The Myths of Creativity - Hardcover

by David Burkus (Author)

How to get past the most common myths about creativity to design truly innovative strategies

We tend to think of creativity in terms reminiscent of the ancient muses: divinely-inspired, unpredictable, and bestowed upon a lucky few. But when our jobs challenge us to be creative on demand, we must develop novel, useful ideas that will keep our organizations competitive. The Myths of Creativity demystifies the processes that drive innovation. Based on the latest research into how creative individuals and firms succeed, David Burkus highlights the mistaken ideas that hold us back and shows us how anyone can embrace a practical approach, grounded in reality, to finding the best new ideas, projects, processes, and programs.

• Answers questions such as: What causes us to be creative in one moment and void in the next? What makes someone more or less creative than his or her peers? Where do our flashes of creative insight come from, and how can we generate more of them?
• Debunks 10 common myths, including: the Eureka Myth; the Lone Creator Myth; the Incentive Myth; and The Brainstorming Myth
• Written by David Burkus, founder of popular leadership blog LDRLB

For anyone who struggles with creativity, or who makes excuses for delaying the work of innovation, The Myths of Creativity will help you overcome your obstacles to finding new ideas.

Back Jacket

What causes us to be creative in one moment and void in the next? What makes someone more or less creative than his or her peers? Where do our flashes of creative insight come from, and how can we generate more of them?

We tend to think of creativity in terms reminiscent of the ancient muses: divinely inspired, unpredictable, and bestowed upon a lucky few. Unfortunately, mythology isn't much help when you're challenged to be creative on demand. When you are charged with developing new ideas, conventional wisdom will only hold you back. How can you ensure you get past common myths about creativity to design truly innovative strategies?

The Myths of Creativity demystifies the processes that drive innovation. Based on the latest research into how creative individuals and firms succeed, David Burkus corrects the mistaken ideas that stunt innovative thinking, such as:

• The Eureka Myth: New ideas come from hard work, not a quick spark
• The Lone Creator Myth: Creativity takes well-conceived teamwork, not a single person's genius
• The Mousetrap Myth: No innovation is brilliant enough to sell itself, and a great idea isn't the end of the process, but the beginning

By debunking these--and other--widespread misconceptions, David Burkus shows how to embrace a real, practical approach to finding the best new ideas, projects, processes, and programs.

For anyone who struggles with creativity, or who makes excuses for delaying the work of innovation, The Myths of Creativity will help overcome the creative obstacles to finding new ideas.

For more on LDRLB, please visit www.LDRLB.org or on Twitter via @LDRLB.

Author Biography

David Burkus is the founder and editor of LDRLB, an online publication that shares insights from research on leadership, innovation, and strategy. He is assistant professor of management at Oral Roberts University and also a regular columnist for 99U and The Creativity Post. He lives outside Tulsa, Oklahoma, with his wife and son.

For more information, please visit www.davidburkus.com or on Twitter via @davidburkus.