Open to Think: Slow Down, Think Creatively, and Make Better Decisions

Written by Dan Pontefract

Narrated by Dan Pontefract

While it may not occur to us on a daily basis, there is a widespread cultural tendency toward quick decisions and quick action. This pattern has resulted in many of our society's greatest successes, but even more of its failures. Though the root cause is by no means malicious, we have begun to reward speed over quality, and the negative effects suffered in both our personal and professional lives are potentially catastrophic.

Best-selling author and Chief Envisioner Dan Pontefract offers the solution to this predicament with what he coins "Open Thinking," a cyclical process in which creativity is encouraged, critiquing leads to better decisions, and thoughtful action delivers positive, sustainable results. He proposes a return to balance between the three components of productive thought: dreaming, deciding, and doing.

Based on organizational and societal data, academic research, historical studies, and a wide range of interviews, Open to Think is an appeal for a world of better thinking. Pontefract introduces tangible, actionable strategies to improve the way we think as organizations and individuals.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Author's Republic
• Release date: Oct 2, 2018
• ISBN: 9781773270753

Dan Pontefract

Dan Pontefract is a renowned, award-winning leadership strategist with four books, four TED Talks, and four hundred thousand touchpoints over his career. If you’re thinking about leadership and organizational culture and how they can become a competitive advantage, Dan can help. Between 1998 and 2018 Dan held senior executive roles at firms including SAP, TELUS, and Business Objects, leading corporate culture change, leadership development, employee experience and overall performance improvement. Ever since, he has worked with organizations around the world including the likes of Salesforce, Amgen, State of Tennessee, Canada Post, Autodesk, Government of Indonesia, Manulife, Nutrien, City of Toronto, among many others. He has on-the-ground experience of what it takes to turn leaders—and by extension your entire corporate culture—into a competitive advantage. His four award-winning and best-selling leadership / management books include Lead. Care. Win., Open to Think, The Purpose Effect, and Flat Army. Dan is honoured to be on the Thinkers50 Radar list. HR Weekly listed him as one of its 100 Most Influential People in HR. PeopleHum listed Dan on the Top 200 Thought Leaders to Follow and Inc. Magazine listed him as one of the top 100 leadership speakers. He is an adjunct professor at the University of Victoria, Gustavson School of Business and has garnered more than 25 industry, individual, and book awards over his career. He lives in Victoria, British Columbia, Canada.