A different way of discovering and developing the best business
ideas

Jack Welch once said, "Someone, somewhere has a better idea." In
this myth-busting book, the authors reveal that great business
ideas do not spring from innate creativity, or necessarily from the
brilliant minds of people. Rather, great ideas come to those who
are in the habit of looking for great ideas all around them, all
the time. Too often, people fall into the trap of thinking that the
only worthwhile idea is a thoroughly original one. Idea Hunters
know better. They understand that valuable ideas are already out
there, waiting to be found - and not just in the usual places.

* Shows how to expand your capacity to find and develop winning
business ideas

* Explains why ideas are a critical asset for every manager and
professional, not just for those who do "creative"

* Reveals how to seek out and select the ideas that best serve
your purposes and goals and define who you are, as a
professional

* Offers practical tips on how to master the everyday habits of
an Idea Hunter, which include cultivating great conversations

The book is filled with illustrative accounts of successful Idea
Hunters and stories from thriving "idea" companies. Warren Buffet,
Walt Disney, Thomas Edison, Mary Kay Ash, Twitter, and Pixar
Animation Studios are among the many profiled.

ANDY BOYNTON IS THE DEAN of the Carroll School of Management at Boston College. He was a professor of strategic leadership at IMD (International Institute for Management Development) in Lausanne, Switzerland, where he created and directed the school's highly-rated global Executive MBA program.

BILL FISCHER IS A PROFESSOR at IMD. He previously served as dean and president of the China-Europe International Business School, a joint venture of the European Union and Chinese government, in Shanghai, China.

WILLIAM BOLE IS A JOURNALIST and a research fellow of the Winston Center for Leadership and Ethics at Boston College.

Breakaway ideas come to those who are in the habit of looking for them.
FROM THE INTRODUCTION

Ideas are arguably the most valuable asset in an information-based economy. But how do you find the best ideasthe kind that can boost careers, change organizations, and ramp up the value of projects? Why do some people seem to come up with these ideas whenever they need them?

In this myth-busting book, the authors reveal that great business ideas do not spring from innate creativity, or necessarily from the minds of brilliant people. High-value ideas come to those people who are in the habit of looking for such ideasall around them, all the time. These are the Idea Hunters. Such people do not buy into the notion that the only great idea is a pristinely original one. They know better. They understand that game-changing ideas are already out there, waiting to be spotted and then shaped into an innovation.

The authors present an eclectic band of Idea Hunters, ranging from Thomas Edison, Mary Kay Ash, and Walt Disney, to Warren Buffett, Apple's Phil Schiller, and others including the leaders of Twitter, Pixar Animation Studios, and the Boston Beer Company. These people have certain characteristics embodied in the four I-D-E-A principles (Interested, Diverse, Exercised, and Agile). They also know their gigtheir personal mission, and why it matters. They don't let the organization, job, industry, or profession define their Idea Hunt. And they recognize how the world around them connects with their plans and projects.

Step by step, The Idea Hunter unveils a strategy for unearthing new ideas in any industry or organization. It is a must-have resource for anyone who wants to tap into the successful business ideas that are just waiting to be rediscovered.

Jack Welch once said, "Someone, somewhere has a better idea." In this myth-busting book, the authors reveal that great business ideas do not spring from innate creativity, or necessarily from the brilliant minds of people. Rather, great ideas come to those who are in the habit of looking for great ideas all around them, all the time. Too often, people fall into the trap of thinking that the only worthwhile idea is a thoroughly original one. Idea Hunters know better. They understand that valuable ideas are already out there, waiting to be found - and not just in the usual places.

• Shows how to expand your capacity to find and develop winning business ideas
• Explains why ideas are a critical asset for every manager and professional, not just for those who do "creative"
• Reveals how to seek out and select the ideas that best serve your purposes and goals and define who you are, as a professional
• Offers practical tips on how to master the everyday habits of an Idea Hunter, which include cultivating great conversations

The book is filled with illustrative accounts of successful Idea Hunters and stories from thriving "idea" companies. Warren Buffet, Walt Disney, Thomas Edison, Mary Kay Ash, Twitter, and Pixar Animation Studios are among the many profiled.

Preface: Why Hunt? xi

Introduction: Brilliance Not Required 1

Already Out There 3

Ready to Unlearn 7

1 Know Your Gig 11

The Discernment 13

The Circle of Competence 17

Gigs Matter 19

The IDEA Principles

Interested

2 Be Interested, Not Just Interesting 25

Curiosity at the Trading Post 28

Learning Machines 29

Your Brain is Open 33

Defining Your Own Hunt 36

Ideawork #1: Selling the Best Hour of the Day to Yourself 39

Diverse

3 Diversifying the Hunt 47

The Color of Your Ideas 49

When Weak Ties are Strong 51

Widening Your Intellectual Bandwidth 54

Bridging Distant Worlds 58

Ideas are Everywhere 61

Ideawork #2: The I'S and T'S 65

Exercised

4 Mastering the Habits of the Hunt 71

The Practice of Ideas 73

Begin with an Eye 75

Observing at the Ritz 77

Erecting a Personal Platform of Observation 80

Write It Down 83

Get It Moving 86

Observe Yourself 88

Ideawork #3: Assembling an Idea Portfolio 91

Exercised

4 Mastering the Habits of the Hunt 71

The Practice of Ideas 73

Begin with an Eye 75

Observing at the Ritz 77

Erecting a Personal Platform of Observation 80

Write It Down 83

Get It Moving 86

Observe Yourself 88

Ideawork #3: Assembling an Idea Portfolio 91

Agile

5 Idea Flow is Critical 101

The Case of the Guitar Strings 104

Creating Idea Spaces at Pixar 106

Finding the Informal Bosses 110

Letting Ideas Percolate 112

When It's Time to Kill Ideas 115

Ideawork #4: Ready, Set, Launch 121

6 Create Great Conversations 129

Continuers and Terminators 132

The Value of a Naive Question 136

Preparing for the Big Conversation 138

Epilogue: Thoreau and the I-D-E-A Assessment 143

References 151

Acknowledgments 161

About the Authors 165

Index 167