Status
Available
Call number
Publication
Harper Colophon (2015), Edition: Reissue, 300 pages
Description
The first practical explanation of how creativity works, this results-oriented bestseller trains listeners to move beyond a "vertical" mode of thought to tap the potential of lateral thinking.
User reviews
LibraryThing member Sylak
Some planning is needed if you intend to use this book as a teaching tool (the way it was intended).
You will need to collect some photographs (showing different ways of interpreting a situation: conflict, and police crowd control, for example).
Some of the geometric puzzles pre-cut from
Some written articles from newspapers, or recorded from radio programs.
A selection of possible topics of conversation: food shortages, traffic control, etc.
It may take a while to stockpile this material, so preparation is the key to making the most of this book. I guess some bright spark could have created a boxed set with all the various materials printed for you, but can you imagine the price tag for such a ready to teach kit. Besides the internet should speed up the task tremendously. I would still recommend that you avoid winging it or going in cold since tumbling for the relevant data could sabotage an otherwise simple demonstration of lateral thinking.
The first chapter of the book provides more information on this matter.
There is also no need to read the book cover to cover first, or follow each task in order; in fact this would be ill-advised. Each exercise should be repeated over again till it becomes second nature before moving on. In this way the book could take months or even several years to finish. This is the correct way to use the book. You won't learn much reading it cover to cover, and you certainly wont understand lateral thinking any better.
This is the reason many people complain that De Bono is too repetitive, because they fail to grasp how to use the book, even though it is explained clearly in the chapter 'Use of this book'.
You will need to collect some photographs (showing different ways of interpreting a situation: conflict, and police crowd control, for example).
Some of the geometric puzzles pre-cut from
Show More
cardboard.Some written articles from newspapers, or recorded from radio programs.
A selection of possible topics of conversation: food shortages, traffic control, etc.
It may take a while to stockpile this material, so preparation is the key to making the most of this book. I guess some bright spark could have created a boxed set with all the various materials printed for you, but can you imagine the price tag for such a ready to teach kit. Besides the internet should speed up the task tremendously. I would still recommend that you avoid winging it or going in cold since tumbling for the relevant data could sabotage an otherwise simple demonstration of lateral thinking.
The first chapter of the book provides more information on this matter.
There is also no need to read the book cover to cover first, or follow each task in order; in fact this would be ill-advised. Each exercise should be repeated over again till it becomes second nature before moving on. In this way the book could take months or even several years to finish. This is the correct way to use the book. You won't learn much reading it cover to cover, and you certainly wont understand lateral thinking any better.
This is the reason many people complain that De Bono is too repetitive, because they fail to grasp how to use the book, even though it is explained clearly in the chapter 'Use of this book'.
Show Less
LibraryThing member TobinElliott
A little dated in its examples, but a good starter guide to idea generation through lateral thinking.
Gotta be honest, the whole po section left me a little cold.
But the rest was useful.
Gotta be honest, the whole po section left me a little cold.
But the rest was useful.
Subjects
Original language
English
Original publication date
1970
Physical description
320 p.; 5.31 inches
ISBN
0060903252 / 9780060903251