Jack's Notebook: A business novel about creative problem solving [Hardcover]

Gregg Fraley (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: February 13, 2007

Problems! Jack Huber has his share. But when he is introduced to the creative problem solving process from an unexpected source, life soon changes . . . drastically.

Jack Huber dreams of being a professional photographer and starting his own business. He has a few ideas but doesn't know how to process them to make his dream a reality. That is until an unlikely mentor stumbles upon Jack's path and shares a whole new way of thinking through problems.

In Jack's Notebook, Gregg Fraley, an innovation consultant to Fortune 500 companies, illustrates a well-kept secret of corporate America: the Creative Problem Solving process.

"If you are struggling to move ahead in your career, if you're an executive with a thorny corporate challenge, someone trying to solve a messy community issue, a family trying to sort through an emotional conflict, or an entrepreneur looking for ways to make the most of limited resources-this book is for you. If you have a 'mess' on your hands, you have found a useful tool." -from the Introduction

Product Details

• Hardcover: 256 pages
• Publisher: Thomas Nelson (February 13, 2007)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0785221662
• ISBN-13: 978-0785221661
• Product Dimensions: 8.3 x 5.6 x 1.1 inches
• Shipping Weight: 12 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 4.9 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (36 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #949,134 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

Gregg Fraley works as an innovation consultant and does frequent keynotes and workshops on creative thinking, creative selling, innovation, problem solving, and new product development.

His clients are typically Fortune 1000 companies, and, he does pro bono work with start up companies and newly released prisoners. He is known as one of the best idea generation (aka brainstorming or ideation) session facilitators in the world.

He is the author of Jack's Notebook, a business novel about creative problem solving (Nelson Business). This is the only book available that teaches the CPS process in the context of a story. CPS is also known as the "Osborn-Parnes" Creative Problem Solving process. He wrote the book in order to give more people access to a method that heretofore was a bit of a corporate secret.

Gregg is currently working on two new books. One related to creative selling, and another inspirational book about creativity in graphic novel form.

Gregg worked with Warner Cable's QUBE interactive television project in the early 80's, where he won an Emmy award for writing and a cable ACE award for Innovation. His entrepreneurial career includes senior marketing/sales or ownership positions in several software companies. He began his selling career with Cincom Systems, where he sold high-ticket database, networking, and manufacturing systems to the Fortune 1000. He was later a founder of Med-E-Systems, a software firm that developed the first wireless prescription system for physicians, "Smart Scripts," a patented product. Med-E-Systems evolved into Advanced Health Corporation and that company went public in 1996.

Gregg has performed as a stand-up comedian and has done extensive training in improvisation. He's a graduate of Players Workshop of Second City in Chicago and has also trained with Improv Olympics (IO). In his early career he worked in a wide variety of jobs, including Associated Press photographer and movie theatre operator.

Gregg has published articles on creativity and innovation (Quirk's Market Research Review, ESOMAR's Research World) and has syndicated dozens of articles as well. Gregg is a former board member of the Creative Education Foundation (CEF). He is a professional member of the National Speakers Association (NSA) in the USA.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

14 of 14 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars This book might very well be the one to help you go from being employed to being self-employed!, May 13, 2007

By 

Jeff Lippincott "JLIPPIN" (Princeton, NJ USA) - See all my reviews
(TOP 1000 REVIEWER)    (VINE VOICE)    (REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Jack's Notebook: A business novel about creative problem solving (Hardcover)

Earlier today I was reading some book reviews written by others regarding some of the books I have recently reviewed myself. I was looking at some of the reviews for Smart Women and Small Business (ISBN: 0471778680) and one of the reviewers wrote:

"Honestly, I have yet to read a book that truly has creative ideas on how to make the leap from a salaried job to the right small business with as little risk as possible, which I feel holds many back."

Well, I suspect the instant book, Jack's Notebook, is probably a book she has missed, because it does go into depth explaining how its star character Jack used the Creative Problem Solving (CPS) process to make the leap from a salaried job to the right small business.

The author explains how the CPS process involves three phases: (1) Problem Exploration, (2) Brainstorming, and (3) Getting into Action. And the six steps of CPS were identified as follows:

1. ID the Challenge
2. Facts and Feelings Exploration
3. Problem Framing and Reframing
4. Idea Generation
5. Solution Development
6. Action Planning

It's just a rehash of the same old story my father used to tell me until it sunk in. He'd say: "Son, you've got a problem. You first have to understand your problem. Then you think up the various alternatives to solving your problem (and you can because you understand it). And then pick one of those alternatives and do it." The author even says somewhere in the book: If you really understand a problem, solutions come easily.

So if you want to jump out of the corporate rat-race and start your own business, and you are procrastinating the move, then I recommend you read this book. I seriously believe it will help you take the necessary steps to follow your dreams. 5 stars!

6 of 6 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Innovation primer or Thriller - this struggles to be both, November 21, 2007

By 

Jeffrey Phillips "Innovation and Team Product... (Raleigh, NC) - See all my reviews
(VINE VOICE)   

This review is from: Jack's Notebook: A business novel about creative problem solving (Hardcover)

There's a new concept arising for business books - books that are entertaining, easy to read and leave you with a much better understanding of a methodology or concept. Patrick Lencioni is probably the recognized leader of this genre. I'd call it the business novel. Authors using this approach mix theory and methodology with a character driven plot.

Leoncini has written several books to examine how teams work together and how to improve meetings using this approach, and I've reviewed the book Follow the Other Hand, in which Andy Cohen uses a magician as the deus ex machina to drive insights for a business owner. Gregg Fraley, a consultant in the innovation space, has just completed a book about innovation focused on the Creative Problem Solving process called Jack's Notebook.

Fraley has several purposes in mind for the book. First, he wants to communicate the methodology and power of the Creative Problem Solving (CPS) technique. If you don't know, Creative Problem Solving was developed by Alex Osborn, who is considered the "father" of brainstorming. You can learn more about CPS and other concepts related to it at the Creative Education Foundation. Second, he is interested in reaching small business owners and entrepreneurs to help them become more adept at problem solving and innovation, so his book is not targeted at the traditional mid-level manager in a large business, although there are topics within the book that are applicable to anyone in business. Finally, Fraley wanted to write a book that would capture the reader's attention, not to become a dry, coffee table book that you "should" have but never read.

Jack's Notebook is a story about a down on his luck guy named Jack who meets a consultant who is an expert in the CPS approach. Jack learns how to think differently about his life and the possibilities to create a new business. Jack also meets a lovely young woman who becomes his girlfriend and who mysteriously disappears. Jack uses the CPS approach and partners with the consultant to solve the mystery and create a new business. That's the simple, one paragraph overview.

Fraley does a good job of introducing the CPS concepts and methodology and interspersing it with the story as it unfolds. The book moves very quickly and has a fairly thin plot, since it is trying to accomplish two goals at once - educate you on CPS and keep the story moving. Towards the end of the novel some of the CPS threads are lost, as the hero is trying to recover his girlfriend. At the end of the book there's a good, short overview of CPS and how it works.

Jack's Notebook is a quick read and does a good job introducing the reader to critical problem solving skills. As I've noted, the plot can be a little thin, and a reader who approaches this book with the traditional "business book" mentality may find that the stories and the examples don't reflect life in the cube farm. Most of the action happens in a coffee shop or in other outside locales and focuses on the efforts to start up a photography business, so there's not a lot of insight into corporate creativity or problem solving. However, a lot of the concepts discussed are applicable to anyone at any level.

If you know someone who wants to be more creative, or who is seeking more ideas or a new process to solve problems or generate ideas, buy Jack's Notebook for them. It is a good read and a great introduction to a very sophisticated but simple process.

5 of 5 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars 21st Century "JACK TALE", March 18, 2007

By 

Robert Alan Black (Athens, GA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Jack's Notebook: A business novel about creative problem solving (Hardcover)

Jack has climbed beanstalks, sold cows, beaten giants and entertained readers and storylisteners from more than 150 years. Now he has done saved the damsel, solved a business problem and beaten yet another horrible giant (business), while teaching the reader principles about creative thinking and introducing the most famous CREATIVE SOLVING PROCESS, the Osborn-Parnes Creative Problem Solving Process.

"Jack's Notebook" is a fun read, A page turner throughout from when Jack first meets his mentor on a rainy night to when he meets the damsel Molly and finally teams up with many creative people to save two damsels.

I highly recommend Gregg's book for people to learn more about creative thinking and creative problem solving and to people who enjoy reading a "page turner" mystery novel.