The Creative Thinking Handbook: Your Step-by-Step Guide to Problem Solving in Business

Contents
About the authors
Foreword
Acknowledgements
Introduction: Why do we need new ideas, really?
Part One Thinking About Your Thinking
	1 The Decision Radar
		Mind-numbing patterns
		Metacognition
		Put your thinking under the radar
		Take action on your results
		References
	2 Common thinking errors: Selective thinking
		Killing creativity and smart decisions
		That’s the idea!
		The bias that binds
		References
	3 Common thinking errors: Reactive thinking
		System 1 vs System 2
		The need for speed
		In the heat of the moment
		Letting information overload you
		References
	4 Common thinking errors: Assumptive thinking
		They’re everywhere!
		Challenging assumptions
		Bad assumptive moves
		Rules are made to be broken
		References
Part Two The Solution Finder
	5 The context for creative problem solving
		Are you market-driven or market-driving?
		A winning process
		Divergent and convergent thinking
		The Creativity toolkit
		References
	6 The Solution Finder Step 1: Understanding
		Define the challenge
		The Understanding toolkit
		Understanding checklist: dos and don’ts
		References
	7 The Solution Finder Step 2: Ideation
		Generative thinking
		Brainstorming: does it work?
		How to be better at brainstorming
		The ‘correct’ brainstorming strategy
		References
	8 The Solution Finder Step 2: Ideation toolkit
		Creativity on demand
		The Ideation toolkit
		Ideation checklist: dos and don’ts
		References
	9 The Solution Finder Step 3: Analysis
		Evaluate ideas
		The Analysis toolkit
		1. Sort
		2. Screen
		3. Select
		Analysis checklist: dos and don’ts
		References
	10 The Solution Finder Step 4: Direction
		Turn ideas into action
		The Direction toolkit
		Direction checklist: dos and don’ts
		References
Part Three The End of the Beginning
	11 Commit to ‘thinking differently’
		Putting it all together
		Decision Radar v2
		Commitment
		Making time for creativity
		References
	12 Creative leadership
		Innovation is a core leadership skill
		The end game
		Freedom to fail… and learn
		Make play a priority
		Innovate with optimism
		Supportive systems
		References
Conclusion: Where do you go from here?
Appendix: activity answers
Index