About the author
Roy Sharples is the Founder, President and Chief Creative Officer of Unknown Origins on a mission to unlock everyones creative potential.
Manifesto
Manifesto
Inspire Action Through Connection: Books That Build Understanding and Broaden Perspectives
About
"Creativity Without Frontiers" by Roy Sharples explores the boundless nature of creativity and its transformative power across various domains. The book delves into the essence of creativity, its application in different industries, and how it can drive innovation and change. It provides readers with insights and tools to unlock their creative potential, emphasizing that creativity is not confined to artists or inventors but is accessible to everyone.
Key Themes and Topics
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Understanding Creativity: Explores what creativity is, how it works, and why it matters in today’s world.
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Creative Processes: Discusses different creative processes and methodologies that individuals and organizations can adopt.
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Applications of Creativity: Showcases real-world examples of creativity in action across technology, business, arts, and everyday life.
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Overcoming Barriers: Addresses common obstacles to creativity and provides strategies to overcome them.
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Nurturing a Creative Culture: Provides guidance on how to build environments that nurture and support creative thinking and innovation.
Difference the Book Makes
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Empowerment: Encourages readers to tap into their creative potential, regardless of their background or profession, fostering a sense of empowerment and self-belief.
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Innovation: Provides practical tools and techniques to apply creative thinking to solve problems and drive innovation in various fields.
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Inspiration: Uses inspiring stories and case studies to illustrate the power of creativity and motivate readers to pursue their creative endeavors.
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Broad Perspective: Expands the definition of creativity beyond traditional boundaries, showing its relevance and application in everyday life and diverse industries.
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Practical Guidance: Offers actionable advice and strategies for individuals and organizations to cultivate and harness creativity effectively.
Impact
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Personal Growth: Helps individuals unlock their creative potential, leading to personal and professional growth.
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Organizational Innovation: Assists organizations in fostering a culture of innovation, leading to improved problem-solving and competitive advantage.
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Creative Confidence: Builds creative confidence in readers, encouraging them to take risks and think outside the box.
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Societal Change: Promotes the idea that creativity can drive positive change in society, addressing complex challenges and improving quality of life.
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"Creativity Without Frontiers" serves as both a guide and a manifesto for embracing creativity in all its forms, making a significant difference in how individuals and organizations approach problem-solving, innovation, and growth.​
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​​Abstract
Since the first human crawled deep into a cave to make art, creativity has flourished among rebels and risk takers, mavericks, and visionaries.
However, if creativity thrives among outsiders, how can it be nurtured inside large organizations? How can one build a team that works together to solve real problems while leaving room for individual inspiration? How can one ignite the creative spark without burning down the building?
Roy Sharples draws on decades of experience at the vanguard of business innovation and a deep affinity for applying an artistic instinct to explore these questions, offering novel solutions.
Building on a broad survey of the misfits who defined the modern world, from Dada to Elon Musk and Bauhaus to Acid House, he explores what makes the creative mind tick. He also examines the conditions that nourish creativity in organizations of all sizes, from artists to corporations to civilizations.
The result is a manifesto for harnessing inspiration and unleashing the creative power we all have inside.
Contents​
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CHAPTER 1: PHILOSOPHY IN THE BEDROOM
What creativity is, why it matters, and what difference it makes. Aspire to be as great as the things that are influencing you. Aim not to be like them, but to be as influential by defining your own unique structure and style. Constraints, barriers, principles, and standards are critical to expressing yourself through what you are, what you are not, and appreciating the differences.
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CHAPTER 2: THE MODERNISTS, MAVERICKS, AND MISFITS
True artists are always outsiders looking in; rebels with a cause—themselves. They provide something new to the world that we live in, overturning the status quo by positively impacting people's lives and moving society forward. Learn how sustained creativity has always been a true differentiator. The people who transcend the status quo—and inspire others to do so, too—become our models for ingenuity.
CHAPTER 3: POP CULTURE REFLECTS TIME
Learn how popular culture has mirrored time and change by connecting society, entertainment, politics, fashion, and technology by provoking action to change minds and translating experiences across space and time. Understand how to stand on the shoulders of giants by learning from history and how to avoid reinventing the wheel as you make progress in your creative pursuits.
CHAPTER 4: CREATIVE SOCIETIES
Understand how societies are a catalyst for inspiring creativity and sociocultural movements, where people can realize their full potential and live more enriched, fulfilled, and happy lives.
CHAPTER 5: CHAOS TO CULTURE
How to nurture a culture of creativity through a do-it-yourself sensibility and a social system that allows people to create without fear and which is embraced, nurtured, imparted, and practiced by individuals, teams, and organizations; backed up with proven examples from creative industry experts.
CHAPTER 6: AESTHETICS IN LOVE – THE CREATIVE PROCESS
The creative process initiates and transforms an idea into actualization by bringing it to fruition through three steps—Dream, Make, and Do. Supported by true stories and perspectives from creative industry experts about their creative processes, keys to success, and pitfalls to avoid.
CHAPTER 7: LEADING WITHOUT FRONTIERS
The creative leadership values, principles, and competencies. The five learning stages and personas of creative leadership: Fledgling, Journeyman, Expert, Innovator, and Artist. The behaviors, knowledge, skills, and proficiencies to build creative competency in your team and organization, and the manifesto for creating without frontiers that arms your arsenal to achieve creative freedom and excellence.
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Reviews
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Author​
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Roy Sharples
Roy Sharples is the founder and CEO of Unknown Origins, a company dedicated to unleashing creative bravery and fostering innovation across the tech and creative industries. With over 20 years of experience in product innovation, brand transformation, and global market leadership, Roy has consistently focused on developing leading products, modernizing operations, and building iconic brands. At Microsoft, he led global product, marketing, business development, and consulting teams, driving double-digit growth, and positioning the company as a leader in AI and digital solutions.
Roy is the author of "Creativity Without Frontiers", an exploration of how creative bravery transforms industries, solves complex problems, and inspires meaningful change. Through his writing, teaching, and speaking, Roy empowers individuals and organizations to embrace their unique creativity, push beyond conventional boundaries, and achieve success.
In addition to leading Unknown Origins, Roy serves as an adjunct professor at Central Saint Martins, where he mentors the next generation of creative and tech leaders.
Photo @ Brian Smale​​​
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