Cats: The Nine Lives of Innovation

Enhanced descriptions from Syndetics:

It's time to let the CATS out of the bag . . .

Curiosity might have killed the proverbial cat, but without it very real achievements would never occur. With this book as your guide, you'll learn how to spark your innate curiosity, pounce onproblems in ways you never imagined, and enjoy greater success and satisfaction at work--and in your personal life.

Playful, profound, and positively upbeat, CATS provides what you need to tap into your power of innovation--and thenunleash it in every member of your organization. While most business thinkers view this challenge from the top down, Stephen Lundin sees the subject from a CAT's-eye view, explaining how to get every employee--no matter what level--to think and act in innovative ways. Inside, he examines the four challenges to innovation and offers practical measures aimed at conquering them. You'll learn how to:

Be brave ('fraidy cats never innovate) Stop being "normal" (make your own rules!) Embrace failure (it's the only way to learn) Foster creativity (don't be a control freak)

Lundin then describes the Nine Lives of Innovation, each of which is a step toward realizing your inner CAT and becoming a fully contributing member of an innovative organization.

Prowling inside every employee is a questioner, a creator, an innovator--claws out and ready to pounce. Become a CAT andyou may fi nd yourself springing on ideas in a way that surprises you--and everyone around you.

Table of contents provided by Syndetics

• Introduction and Overview
• Why Cats? Four Challenges, Nine Lives Nine Lives of Innovation Overcome Clutter
• Always be Prepared Understand
• That Innovation Isn't Normal Welcome Real Provocation Promote Imaginary
• Provocation Say, 'How Fascinating'
• Fail Early and Fail Well Pounce on Change Master CAT Wrangling

Reviews provided by Syndetics

Publishers Weekly Review

In his first solo effort, management consultant Lundin (co-author of the bestselling Fish! series of business titles) presents a collection of self-awareness and thought exercises to help both managers and underlings become more innovative and involved in their personal and business lives. Lundin delineates four obstacles that limit creativity in all kinds of environments: negative feedback, habit, fear and failure of leadership. He then describes nine techniques for overcoming those obstacles, which include organizing, understanding creativity ("Know that innovation isn't normal") and the power of provocation. Though none of these concepts are new (essentially lifted from the creative arts), much may be unfamiliar to a business audience. The CATS concept itself is rather weak-a CAT (not an acronym) is "anyone working to develop his or her capacity to innovate"-and serves less as a metaphor than a set up for puns in section titles and asides: "CAT Nip," "CAT Pause," "We have let the CAT out of the bag!" Though people with workplace problems like heavy-handed management, narrow-minded thinking or oppressive corporate culture can certainly benefit from Lundin's advice, his repetitive and overly enthusiastic text is more interested in following self-help formula than efficiently helping busy, uninspired execs. (Jan.) Copyright 2009 Reed Business Information.