What do Apple CEO Steve Jobs, comedian Chris Rock, prize-winning architect Frank Gehry, the story developers at Pixar films, and the Army Chief of Strategic Plans all have in common? Bestselling author Peter Sims found that all of them have achieved breakthrough results by methodically taking small, experimental steps in order to discover and develop new ideas. Rather than believing they have to start with a big idea or plan a whole project out in advance, trying to foresee the final outcome, they make a series of little bets about what might be a good direction, learning from lots of little failures and from small but highly significant wins that allow them to happen upon unexpected avenues and arrive at extraordinary outcomes. Based on deep and extensive research, including more than 200 interviews with leading innovators, Sims discovered that productive, creative thinkers and doers—from Ludwig van Beethoven to Thomas Edison and Amazon’s Jeff Bezos—practice a key set of simple but ingenious experimental methods—such as failing quickly to learn fast, tapping into the genius of play, and engaging in highly immersed observation—that free their minds, opening them up to making unexpected connections and perceiving invaluable insights. These methods also unshackle them from the constraints of overly analytical thinking and linear problem solving that our education places so much emphasis on, as well as from the fear of failure, all of which thwart so many of us in trying to be more innovative. Reporting on a fascinating range of research, from the psychology of creative blocks to the influential Silicon Valley–based field of design thinking, Sims offers engaging and wonderfully illuminating accounts of breakthrough innovators at work, including how Hewlett-Packard stumbled onto the breakaway success of the first hand-held calculator; the remarkable storyboarding process at Pixar films that has been the key to their unbroken streak of box office successes; the playful discovery process by which Frank Gehry arrived at his critically acclaimed design for Disney Hall; the aha revelation that led Amazon to pursue its wildly successful affiliates program; and the U.S. Army’s ingenious approach to counterinsurgency operations that led to the dramatic turnaround in Iraq. Fast paced and as entertaining as it is illuminating, Little Bets offers a whole new way of thinking about how to break away from the narrow strictures of the methods of analyzing and problem solving we were all taught in school and unleash our untapped creative powers.

Little Bets: How Breakthrough Ideas Emerge from Small Discoveries

Business & Money

Sims, Peter

Business Culture

Free Press

“An enthusiastic, example-rich argument for innovating in a particular way—by deliberately experimenting and taking small exploratory steps in novel directions. Light, bright, and packed with tidy anecdotes” (The Wall Street Journal). What do Apple CEO Steve Jobs, comedian Chris Rock, prize-winning architect Frank Gehry, and the story developers at Pixar films all have in common? Bestselling author Peter Sims found that rather than start with a big idea or plan a whole project in advance, they make a methodical series of little bets, learning critical information from lots of little failures and from small but significant wins. Reporting on a fascinating range of research, from the psychology of creative blocks to the influential field of design thinking, Sims offers engaging and illuminating accounts of breakthrough innovators at work, and a whole new way of thinking about how to navigate uncertain situations and unleash our untapped creative powers.

Simon&Schuster

What do Apple CEO Steve Jobs, comedian Chris Rock, prizewinning architect Frank Gehry, the story developers at Pixar films, and the Army Chief of Strategic Plans all have in common? Bestselling author Peter Sims found that all of them have achieved breakthrough results by methodically taking small, experimental steps in order to discover and develop new ideas. Rather than believing they have to start with a big idea or plan a whole project out in advance, trying to foresee the final outcome, they make a series of little bets about what might be a good direction, learning from lots of little failures and from small but highly significant wins that allow them to happen upon unexpected avenues and arrive at extraordinary outcomes. Based on deep and extensive research, including more than two hundred interviews with leading innovators, Sims discovered that productive, creative thinkers and doers-from Ludwig van Beethoven to Thomas Edison and Amazon's Jeff Bezos-practice a key set of simple but ingenious experimental methods, such as failing quickly to learn fast, tapping into the genius of play, and engaging in highly immersed observation, that free their minds, opening them up to making unexpected connections and perceiving invaluable insights. These methods also unshackle them from the constraints of overly analytical thinking and linear problem solving that our education places so much emphasis on, as well as from the fear of failure, all of which thwart so many of us in trying to be more innovative. Reporting on a fascinating range of research, from the psychology of creative blocks to the influential Silicon Valley-based field of design thinking, Sims offers engaging and wonderfully illuminating accounts of breakthrough innovators at work, including how Hewlett-Packard stumbled onto the breakaway success of the first hand-held calculator; the remarkable storyboarding process at Pixar films that has been the key to their unbroken streak of box office successes; the playful discovery process by which Frank Gehry arrived at his critically acclaimed design for Disney Hall; the "aha" revelation that led Amazon to pursue its wildly successful affiliates program; and the U.S. Army's ingenious approach to counterinsurgency operations that led to the dramatic turnaround in Iraq. Fast paced and as entertaining as it is illuminating, Little Bets offers a whole new way of thinking about how to break away from the narrow strictures of the methods of analyzing and problem solving we were all taught in school and unleash our untapped creative powers.

Business Development & Entrepreneurship

Tantor Media, Inc.

Tantor Audio

True North shows how anyone who follows his or her internal compass can become an authentic leader. This leadership tour de force is based on research and first-person interviews with 125 of today's top leaders - with some surprising results.In this important audiobook, acclaimed former Medtronic CEO Bill George and coauthor Peter Sims share the wisdom of these outstanding leaders and describe how you can develop as an authentic leader. True North presents a concrete and comprehensive program for leadership success and shows how to create your own Personal Leadership Development Plan centered on five key areas:Knowing your authentic selfDefining your values and leadership principlesUnderstanding your motivationsBuilding your support teamStaying grounded by integrating all aspects of your lifeTrue North offers an opportunity for anyone to transform their leadership path and become the authentic leader they were born to be.

True North: Discover Your Authentic Leadership

George, Bill

Management & Leadership

Your Coach In A Box

Little Bets: How Big Ideas Emerge from Small Discoveries

How did Pixar go from producing CAT scan images to winning Oscars? How did Steve Jobs turn Apple into a world-beating company? How does Amazons culture encourage innovation? How can you find the creative solutions demanded by our ever-changing world? The answer, according to renowned business thought-leader Peter Sims, is LITTLE BETS. In these fast-moving times, its next to

Science & Math

Behavioral Sciences

RANDOM HOUSE BUSINESS BOOKS

Black Sheep

Biographies & Memoirs

Professionals & Academics

Silicon Guild

El auténtico norte, de Bill George y Peter Sims, «es esa brújula interna que te guía con éxito por la vida y representa quién eres como ser humano en el nivel más profundo. Es tu punto de orientación o punto fijo en un mundo que gira y te ayuda a mantenerte encaminado como líder. Tu norte verdadero se basa en lo que es más importante para ti, tus valores más queridos, tus pasiones y motivaciones, las fuentes de satisfacción en tu vida». Bill George, uno de los líderes corporativos más respetados de Estados Unidos, y Peter Sims, su joven colaborador, demuestran que el liderazgo con fundamento ético no sólo es posible sino que, a menudo, es el más eficaz de todos. La obra ofrece un programa en cinco partes para desarrollar lo mejor de uno mismo y demuestra cómo la autenticidad y la integridad conforman un gran liderazgo. Tal y como los autores expresan: «El objetivo de El auténtico norte es que puedas descubrir tu liderazgo auténtico para dar un paso al frente y liderar mientras permaneces fiel a quien eres».

El auténtico norte (Accion Empresarial) (Spanish Edition)

LID Editorial Empresarial, S.L.

Pequeñas apuestas: Descubre por qué las ideas más innovadoras surgen de pequeños descubrimientos

Gestión 2000

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Books by Sims, Peter