April 2009 Entries
With my tongue in my cheek, I want the express my appreciation to the authors of Appreciative Inquiry for making this book so short! It is intended as an introduction to the "hottest new change management approach" but it reads more like a laundry list of management buzz words.
In The Paradox of Choice: Why More Is Less, Barry Schwartz takes us on an interesting journey through the psychology of choice. Decision theory is an interesting field with many spurs and side-tracks, a number of which Schwartz takes us down. The book covers a lot of ground but manages to stay on theme, namely: too much opportunity for choice is not necessarily a good thing.
R. Keith Sawyer brings a sense of workmanship to the study of creativity in his book Explaining Creativity: The Science of Human Innovation. Rather than treat creativity as a mytical quality that only certain humans are embued with, Sawyer points out that creativity is within reach of mere mortals. He begins by debunking the common myths surrounding creative genius (insane people are more creative, creative geniuses work alone etc) and ends by giving some very practical advice on how to become