Book Review- Creative Confidence: Unleashing the Creative Potential Within Us All

Abstract

Creativity is usually equated with the arts, architecture, or design. However, Creative Confidence: Unleashing the Creative Potential Within Us All, aims to debunk this myth. The creativity that manifests itself in the form of innovation is the major driving force of business as evidenced in tech giants such as Google, Facebook, Airbnb, or even Alibaba. The book has been recommended by top names among the tech stars including Joe Gebbia, Co-Founder of Airbnb, who has applauded the book for combining the pursuit of creativity with the pragmatism needed in business. Todd Spaletto, President of The North Face, advocated the book by saying that it was an indispensable guide to help build creative muscles, when they are needed most. In addition, the book was complemented by Tom Peters, best-selling author of In Search of Excellence, who recommended the book, saying that it is poised to change the world and advised that it should not just be read but be used.

Co-author, David Kelley is the founder of IDEO, a consulting company, and Stanford d.school, through which he helps students, entrepreneurs, and businesses discover their creative potential through the design thinking process. IDEO specializes in the training and development of innovation techniques to help firms unlock the creative potential of their employees. In the same vein, the Stanford d.school formerly known as the Hasso Plattner Institute of Design, was developed to teach design thinking to those in Stanford’s graduate schools. The highlight of the program is the course, Design for Extreme Affordability, which is a multidisciplinary melting pot to foster creative innovation, and is offered to students all over the university. Tom Kelley, is the best-selling author of, The Art of Innovation, which documents the process IDEO uses to help organizations in both the public and private sectors, and which includes well-known names such as Apple and The North Face.