Andy Boynton - The Idea Hunter: How to Find the Best Ideas and Make them Happen

Table of Contents

Title Page

Copyright Page

Dedication

Preface

Ready to Unlearn

The Circle of Competence

Gigs Matter

Interested

CHAPTER 2 - Be Interested, Not Just Interesting

Curiosity at the Trading Post

Learning Machines

Your Brain Is Open

Defining Your Own Hunt

Diverse

When Weak Ties Are Strong

Widening Your Intel ectual Bandwidth

Bridging Distant Worlds

Ideas Are Everywhere

Exercised

CHAPTER 4 - Mastering the Habits of the Hunt

The Practice of Ideas

Begin with an Eye

Observing at the Ritz

Erecting a Personal Platform of Observation

Write It Down

Get It Moving

Observe Yourself

Agile

CHAPTER 5 - Idea Flow Is Critical

The Case of the Guitar Strings

Creating Idea Spaces at Pixar

Finding the Informal Bosses

Letting Ideas Percolate

When Its Time to Kil Ideas

The Value of a Nave Question

Preparing for the Big Conversation

Acknowledgments

ABOUT THE AUTHORS

INDEX

This constitutes a continuation of the copyright page:

Boynton and Fischer get right to the heart of what it takes for people to create a superb ideathe first step to any successful innovation. By describing the characteristics of successful Idea Hunters, they provide guidance and tools that wil increase your capacity to find great ideas and put them into play.

Michael Raynor, director, Deloitte Consulting LLP, and author, The Strategy Paradox and The Innovators Manifesto

My company aims to add about $4 bil ion in new sales every year. This wont be possible without everyone in the organization contributing new ideas. The Idea Hunter is an essential guide to systematical y developing this critical capability.

Werner Geissler, vice chairman, global operations, Procter & Gamble

Thril ing, fun, and inspiring, The Idea Hunter tel s stories and discerns patterns of behavior and habits shared by the great innovators of the past century. It finds similarities among the greats ranging from Warren Buffet to Steve Jobs, and even going back earlier in the century to Walt Disney and Thomas Edison. Through brief stories and simple self-reflection exercises, this book distil s the quirky essence of leading imagination in a way we can consume it, and hopeful y aspire to become one with it.

Aaron C. Sylvan, serial entrepreneur and technologist, One Technology, Trust Works, LemonadeHeroes, and Sylvan Social Technology

We rely on using the ideas of thousands of experts to win against tough competition in a crowded market. Using The Idea Hunter as a trail map, any leader can win the daily wars of ideas that differentiate the innovator from the rest.

Jack Hughes, chairman and cofounder, TopCoder, Inc.

Idea Hunters are normal people, with a normal life, in a common social context. The only difference is that they have an open mind and are skil ed in searching. This bril iant book is an ideal guide to achieve an open mind in our complex world.

Maurizio Marinelli, visual artist and president, Baskervile Research Center on Communication, Bologna, Italy

Observe, ask questions, be curious, dare to throw odd ideas into a groups conversation to make it better. These are al ways to ensure that the blind spots that we al are threatened by do not stay blind. Be an Idea Hunter!

Ton Bchner, CEO, Sulzer, Ltd.

In my company, I ask al of our team members to be business owners. Doing things in a better way, at lower costs, and in a more customer-friendly way requires ideas from everyone. Those ideas come from great Idea Hunters throughout the company, regardless of rank and title. The IdeaHunter is not only an enjoyable read; it also offers a practical method so that anyone or any firm can learn the secrets of harnessing the power of ideas to drive success.

Laura J. Sen, president and CEO, BJs Wholesale Club

Humans make progress by discovering new ideas, but also, importantly, by repurposing the ones that already exist. Boynton and Fischer show how each of us can get better at this critical skil identifying and reapplying existing ideas.

Paul Romer, senior felow, Stanford Institute for Economic Policy Research

Hunting is an apt metaphor. Ideas exist everywhere in the wild. The trick is knowing where to look for them and how to capture them. Boynton and Fischer tel us how.

Ron Sargent, chairman and CEO, Staples, Inc.

The Idea Hunter is unique. Its about curiosity, agility, and perpetual y hunting for better ideas. Its a must-read for anyone who wants to compete and col aborate more effectively each and every day.

Greg Brown, president and CEO, Motorola Solutions

This book upends a number of persistent myths about innovation and what it takes to be an idea person. It shows that whats required is not spectacular creativity or remarkable IQ, but curiositynot innate genius, but a genuine desire to engage in a daily search for ideas. The IdeaHunter wil help transform the way you and your business operate.

Jay Hooley, chairman, president, and CEO, State Street Corporation

Ideas are the lifeblood of innovation, and innovation is the key to growth. Boynton and Fischer offer powerful and practical advice on how to

jumpshift the flow of ideas in your organization. This book wil become required reading for any leader intent on shaping a high-performance organization.

Michael D. White, chairman and CEO, DirecTV

Copyright 2011 by Andy Boynton, Bill Fischer, and William Bole. All rights reserved.

Published by Jossey-Bass

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