How the Paper Fish Learned to Swim: A Fable About Inspiring Creativity And Bringing New Ideas to Life - Hardcover

Flaum, Jonathon A.

3.09

22 ratings by Goodreads

9780814408889: How the Paper Fish Learned to Swim: A Fable About Inspiring Creativity And Bringing New Ideas to Life

Hardcover

ISBN 10: 0814408885 ISBN 13: 9780814408889

Publisher: Amacom Books, 2006

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Illustrations by Raina Bays

In a remote fishing village in Japan, Daishinji the origami master creates a beautiful fish from one flat sheet of paper. But the fish says she is lonely, so the master creates a whole paper world for her -- ocean, seaweed, an octopus, and many other creatures. Still, the paper fish begs to be set free in a real ocean, to know the feel of water and understand the mysteries of the deep.

Reluctantly, Daishinji sets her creation free, even though she is sure that the paper fish will be destroyed and that "imaginary things must stay in imaginary places." But amazingly (even if briefly) the fish becomes real, and a part of something much bigger than Daishinji could ever have imagined, proving that great ideas outgrow their creators and take on lives of their own.

How the Paper Fish Learned to Swim presents the fable as a springboard to unlocking creativity and innovation in the workplace. The story is followed by an outline for a practical process for encouraging and harnessing ideas, and the book also includes questions and discussion points. As beautifully illustrated as it is gracefully told, this book is both an enveloping read and a powerful workplace tool.

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About the Author:

Jonathon A. Flaum is founder and CEO of WriteMind Communications, a consulting firm specializing in public communications skills and organizational creativity. He is also coauthor of The 100-Mile Walk. He lives in Asheville, North Carolina.

Review:

"""The Paper Fish Process has been an extremely valuable tool that has enabled my team of highly committed individuals to dream big, debate intensely, and actually turn these ideas into actionable experiments in the field. For a brand leader in a highly competitive market, there is nothing like a tool that can energize a group of individuals and ultimately end up with a dynamic, executable plan. Paper Fish is that tool!""

-- Christopher Posner, Senior Product Manager, Endo Pharmaceuticals

""Through his engaging parable and exercises, Jonathon Flaum explores the very essence of the creative process, striking just the right balance between inspiration and application. Moreover, his thoughts on collaboration are as relevant to team building and development as they are to innovative idea generation. How the Paper Fish Learned to Swim should be required reading for leaders and managers in any field who care about getting the very best creative thinking from their people.""

-- Lee A. Davies, Senior Vice President, Ogilvy Public Relations Worldwide

""This is a timely book dealing in an elegant and creative way with an important behavioral/attitude issue. The reading is captivating because it triggers important questions applicable to day-to-day decisions. The book brings imagination to another level. The author presents a powerful message that should be valuable to entice 'out of the box' thinking for anyone seeking a way to a more constructive, productive, and enjoyable business and personal life.""

-- Dr. Nicolas Bazan, Director, Louisiana State University Neuroscience Center of Excellence"

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