Resources for Development

The biggest lesson I have ever learned is the stupendous importance of what we think. If I knew what you think, I would know what you are, for your thoughts make you what you are; by changing our thoughts, we can change our lives.
                                 -Dale Carnegie, motivational speaker

The IDEAS Knowledge System

These books do not stand alone but are part of a larger knowledge system.They are meant to be used in conjunction with other resources and activities.

• The IDEAS Method Workbook
• In the context of a class on creativity and innovation

I have put together a list of several resources classified by topic, which is shown below. I wish the reader well on this intellectual journey!

Individual Transformation

Improvisation

• In life and business
  • “Free Play” by Stephen Nachmanovich.
• Jazz
  • http://www.jazzreview.com/
  • http://www.ipl.org/ (may be used for any topic)
  • http://www.pbs.org/jazz/ (PBS web site on jazz based on the work of Ken Burns)

Design

• Design thinking
  • Fast Company: http://www.fastcompany.com/magazine/95/
  • “A Whole New Mind” by Dan Pink.  See chapter on design.
  • “The Design of Everyday Things” by Don Norman.
  • “Design is how it Works” by Jay Greene.

Experimentation

• Big Science
  • CERN.org (European Organization for Nuclear Research)
  • www.llnl.gov/ (Lawrence Liverpool National Lab)
• Systems Concepts
  • http://www.thinking.net/Systems_Thinking/systems_thinking.html
• Chaos Theory
  • http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chaos_theory
• Quantum Physics
  • http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Quantum_mechanics

Aesthetics

• http://www.iep.utm.edu/aestheti/
  
• http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Aesthetics

Strengths

• Multiple Intelligence Measurement
  • http://www.thirteen.org/edonline/concept2class/mi/
  • http://www.ldrc.ca/projects/miinventory/miinventory.php
• Howard Gardner
  • http://www.infed.org/thinkers/gardner.htm
• General IQ
  • http://www.aceintelligence.com/index.php
    
• Creativity
  • “Free Play” by Stephen Nachmanovich.
  • “Creativity in Business” by Ray and Meyers.

Team Transformation

• Myers-Briggs
  • http://www.myersbriggs.org/
    
  • http://www.personalitypathways.com/type_inventory.html

Organizational Transformation

• Planning
  • “Creating the Corporate Future” by Russ Ackoff.
  • Boston’s Big Dig. www.massdot.state.ma.us/highway/bigdig/bigdigmain.aspx
• Appreciative Inquiry
  • http://appreciativeinquiry.case.edu/
  • http://www.new-paradigm.co.uk/Appreciative.htm
• Organizational learning
  • http://www.brint.com/OrgLrng.htm
  • http://carbon.ucdenver.edu/~mryder/itc_data/org_learning.html

General

• Mental Models
  • A good book on world views, mental models and wisdom is: “Seeking Wisdom: From Darwin to Munger” by Peter Bevelin.  Go to: ideasmethod.com/mentalmodels
• Time Management
  • “The 4-Hour Workweek” by Tim Ferriss.  A must read for anyone living in the 21st century

Many more resources are available in the books!