"Natalie Nixon's new book provides a fresh primer on how to cultivate creativity in the workplace.” —Nir Eyal, bestselling author of Hooked and Indistractable Too many people associate creativity solely with the arts, even though to be an incredible scientist, engineer, or entrepreneur requires immense creativity. And it's the key to developing breakthrough products and services. Natalie Nixon, a creativity strategist with a background in cultural anthropology, fashion, and service design, says that in the fourth industrial revolution a creativity leap is needed to bridge the gap that exists between the churn of work and the highly sought-after prize called innovation. Nixon says that since humans are hardwired to be creative, it is a competency anyone can develop. She shows that it balances wonder (awe, audacity, and curiosity) with rigor (discipline, skill-building, and attention to detail), and that inquiry, improvisation, and intuitionare the key practices that increase those capacities. Drawing on interviews with fifty-six people from diverse backgrounds—farming, law, plumbing, architecture, perfumery, medicine, education, technology, and more—she offers illuminating examples of how creativity manifests in every kind of work. Combining creativity tools and techniques with real-world stories of innovative people and businesses, this book is a provocation, an inspiration, and an invitation to unleash the innate creativity that lies within each of us. It offers a more dynamic and integrative way to adapt and innovate, one that allows us the freedom to access our full human selves.

The key to unlocking your potential isn't in training harder or doing more sophisticated workouts. It's in thinking better about your training. Think better, train better.Make the Leap provides athletes and coaches a step-by-step guide to thinking more effectively about all aspects of training. It begins with an explanation of what "leaps" are, why they happen, and the "Build, Leap, Sustain" Leap Cycle all athletes go through.It then breaks down, via 11 Optimal Training Principles, 4 mental model spotlights and numerous stories, visuals, and tactical suggestions, exactly how to think better about your training. Some of these topics include:- the importance of attitude and mindset- the Hidden Training Program and how to reveal it- systems vs purposeful practice and when to implement them- North Star goals vs Next Step goals, and how to set each effectively- the four types of mistakes and how to make them better- and many other topics, including the author's powerful Momentum ModelTwo-time National Coach of the Year Ken Reeves said of the book: "A mental running clinic in book form, Make the Leap allows an individualized approach for each person that reads the book. Put it next to your bed stand for that 15 minutes of reading every night. It has the potential to inspire and educate you each and every reading."Olympians, hall of fame coaches, and competitive runners all agree: this book will help you and your athletes think better, train better, and make the leap.

A new, tenth anniversary edition of the leadership classic that was hailed as one of the 100 Best Business Books of All Time. In his exciting and timeless business parable, The Radical Leap, Steve Farber explores an entirely new leadership model, one in which leaders aren't afraid to take risks, make mistakes in front of employees, or actively solicit employee feedback. His book dispenses with the typical, tired notions of what it means to be a leader. Farber's modern parable begins on a sunny California beach where he has a strange and unexpected encounter with a surfer named Edg. Despite his unassuming appearance, the enigmatic Edg seems to know an awful lot about leadership and this brief interaction propels Steve into an unforgettable journey. Along the way, he learns about Extreme Leadership--and what it means to take the Radical Leap: Cultivate Love Generate Energy Inspire Audacity Provide Proof Geared to people at any level who aspire to change things for the better, The Radical Leap is creating legions of Extreme Leaders in business, education, non-profits and beyond.

From the Preface: The fact that so much of modern art has devoted itself to the exploration and assertion of its own identity is reflected in, but does not explain, the increasing amount of writing and talking on the part of contemporary artists. Rather, the whole history of the changing role of art and artists in a democratic, industrial, and technological society stands behind the spate of artists' words and the public's hunger for them--even some of the general public out there beyond art's little circle. Statements by artists appeal somewhat the way drawings do: they bring us, or at least they hold the promise of bringing us, closer to the artist's thoughts and feelings and to an understanding of his or her modus operandi; they hold the keys to a mysterious realm. And sometimes they offer us the sheer pleasure of good reading. Such is the primary raison d'etre of this book.Its other motivation is educational, and stems from the frustrating lack, in teaching contemporary art, of any single compilation of statements by American artists from 1940 to the present.... This anthology differs in several respects from those others that do include documents of American art since 1940.... The selection I have made is devoted exclusively to statements of artists; it is limited to the last four decades; it presents in a single volume a representative and fairly comprehensive coverage of major developments in American art beginning with Abstract Expressionism; and, whenever possible, it cities the first, or among the very earliest, documents signalizing a shift in the definition, intent, or direction of art."

What does it take to re-think anything in your life? Sometimes nothing short of turning your whole world upside down. Slow down your thinking for a moment. What is your brain doing? Almost certainly trying to come up with a single right answer because then you can stop thinking about the problem. All too often we are not really thinking, but sleepwalking through life. Fresh angles on familiar problems elude us. Re-thinking is the opposite: it means seeing better or different solutions. In other words, thinking as unusual. Rethink shows you why and how. What if today you were to . . . Buy a new newspaper? Take a different route home? Say ‘yes’ to everything your partner asks? Invent new rituals for your family? Surround yourself with beauty? Try a first take at the creative fantasy sleeping in the attic of your mind? Find a new hero? Discover more about your upbringing? Act as if anything were possible rather than yes-butting the new? You’d be a re-thinker. Why not? There’s always a better or different solution to the way you lead your personal or professional life. Rethink will help you to stop living on autopilot and reawaken your sense of wonder, curiosity, and creativity.

Written with beautiful clarity, Art in Consumer Culture: Mis-Design asks the contemporary art world to be honest about the pervasive effects of commodification and the difficulty of staging critique. The book examines the collusion of 'art' and 'design' in contemporary artistic practices in order to find avenues of critique in a commercially driven cultural landscape. Grace McQuilten focuses on the work of Takashi Murakami, Andrea Zittel, Adam Kalkin and Vito Acconci, four contemporary artists who claim to be working in the field of design rather than the traditional art world. McQuilten argues that Zittel, Acconci and Kalkin engage with 'design' only to reactivate the critical practice of art in a more direct engagement with capital - and conceives of and affirms a future for art, outside of the art world, as a parasite in the complex beast of late capitalism. This book is an important and timely provocation to a cynical and apathetic consumer culture, and a call to arms for creative freedom and critical thought.

Discover the five simple steps to corporate innovation in a practical guide that makes coming up with great ideas everybody’s business. Experts and executives often portray innovation as confusing and complicated. Some even suggest that you need a special degree to know how to do it right. But the truth is, consistently coming up with great ideas isn’t a unique talent or even a difficult skill. It’s actually a simple five-step framework that anyone can follow to look at the work that they do differently, and have a bigger impact on the people they serve. RE:Think Innovation shows readers how to tie individual competence with innovation techniques to direct corporate outcomes. In engaging and accessible language, Carla Johnson demonstrates how to create a unified, idea-driven employee base that delivers more ideas in a shorter amount of time. Ultimately, this is the path that makes organizations nimble, passionate, innovative powerhouses that deliver extraordinary outcomes for sustained periods of time.

"You've certainly hit the nail on the head. If I had read Quantum Leap Thinking at the age of 20, I could have saved many, many mistakes and a helluva lot of wasted effort."— Clive Cussler, bestselling author Positive change can happen in sudden and profound leaps. Quantum Leap Thinking provides the foundation for breakthrough thinking that will trigger astonishing growth in your personal and professional life. • What if it was possible to break through fear and make positive changes in your life in an instant by a simple shift in your thinking? • What if you could lower your anxiety in a matter of seconds by changing your perceptions? • How would your life change if you had unshakable motivation for whatever you chose to do? Quantum Leap Thinking is the key to unlocking the door to new-found potential and peak performance. "An extraordinary guide to thinking your way to the next level in your life, within your career, your relationships or your self."—Joan Lunden, journalist and author "Quantum Leap Thinking [is] an opportunity to get our energy out and target it in the direction of great productivity, leaving us with a feeling of accomplishment."— Leon Tec, M.D., author of The Fear of Success and Targets

Adapt you career to the shifting paradigm of work, employment and success The word “career” doesn’t mean what it used to. People entering the workforce today will have an estimated 17 employers and five careers in their lifetimes — and already many existing roles are being automated away, with many more to follow. No profession, industry or geography is immune, and employees need to change their idea of what it means to be employed. The rise of freelancing and the gig economy means flexibility and independence, but also less security — with trends showing it is the way of the future. You cannot future-proof your job, but you can future-proof your career. Career Leap shows you what you need to know, how you need to change and how you can prepare for the inevitable tides of change. This book sheds light on the choices you make, and the steps you can take to reignite, reshape and liberate your career. You’ll develop the confidence you need to take decisive action, sharpen your skills and become the agile, adaptive professional we will all need to be. The 10-step Career Reinvention Cycle helps you assess the status quo and determine where you need to go, and then gives you a solid framework for making a move when the time is right. Future-proof your career with the new laws for success Undertake a health check of your career and make deliberate career choices Design, build, and execute your influence and career strategy Be equipped to take control and leap ahead with your career. No matter your role, it is imperative that you make every day in your career count. Make the critical decisions, take clear actions and, above all, stay ahead of the pack. Career Leap gives you the insight, confidence and knowledge you need to move up as you leap forward.