There are thousands of books about thinking. But there are very few books that provide clear how-to information that can actually help you think better.

Think Better is about Productive Thinking — why it’s important, how it works, and how to use it at work, at home, and at play. Productive Thinking is a game changer — a practical, easy-to-learn, repeatable process that helps people understand more clearly, think more creatively, and plan more effectively. It's based on the thinking strategies that people we celebrate for their creativity have been using for centuries. Tim Hurson brings Productive Thinking out of the closet and presents it in a way that makes it easy for anyone to grasp and use — so you can think better, work better, and do better in every aspect of your life.

Think Better demonstrates how you can start with an intractable technical problem, an unmet consumer need, or a gaping chasm in your business strategy and, by following a clearly defined, practical thinking process, arrive at a robust, innovative solution. Many companies use the Productive Thinking model to generate fresh solutions for tough business problems, and many individuals rely on it to solve pressing personal problems.

The principles you'll find in Think Better are straight-forward: separate your thinking into creative thinking and critical thinking; stay with the question; strive for the “third third” by generating lots and lots of ideas; and look for unexpected connections.

The model consists of six interlocking steps:

Step 1:What's Going On? Explore and truly understand the challenge.

Step 2: What's Success? Envision the ideal outcome and establish success criteria.

Step 3: What's the Question? Pinpoint the real problem or opportunity.

Step 4: Generate Answers List many possible solutions.

Step 5: Forge the Solution Decide which solution is best. Then make it better.

Step 6: Align Resources Create an action plan.

Tim Hurson starts by explaining how we all build inner barriers to effective thinking. He identifies our habits of thinking that severely limit our behavior, from “monkey mind” to “gator brain.” Then he demonstrates how to overcome these barriers.

More than anything, productive thinking is an attitude that will let you look at problems and convert them into opportunities. At the end of this disciplined brainstorming process, you'll have a concrete action plan, complete with timelines and deadlines.

The book is filled with many of Hurson's original brainstorming tools that will empower you to generate, organize, and process ideas. For example, you can identify your best ideas using the five C's: Cull, Cluster, Combine, Clarify and Choose. And you can transform an embryonic idea into a robust solution with POWER, which stands for Positives, Objections, What else?, Enhancements and Remedies.

To create the future, you first must be able to imagine it. Productive thinking is a way to help you do that.

From the Back Cover

Want to Outsmart the Competition? Learn how to Think Better.

“Marvelously choreographed and insightful... A treasury of powerful ideas for anyone who wants to boost their own brand equity and contribute mightily to their company's success.”-Andy Boynton, Ph.D., Dean, Carroll School of Management, Boston College, and author of Virtuoso Teams

“If you want success in your career, in your business, or in your life, Think Better is for you. Buy it, read it, and don't look back.”-Roger J. Burns, Worldwide Partner Mercer Human Resource Consulting

“Brilliant, thought-provoking, easy-to-read, this book is one of the best creativity books I have read in 30 years. Buy it, read it, and change your life!!””-Arthur B VanGundy, Ph.D., Professor of Communication, University of Oklahoma, author of Getting to Innovation

“Get copies for everyone you work with, talk about it together, and then get on with inventing your future. This book will show you how.”-Ian Percy, author of The Profitable Power of Purpose

“A practical guide to the power and importance of productive thinking that should be read by everyone. Use it to unlock the full creative power of your mind.”-Glenn Bishop, Director, Engineering, Yahoo! Europe

“Tim will get your gray matter in an uproar. I can't stop thinking about Think Better. But you should. Stop thinking about buying this book and go buy it…NOW.-Stephen Shapiro, author 24/7 Innovation

“More than worthwhile - a must.”-Roger von Oech, author A Whack on the Side of the Head

Tim Hurson is a founding partner of thinkx intellectual capital (www.thinkxic.com), a firm that provides global corporations with training, facilitation, and consultation in productive thinking and innovation. He's both a faculty member and Trustee of the Creative Education Foundation, and a founding director of Facilitators Without Borders.