Monthly Archives: July 2011
So, once again, dear readers, we plunge into the deep waters that refuse to be sated. Many an innovation consultant, author and commentator examine the question of innovation and process. It is a conundrum, certainly. Can something that relies on creativity, on passion, on insight be improved by something that defines a methodology or framework? The latest missive in this ongoing saga is by Helen Walters, a deep thinker and innovator at Doblin. In her lastest post – Can innovation be reduced to a process – Helen seems to argue that no, innovation can’t be reduced to a process, and uses design thinking as a framework to shape her discussion. In all sincerity, I’ll argue that her heart is in the right place, trying to advance the thinking around innovation, but her argument is framed incorrectly. Innovation isn’t “reduced” to anything. It can’t be …
August 2011 Topic What makes one country more innovative than another? Can you really make a country more innovative? If so, what does it take to build an innovation nation or to transform your economy to place innovation at its core? The Global Innovation Index 2011 was put together by Insead along with knowledge partners Alcatel-Lucent, Booz & Co., the Confederation of Indian Industry (CII), and the World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO). The recently released Global Innovation Index 2011 gives a ranking of innovation nations, but what does it tell us? Here is your chance to share with people around the world your thoughts on the questions above about what it takes to build an innovation nation. Reply Here With Your Answer
“There are no facts about the future.” I don’t know who first said that, but I keep coming across it lately and I agree. It’s not possible to draw factual conclusions about things that haven’t happened yet (although that doesn’t stop us from trying)…which raises an interesting question: How useful are facts in evaluating innovative ideas? Facts are important. It’s no wonder that we prize having them…in science, in the courts, in education and in business. Facts, when they’re favorable, can be comforting. They give us a sense of security and control. They confirm our expectations and reinforce our beliefs. Facts are definitive. We can say that an assertion of fact is true or false, right or wrong, correct or incorrect. Facts have the power to give us answers, remove uncertainty, settle arguments and confirm our knowledge and expertise. They inform decisions and guide our actions. Without facts, the kind … Continue reading
I just finished two strategic planning sessions with two clients. Both are very good at execution which got me thinking, again, about why execution is so hard. And sometimes,executing excellently is a major customer and competitive advantage! You know the adage; I’d rather have a B plan with A execution than an A plan with B execution. So why is this so hard- well, not sure how wired our brains are for execution in the first place. As humans, we tend to focus on the here and now – the present – the crisis du jour, what’s in front of us, the day to day. It’s harder to focus on the longer-term that is a bit less ‘tangible’ and more ‘abstract’. Let’s face it, how many of us keep New Year’s resolutions? Perhaps it’s just how we are. But, that’s no excuse is it! In my experience at AT&T, a few startups I was … Continue reading
Battery life of cell phones is horrific. We’re sold on high functionality, communication speed, and beautiful, bright screens, but with all systems up, the phone cannot deliver; we get about half a day. We pare down functionality, and try to make it through the day; we shut off regular requests for updates; we shut down our network connections; dim our screens to save energy. All the high functionality that defines the phone cannot be realized; the functionality that sets it apart from others, the stuff that others only dream of, cannot be realized. Our special capability cannot be used to do our jobs to the fullest; it cannot be used to do our jobs like we know we can. Another tactic is the power nap – the quick charge in the middle of the day to get us through the crisis. Commandeer a power outlet in a quiet corner, and … Continue reading
Innovation is now a very hot topic in the C-Suites of companies around the world. I have been speaking a lot on the subject the last five years. The funny part is I am talking about Strategic Innovation and many still talk about Technology Innovation as if it was the sole source of innovation. People are very interested in my interpretation of Build-to-Last and the idea of Build-to-Fail-Fast. Every large companies is thinking about it and most have little idea how to integrate that with the organization’s strategic intent; how to make it work within certain organizational structure; how to decide which project to fund; how to create a balance between re-energizing the core and attaching white space; what types of people to staff the innovation function; or simply what capabilities gap are needed to fill. We just finished a comprehensive study of 42 top companies across five industries to … Continue reading
