“From microloans to megaprojects, Innovation-ish makes the case that breakthrough thinking isn’t about scale, it’s about mindset. Whether you’re at your kitchen table or sitting in a Silicon Valley boardroom, if you want impact that grows with you, start with Innovation-ish.”
―Premal Shah, Co-Founder Kiva.org
“Innovation is at the core of every successful business transformation, no matter the size of your problem or your company. If you’re looking for a clear and data-driven approach to build your innovative skillset with confidence, you won’t find a better book than Innovation-ish by Richard Braden and Tessa Forshaw.”
―Martin Lindstrom, New York Times bestselling author of Buyology and The Ministry of Common Sense
“In Innovation-ish, readers will find the cognitive strategies needed to transform their creative ideas into actionable solutions that drive meaningful results.”
―Olav Schewe, internationally bestselling author of Learn Like a Pro
Innovation-ish: How Anyone Can Create Breakthrough Solutions to Real Problems in the Real World is your no-nonsense guide to unlocking your innate creativity. Expertly crafted by design strategist Rich Braden and cognitive scientist Tessa Forshaw, this book skips the fluff and dives straight into actionable strategies to ignite your innovative potential.
Rich and Tessa draw on years of experience advising companies, students, professionals, and others on how to supercharge their capacity for innovation and give you a behind the scenes look at the classrooms, organizations, and institutions that have transformed themselves into more dynamic, energetic, and exciting versions of themselves.
This masterclass cuts to the chase, revealing exactly how real people with real challenges solve real problems. You’ll learn how to overcome imposter syndrome, reignite stalled projects, and cultivate the resilience and agility necessary to thrive in today’s dynamic world.
Forget theory―Innovation-ish is your hands-on tool kit packed with proven methods to supercharge creativity, leverage skills you already have, and confidently build solutions without the fear of getting it “wrong.”
Innovation-ish demolishes the myth that innovation belongs only to “geniuses” and offers six practical mindsets anyone can adopt immediately. Packed with clear, actionable steps, it’s the definitive guide for managers, executives, entrepreneurs, founders, and team leaders ready to turbocharge their organizations, projects, and careers.
Stop dreaming about innovation. Start doing it. Innovation-ish gives you everything you need to spark original ideas and build groundbreaking solutions today.
From the Back Cover
Praise for innovation-ish
“Innovation is at the core of every successful business transformation, no matter the size of your problem or your company. If you’re looking for a clear and data-driven approach to build your innovative skill set with confidence, you won’t find a better book than Innovation-ish by Rich Braden and Tessa Forshaw.”
―MARTIN LINDSTROM, New York Times bestselling author of Buyology and The Ministry of Common Sense
“Innovation-ish is an actionable playbook for every aspiring innovator. Whether you are a CEO, a startup founder, an executive, or a student, its frameworks will help you succeed because they capture how real people solve real problems.”
―STEFANOS ZENIOS, Professor of Entrepreneurship and Faculty Director of the Center for Entrepreneurial Studies, Stanford Graduate School of Business
“Innovation is more than just a skill; it is essential for leadership, citizenship, and navigating the future. Braden and Forshaw draw on research and real-world experience to equip readers with accessible strategies for learning, leading, and adapting with purpose and vision. They skillfully blend fresh ideas and personal agency into a practical guide, making innovation accessible to everyone from students to policymakers. At a time when educational systems are navigating deep complexity, Innovation-ish offers a clear, grounded, and inspiring approach.”
―NONIE K. LESAUX, Dean of the Harvard Graduate School of Education
Innovation-ish skips the vague theory and dives deep into concrete strategies to help you generate new ideas, overcome analysis paralysis, beat imposter syndrome, turn around stalled projects, and rediscover the confidence and creativity that already exists within you.
Rich and Tessa walk you through the six mindsets that underlie innovation, how taking small actions drive you forward with momentum, and why thoughtful reflection is critical to choosing the right next step. Along the way, they bust unproductive myths about innovation and prove that no matter your background, your experience and expertise are all you need to tackle tough challenges in creative and useful ways.
About the Author
RICH BRADEN is the founder and CEO of the San Francisco-based consulting firm, People Rocket. The company People Rocket partners with leaders and teams to innovate with confidence to drive clarity, effective execution, and strategic agility in complex, fast-changing environments. For the past 15 years he has been a design educator at universities around the world including Stanford University and Harvard University.
TESSA FORSHAW, PHD, is a cognitive scientist, senior researcher, and co-founder of the Next Level Lab at Harvard University. She teaches design thinking, creativity, and innovation at the Harvard Innovation Lab and Harvard University DCE. She also served on the Teaching Faculty at Stanford’s design school for several years, and has worked in innovation consultancies across the world.
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