The SQUEEZE: There is always a better idea somewhere even in an environment of great ideas. The challenge is sifting through the ones that will prove effective. Andy Boynton, Bill Fischer, and William Bole’s book titled “The Idea Hunter: How to Find the Best Ideas and Make Them Happen” offers insight into the concept that great ideas are not born from great people; instead, great ideas are born from people who have developed the habit of looking for great ideas. This is the primary focus of the book. As the authors suggest, sometimes the best idea isn’t always the most original one. Valuable ideas are everywhere just waiting for someone to scoop them up. The authors urge readers to expand their capacity, find and develop business ideas that will win, and design sound strategies for implementing those ideas. “The Idea Hunter” is a critical read for business professionals who want to cultivate the ideas they find.

Notable Endorsement: “Humans make progress by discovering new ideas, but also, to a very important extent, by re-purposing the ones that already exist. In The Idea Hunter, Boynton and Fischer show how each of us can get better at this critical second skill, identifying and reapplying existing ideas.”—Paul Romer, Senior Fellow, Stanford Institute for Economic Policy Research

Common Q’s Answered by this Book:

• What is an idea hunter?
• What are the key factors that lead to brilliance?
• What is DeepDive?
• How does a shortage of ideas contribute to a shortage of resources?
• What are some questions people need to ask of themselves concerning finding their “Big Gig”?

About the Author: Andy Boynton is the Dean at the Carroll School of Management at Boston College. Boynton advises on the subjects of professional development, innovation, leadership, and strategy. For more information, visit: http://andrewboynton.com/the-idea-hunter. Bill Fischer is a professor at the International Institute for Management Development (IMD) in Lausanne, Switzerland. Fischer specializes in the concept of successful innovation. Fischer taught as a faculty member for the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill for twenty years before moving to China. William Bole is an American journalist. Much of his writing focuses on religion, ethics, politics, and intellectual life. Bole contributes frequently to multiple publications, some of which include: the Washington Post, the Los Angeles Times, and the Christian Century. Bole has co-authored multiple books, one of which is titled “The Life of Meaning: Reflections on Faith, Doubt, and Repairing the World.” For more information, visit: http://williambole.com/bio/.

Book Vitals:

Publisher: Jossey-Bass (April 2011)