A Whack on the Side of the Head: How You Can Be More Creative (Paperback)

~ Roger von Oech (Author) "Exercise: In my seminars, I like to start the participants off with the following exercise..." (more)
Key Phrases: imaginative phase, second right answer, mental locks, Ancient Whacks of Heraclitus, Niels Bohr, New Year's Eve (more...)

Editorial Reviews

Product Description

Revised and expanded for the 1990s, here is the bestselling creative-thinkingclassic written by America's foremost creativity consultant.

About the Author

ROGER VON OECH is the president of Creative Think, a California-based consulting firm that has conducted creativity seminars with such companies as American Express, Apple Computer, AT&T, CBS, IBM, NBC, and NASA. He earned his doctorate from Stanford University in a self-conceived program in the history of ideas.

Product Details

• Paperback: 240 pages
• Publisher: Business Plus; Revised edition (December 1, 1998)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0446674559
• ISBN-13: 978-0446674553
• Product Dimensions: 8.9 x 6 x 0.8 inches
• Shipping Weight: 8.8 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 4.4 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (68 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #255,101 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

65 of 70 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Yes, It's True...You Really Can be More Creative, May 6, 2000

By	Robert Morris (Dallas, Texas) - See all my reviews (TOP 50 REVIEWER)    (REAL NAME)

This book should be read in combination with A Kick in the Seat of the Pants...and preferably read first. Just a suggestion. Von Oech demonstrates in his thinking and in his writing the same principles he advocates so eloquently. In Whack, first published in 1983, he identifies ten "locks" which limit (if not preclude) creative thinking:

The Right Answer

That's Not Logical

Follow the Rules

Be Practical

Play Is Frivolous

That's Not My Area

Avoid Ambiguity

Don't Be Foolish

To Err Is Wrong

I'm Not Creative

How does each limit (if not preclude) creative thinking? How can each be "unlocked"? To what extent are these barriers interdependent? Von Oech devotes a separate chapter to each of the ten, answering these and other questions while providing various exercises in support of his explanations.

Whack will be immensely valuable to executives in any organization which needs a culture within which to generate and then nourish fresh ideas and new perspectives. The same is true of all self-employed people (especially independent consultants) whose customers or clients expect them to address the same need. Finally, I think that school, college, and university classroom teachers can devise all manner of appropriate applications of von Oech's ideas. When you listen to Richard Feyman's lectures on physics (now available on audio cassettes), you suspect that he has read all of von Oech's books. He probably didn't. Nonetheless, he and von Oech are kindred spirits.

In addition to von Oech's A Kick in the Seat of the Pants, there are other excellent books also worthy of your consideration. They include those written by Edward de Bono, Guy Claxton, Michael Michalko, and Joey Reiman.

30 of 31 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars This book changed my life!!!, May 15, 1999

By A Customer

This book deserves 8 stars out of 5! My first encounter with this book came when my roommate gave it to me as a Christmas present. She had read it in a creativity course and said this book changed her perception of the world and helped her be more creative.It is clearly organized and very easy to understand. Plus, it gives you the tools to apply its ideas to your problems in order to find creative solutions. Now a year later I give A Whack on the Side of the Head to my friends for Christmas! I also loved his new product on Heraclitus, the ancient Greek philosopher. The cards feature thirty sayings that will make you think about the world and your problems in a whole new way. Kudos Roger von Oech on all your creative thinking tools.

36 of 40 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars THE BEST of all time CREATIVITY BOOKs., May 7, 2002

By	T SANTOSO (Surabaya, Jatim Indonesia) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

I did seminar and workshop on entrepreneruship and creativity and have read probably about 20 books on creativity. And i have to admit this is the BEST BOOK on creativity. this is THE CLASSIC book on the subject. The author hs just written a new book (EXPECT THE UNEXPECTED) but this onw is WAY SUPERIOR and BETTER.

This is an old book but still freash to read and delighting to enjoy. The samples and the materials are easy to read yet very2 strong and useful.

I gave away this books to friends who want to learn more about creativity and want to change his/her attitude toward life.

Most people know that creativity is one of the key element of success yet so few take action of any sort to do something about it. So do yourself a favor, go and buy this book, read, and start think about it in your daily life. it will be beneficial for your future success and happiness.