Rebel Ideas

The Power of Diverse Thinking

By: Matthew Syed

Narrated by: Matthew Syed

Length: 8 hrs and 15 mins

Publisher's summary

An inspiring audiobook about creative problem-solving from the number one best-selling author of Bounce, Black Box Thinking and You Are Awesome.

Where do the best ideas come from?

And how do we apply these ideas to the problems we face - at work, in the education of our children, and in the biggest shared challenges of our age: rising obesity, terrorism and climate change?

In this bold and inspiring new audiobook, Matthew Syed argues that individual intelligence is no longer enough; that the only way to tackle these complex problems is to harness the power of our 'cognitive diversity'.

Rebel Ideas is a fascinating journey through the science of team performance. It draws on psychology, economics, anthropology and genetics, and takes lessons from a dazzling range of case-studies, including the catastrophic intelligence failings of the CIA before 9/11, a communication breakdown at the top of Mount Everest, and a moving tale of deradicalisation in America's deep South. Plus: insights from the studio of the most successful songwriter you've never heard of, the secrets of the most creative and progressive schools in the world, and how the marriage decrees of the Catholic Church inadvertently inspired the Industrial Revolution.

It is a book that will strengthen any company, institution or team, but it also offers many individual applications too: the remarkable benefits of personalised nutrition, advice on how to break free of the echo chambers that surround us, and tips on how we can all develop an 'outsider mindset'.

Rebel Ideas offers a radical blueprint for creative problem-solving. It challenges hierarchies, encourages constructive dissent and forces us to think again about where the best ideas come from.

PLEASE NOTE: When you purchase this title, the accompanying reference material will be available in your Library section along with the audio on our desktop site.

©2019 Matthew Syed Consulting Limited (P)2019 Hodder & Stoughton Limited

Diversity has economic impact

I have always thought diversity as a buzz word but this opened my eyes to more. The book revealed there is so much to gain in diversity.

Brilliant, compact & compelling

In a world of voluminous and derivative content laced with increasing rancor and divisiveness, it is rare to come across such a compact narrative with such compelling and constructive ideas.

Excellent concept! Rebel Ideas

Great story, narration was on point driving in the meaning of the words. I highly recommend this book to those looking at harnessing creativity/innovations to leaverraging collective intelligence!

Not his best work

in defence for diversity, this is a book to read however, I was hoping to see how diversity created rebel ideas like Ellon Musk's Tesla. what was the story of diversity inherent in it.


the CIA angle would have done it , but he gave only one example and it was at the end.


he also didn't talk about neither did he dissociate his ideas from extreme radical far left groups. the elephant in the room question, "how do you sustain stellar performance and achieve bottom line without hiring the best but focusing on diversity",wasn't explained.


how to help companies recruit diverse groups yet intelligent people wasn't dealt with.


overall, this book is a compendium of rearticulation of issues wrong with non-diversity

The best guide to success

This book should be mandatory reading for everyone
It exposes the true underlying causes for our failures as a species
We are all individuals
Averages just don’t work