Embracing the New Era: Managing oneself and others into the era of creativity

The current economic and social turmoil may prove to mark the advent of a new era - the Era of The current economic and social turmoil may prove to mark the advent of a new era - the Era of Creativity, potentially as revolutionary as the industrial revolution. Old management models have finally been put to the test and have been found lacking. This book takes a fresh look at the many aspects of what encourages people to be creative and what discourages them. From leadership style to tolerating anarchy, this new approach to creating innovative environments represents a new model of management: Managing for Creativity. As individuals we are challenged by new industry practices such as outsourcing which are challenging our security. The old values of educational achievements fail to guarantee opportunity. We are being challenged to accept a new currency - the currency of creativity. Creativity is the new 'value-added' for individuals, organizations, cities and nations. Those that recognize and act on this will be the leaders of the new era, those that do not will struggle. 'Embracing the New Era' looks at creativity from a new perspective in order to prescribe how we can position it at the top of our personal and organizational priority list. It examines how we can manage ourselves and our organizations in order to recognize opportunity from economic turbulence, and how we can generate flexible, stable and happy places that are adaptable to our changing times.

At the core Dr. André Walton is an inventor. His belief in his inventions motivated him into entrepreneurship. Originally a physicist, André's businesses spanned music equipment, medical ultrasound, PR, and scientific instruments. His products sold in over 70 countries throughout the world and his music inventions were used by many household names from Frank Sinatra, to Radio City Music Hall and the Royal Opera House. After 20 years inventing, manufacturing, marketing, managing and consulting, André went 'back to school' to study social psychology at the University of Nevada, Reno. He gained his Ph.D. with organizational creativity as a research area. The Group Affiliation Model of creativity is the result of his research and contemplations and with it he explains what motivates and demotivates us to be creative. Although we generate creative ideas as individuals, we are deeply influenced by our social surroundings and the groups we belong to. That is what the group affiliation model is really about. André teaches classes on managing with creativity and he is the Visiting Fellow of Entrepreneurship and Creativity at the Newport Business School, in Wales, UK. Through Newport Business School and his consulting business, Creative Paths, he presents training programs that help individuals and businesses prepare for the next phases of social and economic turbulence and the advent of the new era: The era of creativity.