Sometimes you can find great advice in the most unlikely places. This week I’d like to highlight a book that doesn’t necessarily come from a business or energy efficiency standpoint, but from a design standpoint. Nevertheless, it has some excellent ideas you can apply to your career and home life.
Marty Neumeier is a veteran of creative thinking and design, having worked for major companies such as Apple, Microsoft, Facebook and Adobe. He is currently the Director of Transformation for Liquid Agency and has written about his use of “design thinking” throughout his career, namely putting your customers first and challenging the status quo - not all that different from what we’re trying to do with sales, right?
In The 46 Rules of Genius he offers a variety of different tactics that can be used for problem solving, beginning with his first rule: “Break the rules.” Its layout is simple and expertly laid out, posing questions regarding the challenges of problem-solving, setting goals and making strides that matter.
Here is the summary from Amazon:
“There’s no such thing as an accidental genius. Anyone who’s reached that exalted state has arrived there by design. But simply wanting to get there is not enough. A would-be genius also needs a theoretical framework, a basic compass, a set of principles to guide the way forward.
“Marty Neumeier, acclaimed author of The Brand Gap and Metaskills, has compressed the wisdom of the ages into the first “quick start guide” for genius—46 glittering gems that will light your path to creative brilliance. This is THE essential handbook for designers, entrepreneurs, marketers, educators, artists, scientists, innovators, and future leaders in every field.”
