The Creative Contrarian: 20 "Wise Fool" Strategies to Boost Creativity and Curb Groupthink

Tackle your thorniest problems using the Wise Fool's savvy Strategies! The Wise Fool is the archetypal contrarian known for his creativity, irreverence, and humor. He looks at life in unorthodox ways and pushes back against the status quo. Throughout history, powerful decision-makers (Egyptian pharaohs, Chinese emperors, Persian sultans, and European kings) consulted Wise Fools to question the assumptions that kept them mired in stale and obsolete solutions. In The Creative Contrarian, bestselling author, speaker, and toy designer Dr. Roger von Oech provides readers with a "Wise Fool Guide" to challenge established procedures and engage in creative thinking. Roger shows how to gain the confidence to speak up in "groupthink" situations—and boldly present a different perspective. From laughing at your most beloved ideas to test their validity to adding constraints to problems to reveal new solutions, he offers a framework for creativity that works in business, design, education, and anywhere new ideas are required—and appreciated! Together, these jewels of insight will help you see things from the Wise Fool's perspective!