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The Proximity Paradox by Kiirsten May & Alex Varricchio
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The Proximity Paradox

How to Create Distance from Business as Usual and Do Something Truly Innovative

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Narrator Stephen Bowlby

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Length 5 hours 26 minutes
Language English
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You're too close to your business, and it's killing your creativity

Traditional business structures love stability and predictability. Yet many organizations believe the two essential ingredients for long-term success are creativity and innovation. Kiirsten May and Alex Varricchio, founders of the marketing agency UpHouse, call the relationship between these two opposing expectations the Proximity Paradox™—the belief that those who are closest to a subject are best-qualified to innovate for it, when, in reality, intense proximity limits creativity. Instead, people need to create distance from challenges in order to see the best way forward. May and Varricchio believe that until we can separate innovation and execution within ourselves, we will only innovate to the level at which we can execute the idea. To be effective, we need to create distance between our innovation brain and our execution brain.

Unpacking ten common Proximity Paradoxes that affect a company's people, processes, and industry, the authors share some practical ideas to create the distance necessary for your next great idea. An especially valuable book for creatives, and non-creatives in creative industries, but equally applicable to all businesses that depend on innovation.

Kiirsten May is coauthor, with Alex Varricchio, of The Proximity Paradox: How to Create Distance from Business as Usual and Do Something Truly Innovative .

Alex Varricchio is coauthor, with Kiirsten May, of The Proximity Paradox: How to Create Distance from Business as Usual and Do Something Truly Innovative .

Stephen Bowlby, a lifelong performer and filmmaker, loves bringing ideas to life in ways that entertain, inviting both action and reflection. With a career in writing, directing, and film editing, he infuses his narration with a strong sense of story.

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