing and thought provoking guide to 20
key concepts that are transforming how business people,
scientists and consultants think about the world. It
is beautifully crafted with diagrams, quotations, illustrations,
examples and plenty of cross referencing. So if you
need a helping hand on coming to terms with chaos, complex
behaviour, the web of life, possibility space and fitness
landscapes (and how any of these can help in management)
- treat yourself to this little book. Review
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Creativity and Perception in Management
By Jane Henry
Pub SAGE 2001 ISBN 0761968253
This is a key text on the Open University’s MA in ‘Creativity, Innovation and Change’ and outlines the importance of creativity and innovation to today’s organisation. Sections cover creativity, perception, style, values and sustainability. It draws on material about how the brain works and the importance of tacit knowledge and intuitive thinking in uncertain environments. It introduces a variety of perspectives and metaphors, including complexity; and suggests ways the reader can reframe their own mind-sets. It goes onto cover fundamental personality characteristics, the impact of personal style on creativity, problem solving etc; and the implications of cultural values on today’s business practice. It concludes with ways in which organisations can adopt more socially responsible and sustainable practices. It is a very valuable resource, covering a wide range of management ideas, drawing from other people’s work and introducing the material in an accessible way including lists, charts, diagrams, illustrations and with suggested activities, questions to consider and further reading lists.
Creative Management
edited by Jane Henry
Pub: Sage Publications 2001 2nd edition ISBN 0761966102
A powerful collection of essays written by some of the
most influential management thinkers of our time on
the need for creative thought in management. It looks
at creativity from a range of viewpoints including the
scientific, cognitive and psychodynamic as well as management
perspectives. It looks at problem solving, mapping,
networking, intuition, imaging and judgement. It also
considers the relationship between personal management
style and creative behaviour.
The New Alchemists: How Visionary People Make Something Out Of Nothing
by Charles Handy with photographs by Elizabeth Handy
Pub: Hutchinson, London 1999, ISBN 0091802156
Handy (in coffee table form here, not management guide or philosopher) explores the dimensions of "new alchemy"; that is creating something significant - an activity, an idea, perhaps an organisation, from nothing. These are people "who make a distinctive difference to the world around" them. Handy interviewed 29 people, including Declan Donnellan and Nick Ormerod founders of Cheek by Jowl theatre company, and Rose Fenton and Lucy Neal of the London International Festival of Theatre. It’s a lively and interesting read. Review
Thoughts on Arts Education
By Rudolf Arnheim Pub: Getty Center for Education in
the Arts 1989 £8
Arnheim, a recognised authority on this subject, provides
a unique and incisive view of what humans do to create
art and what art does to create humans.
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The Search for Meaning: The London International Festival of Theatre Lecture
by Charles Handy
Pub: Lemos Crane 1996 ISBN 1898001227
A beautifully produced little book, that captures Charles Handy's address given in the 1995 LIFT Festival. Handy is reflecting on life as we live it now, and exploring the value of the arts, and theatre in particular as a place to think and a means of bringing some sense to bear on the current world. Refreshing, thought-provoking, challenging. Highly recommended.
The Seven Habits of Highly Effective People - Powerful Lessons in Personal Change
by Stephen Covey
Pub: Simon & Schuster 1992 ISBN 0684858398
"We are what we repeatedly do. Excellence, then, is not an act, but a habit." This is Aristotle, quoted by Stephen Covey. Paradigms and principles - vision, leadership and communications, management, co-operation - it is all in here. A very powerful book that represents a holistic, integrated, principle-centred approach to solving personal and professional problems. A world-leading best-seller at airports everywhere! AMA
Fish: A remarkable way to boost morale and improve results
By Stephen C Lundin, Harry Paul, John Christensen
Pub Hodder & Stoughton 2001 ISBN 0340819804 £5.99 [£8.59 inc p&p]
This little parable is an easy read (under an hour) and has some simple but profound messages on how to create a playfully productive atmosphere at work. It all starts with choosing the attitude you bring to work – and remembering that there is always a choice about the way you do your work, even if you cannot choose the work you do. You’ll have to read it yourself to find out what the other 3 steps are – or I’ll spoil the story for you!
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A Peacock in the Land of Penguins : Fable about Creativity and Courage
By B J Gallagher Hateley & Warren H Schmidt
McGraw Hill 2002 ISBN 1 57675 173 2 £9.99
A delightful illustrated fable that looks at valuing difference and creativity, now with added tips and tools for teaching penguins to fly! Treat yourself to this one and enjoy. “There once was a time in the not so distant past…
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The Hungry Spirit - Beyond Capitalism : A Quest for Purpose in the Modern World
by Charles Handy
Pub: Arrow 1997 £7.99 ISBN 0099227X
Inspiring - philosophical, passionate, personal - an argument for a future with values. It covers choices and values in our personal life, in society and in business. Some wonderful quotations and lots of food for thought. Handy examines the self-limiting nature of materialist capitalism, the problems caused by efficiency, and the false certainties of science and religion. He builds a new theory of meaning, based on the search for identity and the role of the arts, and advocates unconventional organisation for business and the individual.
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Management Challenges for the 21st Century
by Peter Drucker
Pub: Butterworth Heinemann, 1999 ISBN 0 7506 5712 X £14.99 [18.36 inc p&p]
Peter Drucker is probably the most influential management thinker for the non-profit sector, and at 90 years old when he wrote this book, he has still got his finger on the pulse of the management world and is able to provide an amazing array of profound new ideas for management tomorrow. He stresses that this is a management book not a business management book, and deals with challenges that face all organisations. It is a fascinating read - and a call to action. Review
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Six Thinking Hats
By Edward de Bono
Pub Penguin 1985/revised 1999 ISBN 0140296662
A powerful little book that is a best-seller and a classic worldwide. Six different coloured hats are used to symbolise six different modes of thinking. A simple and practical method of using these modes introduces “parallel thinking” instead of argument and allows groups to develop better ideas and reach better decision in a fraction of the usual time. Based on an understanding of how the brain works, the six hats method allows the fullest use to be made of everyone’s intelligence, experience and information. Well worth reading – and implementing.
Managing The Mavericks: Nurturing creative talents
By Kaye Thorne
Pub Spiro Press 2003 ISBN 1904298486
It is likely that many of those who browse SAM’s Books website will recognize something of themselves in this intriguing book. Whether you are either managing mavericks or are one yourself – or both - this will offer ideas for unleashing the creative potential for all those who are able to think ‘outside the box’. It comes with case studies and ideas to enable the fostering of entrepreneurial talent which can be used for both personal growth and to enhance and develop your organisation through innovative people.
boo hoo: $135 million, 18 months ….
A dot.com story from concept to catastrophe
by Ernst Malmsten
Pub Random House 2002 ISBN 0099418371 £5 [£8.21
inc p&p] Special Offer
The story of how an international model and former arts
critic dreamed up an ambitious and glamorous Internet
start-up; how they convinced the world's biggest fashion
houses and Wall Street to invest $135 million in their
plan; and how they burned through it all in just over
a year. This story captures the feverish excitement
of the dot.com boom in the late 90s.
Review
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Current Issues in Business Ethics
Edited by Peter Davies
Pub: Routledge 1997 ISBN 041511244506
A valuable collection of essays by leading authorities covering issues underlying business activity, sustainability, power / dependency, the changing gender balance, privatisation and the loss of power of trade unions.
The Committed Enterprise
By Leonard A Lauder
Butterworth Heinemann 2002 ISBN 0750655402 £19.99
[£25.48 inc p&p]
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Crossing The Unknown Sea
By David Whyte
Pub Penguin 2002 ISBN 97801410059535 out of print
David Whyte is both poet and management consultant - an unusual combination. Through work (either at home or in organisations), he suggests "human beings earn for themselves and their families, make a difficult world habitable, and with imagination, create some meaning from what they do and how they do it". He uses autobiographical story-telling, with many literary references (Blake, Bronte, Walt Whitman, Keats, Wordsworth, etc) and some poetry to help us find a way of doing work that engages with our true selves and allows for personal growth.
Art Education and Human Development
By Howard Gardner Pub: Getty Center for Education in the Arts 1990 £8
Howard Gardner, a cognitive psychologist and Professor of Education, proposes a radical rethink of arts education based on an integration of developmental psychology.
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See also General Management section and Organisations and Change section.
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