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Idea generation is not magic but a definite, learnable five-step mental technique built on the principle that ideas are new combinations of old elements.
A profile of this book is on the way.
What it’s about
In this classic, concise treatise, advertising executive James Webb Young demystifies creativity by revealing that the production of ideas follows a process as definite as the production of Fords. Grounded in two foundational principles—that an idea is nothing more than a new combination of old elements, and that the capacity to make such combinations depends on the ability to see relationships—Young lays out a repeatable five-step method: gather raw materials, work them over in the mind, drop the problem and let the unconscious incubate, receive the idea when it emerges, and finally shape it for practical use. For anyone whose work depends on producing original thought—in advertising, writing, science, or business—this short book offers a liberating, actionable framework that replaces the anxious wait for inspiration with disciplined practice.
The through-line
- Who it’s for
- A creative worker—advertiser, writer, or anyone whose livelihood depends on producing original ideas—who wants a reliable way to generate ideas on demand.
- The problem
- They need to produce fresh, effective ideas but do not know a dependable method for getting them. They feel anxious, blocked, and at the mercy of unpredictable inspiration, fearing they may lack the creative gift.
- The plan
- Gather raw material—both specific knowledge of your problem and a lifelong store of general knowledge.
- Work the material over in your mind, feeling facts all over and seeking relationships and partial ideas.
- Drop the problem entirely and let the unconscious mind incubate while you stimulate imagination and emotions.
- Receive the idea when it appears unbidden, often in moments of rest.
- Take the idea into the world, patiently adapt it to reality, and submit it to the criticism of the judicious.
- The payoff
- Ideas are produced reliably and faster as the mind becomes well-stocked and quick to see relationships. · Work becomes more effective, as with the soap advertising that multiplied sales tenfold. · Creative anxiety is replaced by confidence in a repeatable, controllable process.
See our guide
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Additional reading
- Immunity to Change: How to Overcome It and Unlock Potential in Yourself and Your Organization · Robert Kegan and Lisa Laskow Lahey
This is the authors' previous book, which provides a deep dive into the ITC framework that is presented as a key tool in Chapter 6 and used by the fledgling DDOs in Chapter 7.
- In Over Our Heads: The Mental Demands of Modern Life · Robert Kegan
This book lays out the foundational theory of adult development and mental complexity that underpins the entire DDO concept, explaining the 'adaptive gap' that DDOs are designed to address.
- Mindset: The New Psychology of Success · Carol Dweck
The book explicitly references Dweck's work, contrasting the 'fixed mindset' (prevalent in ordinary organizations) with the 'growth mindset' that is fundamental to a DDO's culture.
- Organizational Culture and Leadership · Edgar H. Schein
Mentioned in the book, Schein's work provides a foundational understanding of organizational culture, which is the primary medium through which DDOs operate.
- The Functions of the Executive · Chester Barnard (1938)
Chapter 10 identifies this book as providing the seminal concept of 'willingness to contribute to the cooperative system,' which forms the theoretical foundation for the modern construct of Organizational Citizenship Behavior (OCB).
- The Psychology of Careers · Donald E. Super (1957)
Chapter 3 cites this as a foundational work that established the concept of career stages, a model that has profoundly influenced career development theory and research for decades.
- Decision-making in the employment interview · E. C. Webster (1964)
Chapter 6 highlights this as the key report from the influential McGill University studies, which revealed the cognitive biases inherent in unstructured interviews and shifted the focus of research toward understanding the interviewer's decision process.
- Principles for the Validation and Use of Personnel Selection Procedures · Society for Industrial and Organizational Psychology (SIOP)
Multiple chapters (e.g., 13, 15) refer to this document and the related AERA/APA/NCME 'Standards' as the authoritative professional guidelines that define best practices and core concepts, like the modern unitarian view of validity, for the entire field of personnel selection.
- Managing Human Assets · Beer, M. et al. (1984)
This is a seminal book that introduced the 'Harvard framework' of HRM, emphasizing a multi-stakeholder approach that considers the interests of employees, not just shareholders. It provides a foundational 'soft' HRM perspective.
- Strategic Human Resource Management · Fombrun, C. J., Tichy, N. M. and Devanna, M. A. (1984)
This book introduced the 'Michigan framework,' which advocated for a 'hard' HRM approach focused on tightly matching HR strategy to the business strategy (vertical fit). It is a foundational text for the strategic alignment concept.