The Idea Accelerator: How to solve problems faster using speed thinking - Softcover

Hudson, Ken

Softcover

ISBN 10: 1741754887 ISBN 13: 9781741754889

Verlag: Allen & Unwin, 2008

Inhaltsangabe

Creating new ideas and growth opportunities is the lifeblood of any organisation. But do you ever have enough time to come up with them? If the answer to this is 'no', then The Idea Accelerator is the book for you. It presents 60 effective and practical speed thinking tools to help you come up with new ideas quickly. Each tool is simple to use and will help you develop ideas and solve problems faster. There are tools that you can use by yourself, with others, or to unlock the creativity of a team. The Idea Accelerator is a powerful handbook and the ultimate resource for time-strapped business executives who might be running their own business, working in innovation, new product development, business development, sales, marketing and advertising. Expect immediate results.

Über diesen Titel

Über die Autorin bzw. den Autor

Ken Hudson is the author of The Idea Generator and a management consultant who has worked with many leading brands, including Colgate, Disney, DuPont, Heinz, Kellogg's, Nestlé, Unilever, and Wrigley. He is the founder of The Idea Space, an innovative consulting business.

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The Idea Accelerator

How to Solve Problems Faster Using Speed Thinking

By Ken Hudson

Allen & Unwin

Copyright © 2008 Ken Hudson
All rights reserved.

ISBN: 978-1-74175-488-9

Contents

Introduction, 
1 Ten Speed Thinking tools you can use with dramatic results, 
2 Ten Speed Thinking tools to use when working with a colleague, 
3 Ten Speed Thinking tools to use when working in a group, 
4 Ten Speed Thinking tools to build a bigger idea, 
5 Ten Speed Thinking tools to help evaluate an idea, 
6 Ten Speed Thinking tools to get started, 
Conclusion, 
Notes, 
Further reading, 

CHAPTER 1

'Speed will help you bypass your Censor.'

Mark Bryan, Julia Cameron and Catherine Allen, The Artist's Way at Work

TEN SPEED THINKING TOOLS YOU CAN USE WITH DRAMATIC RESULTS

Tool 1 The 120-second challenge

Tool 2 The two-hourly re-challenge

Tool 3 Breathe in — breathe out

Tool 4 The Richard Branson boost

Tool 5 A letter a day

Tool 6 The 60-second challenge

Tool 7 The five senses

Tool 8 'Thank you'

Tool 9 Rapid drawing

Tool 10 Express emotions

TOOL * 1 The 120-second challenge

Whatever problem you are working on, try to crystallise it into one sentence or at most a paragraph.

Say the problem out loud to yourself. Then say 'start' or 'go' and give yourself 120 seconds to come up with as many different solutions or new ideas as you can. You should aim for at least nine. Just use a key word or an image to capture the idea.

The emphasis is on producing as many different solutions to the problem as you can. You will find you will not have time to evaluate if you want to get nine ideas down on paper.

The simple process of concentrating on increasing the number of ideas will decrease your rational, judging mind and enable you to access your intuition and imagination.

An extension of this tool is to think of nine radical ideas in 120 seconds. Do not be safe or incremental in your responses.

Application

The challenge: How can I ensure I arrive on time to all my appointments?

As quickly as you can in the next 120 seconds try to write down at least nine ways of meeting the above challenge — below is an example.

1 Put watch forward

2 Leave earlier

3 Only schedule morning meetings

4 Use a stop watch

5 Have a watch on each hand

6 Keep a clock in every room

7 Send warnings to myself

8 Have friends warn me

9 Change other people's watches

Now select and test the best ones.

TOOL * 2 The two-hourly re-challenge

The aim with this tool is to concentrate on one problem for the entire day.

Clarify the problem at the start of the day and take up the 120-second challenge, aiming to develop at least nine responses. Be sure to record the results.

Then move on to your other work. In two hours return to the original problem.

Allow yourself another 120 seconds to develop a new set of solutions.

There is only one rule: you must not repeat an idea.

This cycle should be repeated every two hours until you have at least 40 different ideas.

Then select the best ideas and try to test these quickly, easily and simply.

Application

Focus on one problem for the entire day. Develop five possible solutions every two hours. At the end of the day select the most original response and test it.

The problem:___________________________________

Date:__________________________________________

First two hours

1

2

3

4

5

Second two hours

1

2

3

4

5

Third two hours

1

2

3

4

5

Fourth two hours

1

2

3

4

5

TOOL * 3 Breathe in — breathe out

Concentrate all your mental energy on a specific problem.

Now close your eyes and really focus on your breath. Slow your breathing down and feel your chest move in and out.

Take two big breaths and open your eyes before you start.

On the third exhalation try to think of a new solution. Just write down one key thought.

From then on try to create a new idea with every second exhalation.

Try to do this for ten breaths and you will have five new ideas. This is also a very good tool to use with a partner as you take it in turns to solve a problem.

The important point with this exercise is for the breath to be calm and long, not shallow and short. This exercise will help to clear your mind and will often lower your stress levels.

Application

The challenge:________________________________

Breath one: Key thought:

Breath two: Key thought:

Breath three: Key thought:

Breath four: Key thought:

Breath five: Key thought:

Now select the best option and test it.

TOOL * 4 The Richard Branson boost

The concept behind this tool is for you to imagine yourself as someone who is renowned for their creativity or entrepreneurship.

Let's select Sir Richard Branson as an example, the founder of the Virgin group of companies. Select a problem and in 120 seconds you have to imagine how he might solve the problem. Remember you need at least nine solutions.

The next time you do this you can imagine how another person might solve the problem: it could be your boss, Oprah Winfrey or Albert Einstein.

Then try to play around with your ideas. Combine ideas number three and five, for instance, to create an even bigger idea. Or focus on developing one option selected at random, e.g. idea number seven.

Application

The challenge: How can I kick-start my career?

As quickly as you can in the next 120 seconds imagine Richard Branson as your coach. What would he advise? Here are some sample ideas.

1 Look outside of your industry

2 Go back to university

3 Open your own business

4 Look for a gap in the market

5 Talk to high- performing people

6 Take on a risky project

7 Move out of your comfort zone

8 Find poeple with money to back you

9 Be noticed

Now select the best option and test it.

TOOL * 5 A letter a day

The aim in this tool is to use a letter of the alphabet to help you solve a problem.

Make Monday the letter 'A' day, Tuesday the letter 'B' day, and so on.

After defining the problem try to think of as many different ways you can solve it using the letter 'A' in the next 120 seconds.

This is a very good tool to use when you are facing a particularly difficult problem and you feel stuck. It is also a good tool to use with a partner. Both work on the same problem for 120 seconds but you use the letter 'A', for example, and your partner must use the letter 'B'. The results may surprise you both.

Application

The challenge: How can I better manage my work–life balance?

As quickly as you can in the next 120 seconds try to create at least nine different possibilities using the letter 'A'.

1 Argue with my boss when he/she is making unfair demands

2 Acknowledge others who are trying to lead a more balanced life

3 Arrange meetings while commuting

4 Apple a day (i.e. watch my diet)

5 Apply time management...

Details zur Ausgabe

• Verlag: Allen & Unwin
• Erscheinungsdatum: 2008
• Sprache: Englisch
• ISBN 10: 1741754887
• ISBN 13: 9781741754889
• Einband: Taschenbuch
• Anzahl der Seiten: 160
• Kontakt zum Hersteller: Nicht verfügbar
• Verantwortliche Person: Nicht verfügbar