The Language of Man: Learning to Speak Creativity

by Larry Robertson

Impressionism, the iPhone, democracy, Uber-when we think about creativity, we most often think of things. We also narrow in on the few, those rare creators who seem to have something we lack. These tendencies quickly take us off track, perpetuating a myth and unknowingly pushing us further away from the possible.

Here's the truth: Creativity is about the possible. It's the seed of any human advancement ever made or yet to be imagined. Most important and powerful of all, creativity is a uniquely human capacity that each of us possesses-including you.

The story of creativity is the story of who we are, a story still unfolding. It's time we come to understand it and learn how each of us can contribute our verse. It's time we understand this language of man and learn to speak creativity.

The Language of Man provides more than needed understanding; it offers a powerful framework for creating.

If you want to create or innovate, this book is indispensable."

442 pages, Paperback

Published September 9, 2016

About the author

Larry Robertson is the 8-time award-winning author of "A Deliberate Pause: Entrepreneurship and its Moment in Human Progress" and the founder of two ventures, one for-profit and one non. He is a highly respected thought leader in creativity, innovation, and entrepreneurship, advising individuals and organizations across a broad spectrum.

He is also the author of the highly acclaimed book "The Language of Man: Learning to Speak Creativity," newly released by Daymark Press in the fall of 2016.

Larry is a graduate of Stanford University and Northwestern University’s Kellogg School of Management and a former Adjunct Professor of Entrepreneurship at Georgetown University’s McDonough School of Business.

In short, he’s an innovation advisor.

Reviews

[Drew Neisser · Rating 4 out of 5]

Having interviewed 66 MacArthur Fellows (aka “genius” award winners), Larry Robertson comes to a remarkably gratifying conclusion – creativity is not an innate talent only granted to a few fortunate recipients but instead is a skill set most of us simply forget how to access. The news gets better as you get deeper into Robertson’s book, “The Language of Man. Learning to Speak Creativity” as he offers up specific suggestions that will increase your creativity regardless of your age or professional inclinations. Part of the trick is asking better questions and really truly listening to the answers. Another part is allowing time for play and what Robertson describes as the “purposeful accident,” the creative discoveries that are enabled by playing games and other seemingly circuitous activities. Even for those of us in so-called creative professions, Robertson’s book offers a refreshing set of tools along with the reminder that creativity is less of a process and more of a framework to free your mind to solve otherwise vexing challenges. [Note: I had the pleasure of interviewing the author for my podcast Renegade Thinkers Unite -- it was both an inspiring and instructive episode and made me want to read his book that much more. If you are interested, here's a link to that episode: http://bit.ly/2owYGpl]