Jeff DeGraff je profesorem managementu a organizací na Ross School of Business na University of Michigan. Jeho práce se zaměřuje na inovace, strategii a vedení kreativity a změn. Tvrdí, že rozmanitost myšlenek je pro inovace zásadní a podporuje konstruktivní dialog a práci v různorodých týmech k nalezení hybridních řešení. Jeho posláním je „demokratizace inovací“, zpřístupnění inovací všem prostřednictvím svých knih, médií a konzultační praxe.
"With the right mindset, creative breakthroughs can be made by anyone. Innovation experts Jeff and Staney DeGraff introduce six essential creative-thinking skills that will democratize the process of innovation"-- Provided by publisher
From years of research and practical experience as a consultant, Jeff DeGraff has learned that when it comes to any innovation initiative, disharmony is crucial. We innovate when we disrupt, and we first have to disrupt each other. DeGraff identifies four contrasting types of innovators. There's the wild experimentation of The Artist, the pragmatic caution of The Engineer, the urgent competitiveness of The Athlete, and the patient community-building of The Sage. He includes exercises so readers can find where they fit into this framework, and shows how to build, manage, and embrace the dynamic discord of a team that contains all four types. When you combine the visionary thinking of The Artist and the practical thinking of The Engineer, you get innovation that's both revolutionary and manageable, highly ambitious without high risk. When you combine the results-oriented attitude of The Athlete with the values-oriented attitude of The Sage, you get innovation that's both a good investment and good for the world. This is a profound but highly accessible guide for achieving breakthrough solutions by utilizing the full--and seemingly contradictory--spectrum of innovative thinking.
Although many leaders acknowledge and invest in creativity, we seldom see it hold a credible place in the business development process. Creativity at Work takes a practical approach to creativity, showing how to select practices to produce results and add value.