tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-57582681974730831402024-03-08T04:06:00.414-08:00No Ordinary BullApplying systems principles to innovating practiceLanny Vincenthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06130090282609402345noreply@blogger.comBlogger113125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5758268197473083140.post-51448751300041669162013-12-31T08:29:00.000-08:002013-12-31T08:29:26.316-08:00Myth #17: Innovating is about product differentiation
<style>
<!--
/* Font Definitions */
@font-face
{font-family:"MS 明朝";
mso-font-charset:78;
mso-generic-font-family:auto;
mso-font-pitch:variable;
mso-font-signature:1 134676480 16 0 131072 0;}
@font-face
{font-family:"Cambria Math";
panose-1:2 4 5 3 5 4 6 3 2 4;
mso-font-charset:0;
mso-generic-font-family:auto;
mso-font-pitch:variable;
mso-font-signature:-536870145 1107305727 0 0 415 0;}
@font-face
{font-family:Cambria;
panose-1:2 4 5 3 5 4 6 3 2 4;
mso-font-charset:0;
mso-generic-font-family:auto;
mso-font-pitch:variable;
mso-font-signature:-536870145 1073743103 0 0 415 0;}
/* Style Definitions */
p.MsoNormal, li.MsoNormal, div.MsoNormal
{mso-style-unhide:no;
mso-style-qformat:yes;
mso-style-parent:"";
margin:0in;
margin-bottom:.0001pt;
mso-pagination:widow-orphan;
font-size:12.0pt;
mso-bidi-font-size:10.0pt;
font-family:"Times New Roman";
mso-fareast-font-family:"MS 明朝";
mso-fareast-theme-font:minor-fareast;}
.MsoChpDefault
{mso-style-type:export-only;
mso-default-props:yes;
font-size:10.0pt;
mso-ansi-font-size:10.0pt;
mso-bidi-font-size:10.0pt;
mso-fareast-font-family:"MS 明朝";
mso-fareast-theme-font:minor-fareast;
mso-fareast-language:JA;}
@page WordSection1
{size:8.5in 11.0in;
margin:1.0in 1.25in 1.0in 1.25in;
mso-header-margin:.5in;
mso-footer-margin:.5in;
mso-paper-source:0;}
div.WordSection1
{page:WordSection1;}
-->
</style>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 13pt;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: small;">Myth: Innovating is about product
differentiation.
</span></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 13pt;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: small;"><b>Reality:
Innovating is about a lot more than a differentiated and superior performing
product, including new ways of messaging, merchandizing, introducing, and
monetizing.
</b></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 13pt;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 13pt;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span><span>This is one of 20 myths and realities about innovation revealed in our 2013 qualitative survey report entitled, <i>What Veterans of Corporate Innovating Are Saying. </i> </span></span></span></span></div>
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span>
<span>
</span></span></span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span>
</span></span></span>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 13pt;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span><span>If
you would like to receive a copy of this report, please
contact lanny@innovationsthatwork.com or jane@innovationsthatwork.com. <br /><br />We look forward to hearing from you soon. </span></span></span></span></div>
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span>
<span>
© 2013 Vincent & Associates, Ltd.
</span></span></span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span>
</span></span></span>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 13pt;">
<br /></div>
Lanny Vincenthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06130090282609402345noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5758268197473083140.post-81165642018338600932013-12-26T09:31:00.001-08:002013-12-26T09:31:35.859-08:00Myth #16: Innovating is not the accountability of operating business leadership.
<style>
<!--
/* Font Definitions */
@font-face
{font-family:"MS 明朝";
panose-1:0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0;
mso-font-charset:128;
mso-generic-font-family:roman;
mso-font-format:other;
mso-font-pitch:fixed;
mso-font-signature:1 134676480 16 0 131072 0;}
@font-face
{font-family:"MS 明朝";
panose-1:0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0;
mso-font-charset:128;
mso-generic-font-family:roman;
mso-font-format:other;
mso-font-pitch:fixed;
mso-font-signature:1 134676480 16 0 131072 0;}
@font-face
{font-family:Cambria;
panose-1:2 4 5 3 5 4 6 3 2 4;
mso-font-charset:0;
mso-generic-font-family:auto;
mso-font-pitch:variable;
mso-font-signature:-536870145 1073743103 0 0 415 0;}
/* Style Definitions */
p.MsoNormal, li.MsoNormal, div.MsoNormal
{mso-style-unhide:no;
mso-style-qformat:yes;
mso-style-parent:"";
margin:0in;
margin-bottom:.0001pt;
mso-pagination:widow-orphan;
font-size:12.0pt;
mso-bidi-font-size:10.0pt;
font-family:"Times New Roman";
mso-fareast-font-family:"MS 明朝";
mso-fareast-theme-font:minor-fareast;}
.MsoChpDefault
{mso-style-type:export-only;
mso-default-props:yes;
font-size:10.0pt;
mso-ansi-font-size:10.0pt;
mso-bidi-font-size:10.0pt;
mso-fareast-font-family:"MS 明朝";
mso-fareast-theme-font:minor-fareast;
mso-fareast-language:JA;}
@page WordSection1
{size:8.5in 11.0in;
margin:1.0in 1.25in 1.0in 1.25in;
mso-header-margin:.5in;
mso-footer-margin:.5in;
mso-paper-source:0;}
div.WordSection1
{page:WordSection1;}
-->
</style>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 13pt;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: small;">Myth: Innovating is not the accountability of operating business leadership.
</span></span></div>
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: small;">
</span></span><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 13pt;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: small;"><b>Reality: Without
the proactive sponsorship of business leaders </b><b><b>(P&L owners) </b>for innovating,
resulting innovations will end up disconnected, under-nourished and
misdirected.
</b></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 13pt;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 13pt;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span>This is one of 20 myths and realities about innovation revealed in our 2013 qualitative survey report entitled, <i>What Veterans of Corporate Innovating Are Saying. </i> </span></span></span></div>
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: small;">
<span>
</span><br />
</span></span><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 13pt;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span>If
you would like to receive a copy of this report, please
contact lanny@innovationsthatwork.com or jane@innovationsthatwork.com. <br /><br />We look forward to hearing from you soon. </span></span></span></div>
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: small;">
<span>
© 2013 Vincent & Associates, Ltd.
</span><br />
</span></span><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 13pt;">
<br /></div>
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: small;">
</span></span>Lanny Vincenthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06130090282609402345noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5758268197473083140.post-88798246143298479592013-12-17T09:42:00.002-08:002013-12-17T09:46:38.067-08:00Myth #15: Innovating is extra-curricular to established organizations<style>
<!--
/* Font Definitions */
@font-face
{font-family:"MS 明朝";
panose-1:0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0;
mso-font-charset:128;
mso-generic-font-family:roman;
mso-font-format:other;
mso-font-pitch:fixed;
mso-font-signature:1 134676480 16 0 131072 0;}
@font-face
{font-family:"MS 明朝";
panose-1:0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0;
mso-font-charset:128;
mso-generic-font-family:roman;
mso-font-format:other;
mso-font-pitch:fixed;
mso-font-signature:1 134676480 16 0 131072 0;}
@font-face
{font-family:Cambria;
panose-1:2 4 5 3 5 4 6 3 2 4;
mso-font-charset:0;
mso-generic-font-family:auto;
mso-font-pitch:variable;
mso-font-signature:3 0 0 0 1 0;}
/* Style Definitions */
p.MsoNormal, li.MsoNormal, div.MsoNormal
{mso-style-unhide:no;
mso-style-qformat:yes;
mso-style-parent:"";
margin:0in;
margin-bottom:.0001pt;
mso-pagination:widow-orphan;
font-size:12.0pt;
mso-bidi-font-size:10.0pt;
font-family:"Times New Roman";
mso-fareast-font-family:"MS 明朝";
mso-fareast-theme-font:minor-fareast;
mso-bidi-font-family:"Times New Roman";}
.MsoChpDefault
{mso-style-type:export-only;
mso-default-props:yes;
font-size:10.0pt;
mso-ansi-font-size:10.0pt;
mso-bidi-font-size:10.0pt;
mso-fareast-font-family:"MS 明朝";
mso-fareast-theme-font:minor-fareast;
mso-fareast-language:JA;}
@page WordSection1
{size:8.5in 11.0in;
margin:1.0in 1.25in 1.0in 1.25in;
mso-header-margin:.5in;
mso-footer-margin:.5in;
mso-paper-source:0;}
div.WordSection1
{page:WordSection1;}
</style><span style="font-family: Cambria; font-size: 13.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Cambria; mso-fareast-language: JA;">Myth: Innovating is extra-curricular to
established organizations.
</span><br />
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 13.0pt; mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; tab-stops: 11.0pt .5in; text-autospace: none;">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: Cambria; font-size: 13.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Cambria; mso-fareast-language: JA;">Reality: Without
innovating, organizations become irrelevant.
</span></b><br />
<br />
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 13pt;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: small;">This is one of 20 myths and realities about innovation revealed in our 2013 qualitative survey report entitled, <i>What Veterans of Corporate Innovating Are Saying. </i> </span></span></div>
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: small;">
</span></span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 13pt;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: small;">If
you would like to receive a copy of this report, please
contact lanny@innovationsthatwork.com or jane@innovationsthatwork.com. <br /><br />We look forward to hearing from you soon. </span></span></div>
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: small;">
© 2013 Vincent & Associates, Ltd.
</span></span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 13pt;">
<br /></div>
</div>
Lanny Vincenthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06130090282609402345noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5758268197473083140.post-75893814184411686822013-12-10T08:02:00.001-08:002013-12-10T08:02:54.428-08:00Myth #14: Innovating is always something that shifts the paradigm and shakes the earth
<style>
<!--
/* Font Definitions */
@font-face
{font-family:"MS 明朝";
panose-1:0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0;
mso-font-charset:128;
mso-generic-font-family:roman;
mso-font-format:other;
mso-font-pitch:fixed;
mso-font-signature:1 134676480 16 0 131072 0;}
@font-face
{font-family:"MS 明朝";
panose-1:0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0;
mso-font-charset:128;
mso-generic-font-family:roman;
mso-font-format:other;
mso-font-pitch:fixed;
mso-font-signature:1 134676480 16 0 131072 0;}
@font-face
{font-family:Cambria;
panose-1:2 4 5 3 5 4 6 3 2 4;
mso-font-charset:0;
mso-generic-font-family:auto;
mso-font-pitch:variable;
mso-font-signature:3 0 0 0 1 0;}
/* Style Definitions */
p.MsoNormal, li.MsoNormal, div.MsoNormal
{mso-style-unhide:no;
mso-style-qformat:yes;
mso-style-parent:"";
margin:0in;
margin-bottom:.0001pt;
mso-pagination:widow-orphan;
font-size:12.0pt;
mso-bidi-font-size:10.0pt;
font-family:"Times New Roman";
mso-fareast-font-family:"MS 明朝";
mso-fareast-theme-font:minor-fareast;
mso-bidi-font-family:"Times New Roman";}
.MsoChpDefault
{mso-style-type:export-only;
mso-default-props:yes;
font-size:10.0pt;
mso-ansi-font-size:10.0pt;
mso-bidi-font-size:10.0pt;
mso-fareast-font-family:"MS 明朝";
mso-fareast-theme-font:minor-fareast;
mso-fareast-language:JA;}
@page WordSection1
{size:8.5in 11.0in;
margin:1.0in 1.25in 1.0in 1.25in;
mso-header-margin:.5in;
mso-footer-margin:.5in;
mso-paper-source:0;}
div.WordSection1
{page:WordSection1;}
-->
</style>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 13pt;">
<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Myth #14: Innovating is always something that
shifts the paradigm and shakes the earth.
</span></span></div>
<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">
</span></span><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 13pt;">
<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><b>Reality:
Innovating creates new value regardless of the degree of impact. </b></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 13pt;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 13pt;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span><span><span>This is one of 20 myths and realities about innovation revealed in our qualitative survey report entitled, <i>What Veterans of Corporate Innovating Are Saying. </i> </span></span></span></span></span></div>
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: small;">
<span>
<span>
</span></span></span></span><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 13pt;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span><span><span>If
you would like to receive a copy of this report, please
contact lanny@innovationsthatwork.com or jane@innovationsthatwork.com. <br /><br />We look forward to hearing from you soon. </span></span></span></span></span></div>
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: small;">
<span>
<span>
<span>
© 2013 Vincent & Associates, Ltd. </span>
</span></span></span></span><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 13pt;">
<br /></div>
Lanny Vincenthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06130090282609402345noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5758268197473083140.post-6979274157560778052013-12-03T07:44:00.000-08:002013-12-03T07:44:29.043-08:00Myth #13: Innovating is more about creativity in conception than persistence in implementation.
<style>
<!--
/* Font Definitions */
@font-face
{font-family:"MS 明朝";
mso-font-charset:78;
mso-generic-font-family:auto;
mso-font-pitch:variable;
mso-font-signature:-536870145 1791491579 18 0 131231 0;}
@font-face
{font-family:"Cambria Math";
panose-1:2 4 5 3 5 4 6 3 2 4;
mso-font-charset:0;
mso-generic-font-family:auto;
mso-font-pitch:variable;
mso-font-signature:-536870145 1107305727 0 0 415 0;}
@font-face
{font-family:Cambria;
panose-1:2 4 5 3 5 4 6 3 2 4;
mso-font-charset:0;
mso-generic-font-family:auto;
mso-font-pitch:variable;
mso-font-signature:-536870145 1073743103 0 0 415 0;}
/* Style Definitions */
p.MsoNormal, li.MsoNormal, div.MsoNormal
{mso-style-unhide:no;
mso-style-qformat:yes;
mso-style-parent:"";
margin:0in;
margin-bottom:.0001pt;
mso-pagination:widow-orphan;
font-size:12.0pt;
mso-bidi-font-size:10.0pt;
font-family:"Times New Roman";
mso-fareast-font-family:"MS 明朝";
mso-fareast-theme-font:minor-fareast;}
.MsoChpDefault
{mso-style-type:export-only;
mso-default-props:yes;
font-size:10.0pt;
mso-ansi-font-size:10.0pt;
mso-bidi-font-size:10.0pt;
mso-fareast-font-family:"MS 明朝";
mso-fareast-theme-font:minor-fareast;
mso-fareast-language:JA;}
@page WordSection1
{size:8.5in 11.0in;
margin:1.0in 1.25in 1.0in 1.25in;
mso-header-margin:.5in;
mso-footer-margin:.5in;
mso-paper-source:0;}
div.WordSection1
{page:WordSection1;}
-->
</style>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 13pt;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: small;">Myth: Innovating is more about creativity in
conception than persistence in implementation.
</span></span></div>
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: small;">
</span></span><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 13pt;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: small;"><b>Reality:
Exceptions and interruptions to implementation impede progress. More time can
be spent on the exceptions and interruptions than on the development and
implementation of the concept.
</b></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 13pt;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 13pt;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span><span>This is one of 20 myths and realities about innovation revealed in our qualitative survey report entitled, <i>What Veterans of Corporate Innovating Are Saying. </i> </span></span></span></span></div>
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: small;">
<span>
</span></span></span><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 13pt;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span><span>If
you would like to receive a copy of this report, please
contact lanny@innovationsthatwork.com or jane@innovationsthatwork.com. <br /><br />We look forward to hearing from you soon. </span></span></span></span></div>
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: small;">
<span>
<span>
© 2013 Vincent & Associates, Ltd. </span>
<br />
<span>
</span></span>
</span></span><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 13pt;">
<br /></div>
Lanny Vincenthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06130090282609402345noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5758268197473083140.post-60714992798450430222013-11-26T09:33:00.000-08:002013-11-26T12:28:22.970-08:00Choosing to Innovate<div class="BasicParagraph" style="line-height: 200%; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.5in;">
<style>
<!--
/* Font Definitions */
@font-face
{font-family:Times;
panose-1:2 0 5 0 0 0 0 0 0 0;
mso-font-charset:0;
mso-generic-font-family:auto;
mso-font-pitch:variable;
mso-font-signature:3 0 0 0 1 0;}
@font-face
{font-family:"MS 明朝";
mso-font-charset:78;
mso-generic-font-family:auto;
mso-font-pitch:variable;
mso-font-signature:1 134676480 16 0 131072 0;}
@font-face
{font-family:"MS 明朝";
mso-font-charset:78;
mso-generic-font-family:auto;
mso-font-pitch:variable;
mso-font-signature:1 134676480 16 0 131072 0;}
@font-face
{font-family:MinionPro-Regular;
panose-1:0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0;
mso-font-alt:"Minion Pro";
mso-font-charset:77;
mso-generic-font-family:auto;
mso-font-format:other;
mso-font-pitch:auto;
mso-font-signature:3 0 0 0 1 0;}
@font-face
{font-family:ZapfDingbatsITC;
panose-1:0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0;
mso-font-alt:"Zapf Dingbats";
mso-font-charset:2;
mso-generic-font-family:auto;
mso-font-format:other;
mso-font-pitch:auto;
mso-font-signature:0 0 0 0 0 0;}
/* Style Definitions */
p.MsoNormal, li.MsoNormal, div.MsoNormal
{mso-style-unhide:no;
mso-style-qformat:yes;
mso-style-parent:"";
margin:0in;
margin-bottom:.0001pt;
mso-pagination:widow-orphan;
font-size:12.0pt;
mso-bidi-font-size:10.0pt;
font-family:"Times New Roman";
mso-fareast-font-family:"MS 明朝";
mso-fareast-theme-font:minor-fareast;}
p.BasicParagraph, li.BasicParagraph, div.BasicParagraph
{mso-style-name:"\[Basic Paragraph\]";
mso-style-priority:99;
mso-style-unhide:no;
margin:0in;
margin-bottom:.0001pt;
line-height:120%;
mso-pagination:none;
mso-layout-grid-align:none;
text-autospace:none;
font-size:12.0pt;
font-family:MinionPro-Regular;
mso-fareast-font-family:"MS 明朝";
mso-fareast-theme-font:minor-fareast;
mso-bidi-font-family:MinionPro-Regular;
color:black;
mso-fareast-language:JA;}
.MsoChpDefault
{mso-style-type:export-only;
mso-default-props:yes;
font-size:10.0pt;
mso-ansi-font-size:10.0pt;
mso-bidi-font-size:10.0pt;
mso-fareast-font-family:"MS 明朝";
mso-fareast-theme-font:minor-fareast;
mso-fareast-language:JA;}
@page WordSection1
{size:8.5in 11.0in;
margin:1.0in 1.25in 1.0in 1.25in;
mso-header-margin:.5in;
mso-footer-margin:.5in;
mso-paper-source:0;}
div.WordSection1
{page:WordSection1;}
--</style><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: small;">In this era of "open innovation,"
most of us are painfully aware the funnel or pipeline metaphor is seriously
flawed, if not entirely broken. Yet despite these flaws, conventional wisdom
continues to use this image as the basic frame of reference for innovation
management. The "stickiness" of the funnel is a testament to the
power of image and metaphor to influence thinking, even when evidence and logic
suggest otherwise.</span></span></div>
<div class="BasicParagraph" style="line-height: 200%; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: small;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div class="BasicParagraph" style="line-height: 200%; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.5in;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: small;">Several realities challenge the
appropriateness of the funnel mindset for managing innovation. First,
experience. The funnel tells us to generate lots of ideas and jam them into the
"front end" in hopes of getting one or two out the other end. Actual
funnel experience teaches us that too many promising projects are killed too
early and too many poor projects are revealed too late. Second, pipelines and
funnels are about flows and flow control. This is appropriate when what is
flowing is relatively homogeneous and consistent. Innovations are neither homogeneous
nor consistent. While developing, innovations morph, they don't flow. Third,
funnels and pipes, while open at either end, are closed, directive structures,
not well suited to the cross-company collaborations envisioned by open
innovation practices. </span></span></div>
<div class="BasicParagraph" style="line-height: 200%; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: small;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div class="BasicParagraph" style="line-height: 200%; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: small;"> The funnel metaphor was popularized in 1962 in a report by SC
Johnson and Booz Allen Hamilton, which described the new product development
process. It has been the dominant metaphor for innovation management ever
since. One reason for its persistence, particularly in light of so much
contradicting experience, may come from the old adage, "replace a symbol
with a symbol." This piece of ancient wisdom reminds us that humans won't
let go of even outdated symbols unless and until they have another symbol to
replace it.</span></span></div>
<div class="BasicParagraph" style="line-height: 200%; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: small;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div class="BasicParagraph" style="line-height: 200%; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.5in;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: small;">This search for another "symbol"
was the impetus behind the efforts of the Innovation Practitioners Network
(IPN) over the past several years. The IPN has now focused entirely on the
potential application of systems principles to innovating practice. Veteran
innovators from a variety of companies have begun to find fresh insights and
practical benefits from simply looking at corporate innovating from a systems
perspective. </span></span></div>
<div class="BasicParagraph" style="line-height: 200%; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: small;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div class="BasicParagraph" style="line-height: 200%; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.5in;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: small;">Viewing innovating as a dynamic, complex
system rather than a sequential process has revealed a few fundamental
principles. For example, from a systems perspective, stage-gate resource
management practices are viewed in a more balanced way: as necessary but not
central or sufficient. Stage-gate is a part of the whole system, but is not the
whole itself. Innovation management that
focuses exclusively on stage-gate management will likely miss the mark. Viewing
corporate innovating from a systems perspective yields a more complete picture;
and more complete pictures are essential in the new normal of volatile,
uncertain, complex and ambiguous environments.
</span></span></div>
<div class="BasicParagraph" style="line-height: 200%; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: small;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div class="BasicParagraph" style="line-height: 200%; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.5in;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: small;">Even more than completeness of the picture,
a systems perspective to innovating quickly surfaces a challenging question: is
the company choosing to innovate or merely following the prevailing wisdom now
emanating from business schools and academic entrepreneurship programs.
Deliberating choosing makes all the difference.</span></span></div>
<div class="BasicParagraph" style="line-height: 200%; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: small;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div class="BasicParagraph" style="line-height: 200%; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.5in;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: small;">When a company's innovating efforts are
viewed as a system, a logical question is "what kind of system is it or
should it be?" The late Russell Ackoff considered choice as the most
useful way to classify systems. Ackoff named four different types of systems:
determinate, animate, social and ecological (see chart right). Determinate
systems include mechanical systems like clocks or radios, whereas humans and
animals are examples of animate systems. Social systems include companies,
organizations and innovating systems, and ecological systems includes markets,
cultures or rainforests. </span></span></div>
<div class="BasicParagraph" style="line-height: 200%; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: small;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div class="BasicParagraph" style="line-height: 200%; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.5in;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: small;">Significant mistakes are often made when a
model of a system of one type is misapplied to a system of a different type.
Specifically, when we use the funnel metaphor as the central model of a
company's innovating system, we use a determinate model to characterize a
social system. Instead, we need to use a social model with both parts and the
whole displaying choices to describe an innovating system. </span></span></div>
<div class="BasicParagraph" style="line-height: 200%; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: small;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div class="BasicParagraph" style="line-height: 200%; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.5in;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: small;">The quest for a "systematic"
approach to innovating or a "repeatable process" can easily lead
stewards of innovating systems on a quixotic search for a determinate system.
This is a well-intentioned but misguided path. Innovating systems are not
determinate, but social.</span></span></div>
<div class="BasicParagraph" style="line-height: 200%; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: small;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div class="BasicParagraph" style="line-height: 200%; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.5in;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: small;">As a social system your company's innovating
system displays choices both in its parts and in the system as a whole. The
IPN’s current hypothesis is that many companies over-manage the parts and
under-manage the whole of their innovating systems. For example, measurements
are applied too early and too often to parts of the innovating system. Often
the measurements, while quantifiable, are measuring that which may not be all
that important to measure. At the same time, the overall choice whether to
innovate or not (and why and where) is often not carefully thought through.
This leaves the expressed purpose of the innovating system unnecessarily
unclear and ambiguous for the company. This has led to much waste. </span></span></div>
<div class="BasicParagraph" style="line-height: 200%; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: small;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div class="BasicParagraph" style="line-height: 200%; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.5in;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: small;">Another hypothesis has to do with the
innovators themselves. An essential task of innovators is to make sense out of
the iterative trials and errors in which they are engaged. As Al Ward described
innovation at Toyota as "learning applied to creating value,"
innovators must carefully read input and feedback. Reading input and feedback
is the life-blood of successful innovating. The problem is that input and
feedback are subject to delays and distortions. Making sense requires making
choices, especially choosing what deserves attention. </span></span></div>
<div class="BasicParagraph" style="line-height: 200%; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: small;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div class="BasicParagraph" style="line-height: 200%; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.5in;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: small;">Better choice making comes from first having
several promising options from which to choose. This is applicable not just to
concepts and value propositions. Better
choices come from having more feedback more often, especially when that feedback
is coming from the market or prospective end users. </span></span></div>
<div class="BasicParagraph" style="line-height: 200%; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: small;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div class="BasicParagraph" style="line-height: 200%; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: small;"> One of the most delicate challenges for any innovation
manager is to find the proper balance between constraints and freedom for
innovators. The art of "earning autonomy by being relevant" has long
been the hallmark of innovators. Innovators make better choices when they are
working in between relevance and autonomy (freedom).</span></span></div>
<div class="BasicParagraph" style="line-height: 200%; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: small;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div class="BasicParagraph" style="line-height: 200%; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.5in;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: small;">With all the current hype about innovating
these days, I am beginning to wonder whether companies are thinking carefully
enough about what it really means to innovate; especially, what it means to
choose to innovate. Many are making investments in innovation processes,
practices and portfolios without seriously considering the alternatives, much
less the implications. Too many companies today are innovating in a reactive
manner without choosing an explicit and thoughtful purpose. </span></span></div>
<div class="BasicParagraph" style="line-height: 200%; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: small;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div class="BasicParagraph" style="line-height: 200%; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.5in;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: small;">References to "innovation" and
"entrepreneurship" have become pervasive and ubiquitous. This
pervasiveness can leave the impression that innovation is not a matter of
choice, but a necessity. But just because a company needs to innovate, doesn't
mean it can. And just because a company can innovate, doesn't mean it will or
will be successful doing so. Choosing to innovate is another thing entirely.</span></span></div>
<div align="center" class="BasicParagraph" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: small;">###</span></span></div>
<div class="BasicParagraph" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: small;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div class="BasicParagraph" style="text-align: justify;">
<br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: xx-small;">© 2013 Vincent & Associates, Ltd.
</span></span></div>
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: small;"><b><br clear="all" style="page-break-before: always;" />
</b></span></span>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br />
<style>
<!--
/* Font Definitions */
@font-face
{font-family:Times;
panose-1:2 0 5 0 0 0 0 0 0 0;
mso-font-charset:0;
mso-generic-font-family:auto;
mso-font-pitch:variable;
mso-font-signature:3 0 0 0 1 0;}
@font-face
{font-family:"MS 明朝";
mso-font-charset:78;
mso-generic-font-family:auto;
mso-font-pitch:variable;
mso-font-signature:1 134676480 16 0 131072 0;}
@font-face
{font-family:"Cambria Math";
panose-1:2 4 5 3 5 4 6 3 2 4;
mso-font-charset:0;
mso-generic-font-family:auto;
mso-font-pitch:variable;
mso-font-signature:3 0 0 0 1 0;}
/* Style Definitions */
p.MsoNormal, li.MsoNormal, div.MsoNormal
{mso-style-unhide:no;
mso-style-qformat:yes;
mso-style-parent:"";
margin:0in;
margin-bottom:.0001pt;
mso-pagination:widow-orphan;
font-size:12.0pt;
mso-bidi-font-size:10.0pt;
font-family:"Times New Roman";
mso-fareast-font-family:"MS 明朝";
mso-fareast-theme-font:minor-fareast;}
a:link, span.MsoHyperlink
{mso-style-priority:99;
color:blue;
mso-themecolor:hyperlink;
text-decoration:underline;
text-underline:single;}
a:visited, span.MsoHyperlinkFollowed
{mso-style-noshow:yes;
mso-style-priority:99;
color:purple;
mso-themecolor:followedhyperlink;
text-decoration:underline;
text-underline:single;}
.MsoChpDefault
{mso-style-type:export-only;
mso-default-props:yes;
font-size:10.0pt;
mso-ansi-font-size:10.0pt;
mso-bidi-font-size:10.0pt;
mso-fareast-font-family:"MS 明朝";
mso-fareast-theme-font:minor-fareast;
mso-fareast-language:JA;}
@page WordSection1
{size:8.5in 11.0in;
margin:1.0in 1.25in 1.0in 1.25in;
mso-header-margin:.5in;
mso-footer-margin:.5in;
mso-paper-source:0;}
div.WordSection1
{page:WordSection1;}
</style>
</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 12pt;">
<span style="font-size: x-small;"><b><span style="font-family: Times;">About the Author</span></b></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 12pt;">
<span style="font-family: Times; font-size: x-small;">For over 30 years, Lanny Vincent
has been involved with the innovation efforts of major manufacturers and
distributors in semiconductor-based, consumer electronics, consumer package
goods, food products, forest products and sporting goods industries. Lanny is a
student, teacher and coach of innovation management principles and practices.
He facilitates invention workshops and innovation targeting for client
companies with sustained commitments to STEM-intensive businesses.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 12pt;">
<span style="font-family: Times; font-size: x-small;">Based in San Francisco,
California, Lanny's practice involves him in consulting, facilitating, and
innovation sponsor coaching with three practice areas: strategic invention,
opportunity foresight, and innovating systems. Prior to establishing Vincent
& Associates in 1990, Lanny was a partner and general manager of Synectics®,
Inc., a creative problem solving and training firm. From 1981 to 1986 he was
with Kimberly-Clark Corporation’s Innovation Management Group developing major
product, materials and process innovations for their divisions worldwide and
managing the Trends Project.</span><span style="font-family: Times; font-size: x-small;"> In addition to his direct
experience, Lanny’s formal training includes innovation management systems,
total quality principles of manufacturing, creative problem solving, systems
theory of family therapy, and social forecasting methods. He holds a Masters
degree (M. Div.) from Yale University and a B.A. from Davidson College. </span>
</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 12pt;">
<span style="font-family: Times; font-size: x-small;">Lanny is the author of
several books including <i>The Maverick Way: Profiting From the Power of the
Corporate Misfit </i>(2000) and <i>Prisoners of Hope: How Engineers (and
Others) Get Lift for Innovating </i>(2011).
In 2005, his article <i>“Innovation Midwives” </i>was published in the
Industrial Research Institute's <i>Research-Technology Management </i>peer-reviewed<i> </i>journal. Lanny
is the founder of the Mavericks Roundtable and the Innovation Practitioners
Network, a network of practitioners pioneering the art and practice of
innovation management in established corporations. He can be contacted at </span><span style="font-size: x-small;"><a href="mailto:lanny@innovationsthatwork.com"><span style="font-family: Times;">lanny@innovationsthatwork.com</span></a><span style="font-family: Times;">.</span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 12.0pt; mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;">
<br /></div>
<style>
<!--
/* Font Definitions */
@font-face
{font-family:Times;
panose-1:2 0 5 0 0 0 0 0 0 0;
mso-font-charset:0;
mso-generic-font-family:auto;
mso-font-pitch:variable;
mso-font-signature:3 0 0 0 1 0;}
@font-face
{font-family:"MS 明朝";
mso-font-charset:78;
mso-generic-font-family:auto;
mso-font-pitch:variable;
mso-font-signature:1 134676480 16 0 131072 0;}
@font-face
{font-family:"Cambria Math";
panose-1:2 4 5 3 5 4 6 3 2 4;
mso-font-charset:0;
mso-generic-font-family:auto;
mso-font-pitch:variable;
mso-font-signature:3 0 0 0 1 0;}
/* Style Definitions */
p.MsoNormal, li.MsoNormal, div.MsoNormal
{mso-style-unhide:no;
mso-style-qformat:yes;
mso-style-parent:"";
margin:0in;
margin-bottom:.0001pt;
mso-pagination:widow-orphan;
font-size:12.0pt;
mso-bidi-font-size:10.0pt;
font-family:"Times New Roman";
mso-fareast-font-family:"MS 明朝";
mso-fareast-theme-font:minor-fareast;}
a:link, span.MsoHyperlink
{mso-style-priority:99;
color:blue;
mso-themecolor:hyperlink;
text-decoration:underline;
text-underline:single;}
a:visited, span.MsoHyperlinkFollowed
{mso-style-noshow:yes;
mso-style-priority:99;
color:purple;
mso-themecolor:followedhyperlink;
text-decoration:underline;
text-underline:single;}
.MsoChpDefault
{mso-style-type:export-only;
mso-default-props:yes;
font-size:10.0pt;
mso-ansi-font-size:10.0pt;
mso-bidi-font-size:10.0pt;
mso-fareast-font-family:"MS 明朝";
mso-fareast-theme-font:minor-fareast;
mso-fareast-language:JA;}
@page WordSection1
{size:8.5in 11.0in;
margin:1.0in 1.25in 1.0in 1.25in;
mso-header-margin:.5in;
mso-footer-margin:.5in;
mso-paper-source:0;}
div.WordSection1
{page:WordSection1;}
</style> <br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: x-small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="line-height: 200%;"> </span></span></span>
Lanny Vincenthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06130090282609402345noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5758268197473083140.post-46510782764536832752013-11-19T07:20:00.000-08:002013-11-19T07:20:34.925-08:00Myth #12: Innovating is about getting the process right ("the how's").
<style>
<!--
/* Font Definitions */
@font-face
{font-family:"MS 明朝";
panose-1:0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0;
mso-font-charset:128;
mso-generic-font-family:roman;
mso-font-format:other;
mso-font-pitch:fixed;
mso-font-signature:1 134676480 16 0 131072 0;}
@font-face
{font-family:"MS 明朝";
panose-1:0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0;
mso-font-charset:128;
mso-generic-font-family:roman;
mso-font-format:other;
mso-font-pitch:fixed;
mso-font-signature:1 134676480 16 0 131072 0;}
@font-face
{font-family:Cambria;
panose-1:2 4 5 3 5 4 6 3 2 4;
mso-font-charset:0;
mso-generic-font-family:auto;
mso-font-pitch:variable;
mso-font-signature:-536870145 1073743103 0 0 415 0;}
/* Style Definitions */
p.MsoNormal, li.MsoNormal, div.MsoNormal
{mso-style-unhide:no;
mso-style-qformat:yes;
mso-style-parent:"";
margin:0in;
margin-bottom:.0001pt;
mso-pagination:widow-orphan;
font-size:12.0pt;
mso-bidi-font-size:10.0pt;
font-family:"Times New Roman";
mso-fareast-font-family:"MS 明朝";
mso-fareast-theme-font:minor-fareast;}
.MsoChpDefault
{mso-style-type:export-only;
mso-default-props:yes;
font-size:10.0pt;
mso-ansi-font-size:10.0pt;
mso-bidi-font-size:10.0pt;
mso-fareast-font-family:"MS 明朝";
mso-fareast-theme-font:minor-fareast;
mso-fareast-language:JA;}
@page WordSection1
{size:8.5in 11.0in;
margin:1.0in 1.25in 1.0in 1.25in;
mso-header-margin:.5in;
mso-footer-margin:.5in;
mso-paper-source:0;}
div.WordSection1
{page:WordSection1;}
-->
</style>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 13pt;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: large;">Myth: Innovating is about getting the process
right ("the how's").
</span></span></div>
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: large;">
</span></span><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 13pt;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: large;">Reality:
Companies invest in getting the process right because that's what they know.
Companies shun uncertainty because it reminds them of what they don't know.
Innovating is born out of what we don't know, and what we learn from experience (i.e.,
"failures" and "mistakes").
</span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 13pt;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 13pt;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><span>This is one of 20 myths and realities about innovation revealed in our qualitative survey report entitled, <i>What Veterans of Corporate Innovating Are Saying. </i> </span></span></span></div>
<span style="font-family: inherit;">
<span style="font-size: x-small;">
</span></span><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 13pt;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><span>If
you would like to receive a copy of this report, please
contact lanny@innovationsthatwork.com or jane@innovationsthatwork.com. <br /><br />We look forward to hearing from you soon. </span></span></span></div>
<span style="font-family: inherit;">
<span style="font-size: x-small;">
<span>
© 2013 Vincent & Associates, Ltd. </span>
<br />
<span>
</span></span>
</span><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 13.0pt; mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; tab-stops: 11.0pt .5in; text-autospace: none;">
<br /></div>
<span style="font-family: inherit;">
</span>Lanny Vincenthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06130090282609402345noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5758268197473083140.post-609069759669532432013-11-12T09:23:00.003-08:002013-11-12T09:23:55.139-08:00Myth #11: Innovating is a verb but more often understood as an adjective
<style>
<!--
/* Font Definitions */
@font-face
{font-family:"MS 明朝";
mso-font-charset:78;
mso-generic-font-family:auto;
mso-font-pitch:variable;
mso-font-signature:1 134676480 16 0 131072 0;}
@font-face
{font-family:"Cambria Math";
panose-1:2 4 5 3 5 4 6 3 2 4;
mso-font-charset:0;
mso-generic-font-family:auto;
mso-font-pitch:variable;
mso-font-signature:-536870145 1107305727 0 0 415 0;}
@font-face
{font-family:Cambria;
panose-1:2 4 5 3 5 4 6 3 2 4;
mso-font-charset:0;
mso-generic-font-family:auto;
mso-font-pitch:variable;
mso-font-signature:-536870145 1073743103 0 0 415 0;}
/* Style Definitions */
p.MsoNormal, li.MsoNormal, div.MsoNormal
{mso-style-unhide:no;
mso-style-qformat:yes;
mso-style-parent:"";
margin:0in;
margin-bottom:.0001pt;
mso-pagination:widow-orphan;
font-size:12.0pt;
mso-bidi-font-size:10.0pt;
font-family:"Times New Roman";
mso-fareast-font-family:"MS 明朝";
mso-fareast-theme-font:minor-fareast;}
.MsoChpDefault
{mso-style-type:export-only;
mso-default-props:yes;
font-size:10.0pt;
mso-ansi-font-size:10.0pt;
mso-bidi-font-size:10.0pt;
mso-fareast-font-family:"MS 明朝";
mso-fareast-theme-font:minor-fareast;
mso-fareast-language:JA;}
@page WordSection1
{size:8.5in 11.0in;
margin:1.0in 1.25in 1.0in 1.25in;
mso-header-margin:.5in;
mso-footer-margin:.5in;
mso-paper-source:0;}
div.WordSection1
{page:WordSection1;}
-->
</style>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 13pt;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: large;">Myth #11: Innovating is a verb but more often understood as
an adjective. </span></span></div>
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: large;">
</span></span><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 13pt;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: large;"><b>Reality: When
companies carefully consider where and why they should innovate, the other questions of
what and how fall into their proper place and perspective.
</b></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 13pt;">
<br /></div>
<span style="font-size: small;"></span><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 13pt;">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span><span style="font-family: inherit;">This is one of 20 myths and realities about innovation revealed in our qualitative survey report entitled, <i>What Veterans of Corporate Innovating Are Saying. </i> </span></span></span></div>
<span style="font-size: small;">
</span><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 13pt;">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span><span style="font-family: inherit;">If
you would like to receive a copy of this report, please
contact lanny@innovationsthatwork.com or jane@innovationsthatwork.com. <br /><br />We look forward to hearing from you soon. </span></span></span></div>
<span style="font-size: small;">
<span>
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">© 2013 Vincent & Associates, Ltd. </span></span></span>
<br />
<span>
</span></span><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 13pt;">
<br /></div>
Lanny Vincenthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06130090282609402345noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5758268197473083140.post-33446740083661817582013-11-05T14:26:00.000-08:002013-11-05T14:26:26.197-08:00Myth #10: Innovating is about product differentiation
<style>
<!--
/* Font Definitions */
@font-face
{font-family:"MS 明朝";
mso-font-charset:78;
mso-generic-font-family:auto;
mso-font-pitch:variable;
mso-font-signature:1 134676480 16 0 131072 0;}
@font-face
{font-family:"Cambria Math";
panose-1:2 4 5 3 5 4 6 3 2 4;
mso-font-charset:0;
mso-generic-font-family:auto;
mso-font-pitch:variable;
mso-font-signature:3 0 0 0 1 0;}
@font-face
{font-family:Cambria;
panose-1:2 4 5 3 5 4 6 3 2 4;
mso-font-charset:0;
mso-generic-font-family:auto;
mso-font-pitch:variable;
mso-font-signature:-536870145 1073743103 0 0 415 0;}
/* Style Definitions */
p.MsoNormal, li.MsoNormal, div.MsoNormal
{mso-style-unhide:no;
mso-style-qformat:yes;
mso-style-parent:"";
margin:0in;
margin-bottom:.0001pt;
mso-pagination:widow-orphan;
font-size:12.0pt;
mso-bidi-font-size:10.0pt;
font-family:"Times New Roman";
mso-fareast-font-family:"MS 明朝";
mso-fareast-theme-font:minor-fareast;}
.MsoChpDefault
{mso-style-type:export-only;
mso-default-props:yes;
font-size:10.0pt;
mso-ansi-font-size:10.0pt;
mso-bidi-font-size:10.0pt;
mso-fareast-font-family:"MS 明朝";
mso-fareast-theme-font:minor-fareast;
mso-fareast-language:JA;}
@page WordSection1
{size:8.5in 11.0in;
margin:1.0in 1.25in 1.0in 1.25in;
mso-header-margin:.5in;
mso-footer-margin:.5in;
mso-paper-source:0;}
div.WordSection1
{page:WordSection1;}
-->
</style>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 13pt;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: large;">Myth #10: Innovating is about product
differentiation.
</span></span></div>
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: large;">
</span></span><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 13pt;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span>Reality:
Innovating is about a lot more than a differentiated and superior performing
product, including new ways of messaging, merchandizing, introducing and
monetizing.
</span></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 13pt;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 13pt;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 13pt;">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">This is one of 20 myths and realities about innovation revealed in our qualitative survey report entitled, <i>What Veterans of Corporate Innovating Are Saying. </i> </span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 13pt;">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">If
you would like to receive a copy of this report, please
contact lanny@innovationsthatwork.com or jane@innovationsthatwork.com. <br /><br />We look forward to hearing from you soon. </span></span></div>
<span style="font-size: small;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">© 2013 Vincent & Associates, Ltd. </span></span></span>
<br />
<span style="font-size: small;">
</span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 13pt;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 13pt;">
<br /></div>
Lanny Vincenthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06130090282609402345noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5758268197473083140.post-37000230694036049852013-10-28T14:41:00.002-07:002013-10-28T14:41:35.360-07:00Myth #9: Innovating can involve anyone and anyone can be innovative
<style>
<!--
/* Font Definitions */
@font-face
{font-family:"MS 明朝";
mso-font-charset:78;
mso-generic-font-family:auto;
mso-font-pitch:variable;
mso-font-signature:-536870145 1791491579 18 0 131231 0;}
@font-face
{font-family:"MS 明朝";
mso-font-charset:78;
mso-generic-font-family:auto;
mso-font-pitch:variable;
mso-font-signature:-536870145 1791491579 18 0 131231 0;}
@font-face
{font-family:Cambria;
panose-1:2 4 5 3 5 4 6 3 2 4;
mso-font-charset:0;
mso-generic-font-family:auto;
mso-font-pitch:variable;
mso-font-signature:-536870145 1073743103 0 0 415 0;}
/* Style Definitions */
p.MsoNormal, li.MsoNormal, div.MsoNormal
{mso-style-unhide:no;
mso-style-qformat:yes;
mso-style-parent:"";
margin:0in;
margin-bottom:.0001pt;
mso-pagination:widow-orphan;
font-size:12.0pt;
mso-bidi-font-size:10.0pt;
font-family:"Times New Roman";
mso-fareast-font-family:"MS 明朝";
mso-fareast-theme-font:minor-fareast;}
.MsoChpDefault
{mso-style-type:export-only;
mso-default-props:yes;
font-size:10.0pt;
mso-ansi-font-size:10.0pt;
mso-bidi-font-size:10.0pt;
mso-fareast-font-family:"MS 明朝";
mso-fareast-theme-font:minor-fareast;
mso-fareast-language:JA;}
@page WordSection1
{size:8.5in 11.0in;
margin:1.0in 1.25in 1.0in 1.25in;
mso-header-margin:.5in;
mso-footer-margin:.5in;
mso-paper-source:0;}
div.WordSection1
{page:WordSection1;}
-->
</style>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 13pt;">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Myth #9: Innovating can involve anyone and anyone
can be innovative. </span></span></div>
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">
</span></span><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 13pt;">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><b>Reality:
Innovating requires perspectives that are, by definition, outside the norm.
</b></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 13pt;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 13pt;">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span><span style="font-family: inherit;">This is one of 20 myths and realities about innovation revealed in our qualitative survey report entitled, <i>What Veterans of Corporate Innovating Are Saying. </i> </span></span></span></div>
<span style="font-size: small;">
</span><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 13pt;">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span><span style="font-family: inherit;">If
you would like to receive a copy of this 20 page report, please
contact lanny@innovationsthatwork.com or jane@innovationsthatwork.com. <br /><br />We look forward to hearing from you soon. </span></span></span></div>
<span style="font-size: small;">
</span><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 13pt;">
</div>
<span style="font-size: small;">
<span>
<span><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">© 2013 Vincent & Associates, Ltd. </span></span></span></span><br />
</span><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 13pt;">
</div>
<span style="font-size: small;">
<span>
</span></span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 13pt;">
<br /></div>
Lanny Vincenthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06130090282609402345noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5758268197473083140.post-66048444730734383882013-10-22T10:15:00.004-07:002013-10-22T10:17:38.413-07:00Myth #8: Innovating is about being different<style>
<!--
/* Font Definitions */
@font-face
{font-family:"MS 明朝";
panose-1:0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0;
mso-font-charset:128;
mso-generic-font-family:roman;
mso-font-format:other;
mso-font-pitch:fixed;
mso-font-signature:1 134676480 16 0 131072 0;}
@font-face
{font-family:"MS 明朝";
panose-1:0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0;
mso-font-charset:128;
mso-generic-font-family:roman;
mso-font-format:other;
mso-font-pitch:fixed;
mso-font-signature:1 134676480 16 0 131072 0;}
@font-face
{font-family:Cambria;
panose-1:2 4 5 3 5 4 6 3 2 4;
mso-font-charset:0;
mso-generic-font-family:auto;
mso-font-pitch:variable;
mso-font-signature:-536870145 1073743103 0 0 415 0;}
/* Style Definitions */
p.MsoNormal, li.MsoNormal, div.MsoNormal
{mso-style-unhide:no;
mso-style-qformat:yes;
mso-style-parent:"";
margin:0in;
margin-bottom:.0001pt;
mso-pagination:widow-orphan;
font-size:12.0pt;
mso-bidi-font-size:10.0pt;
font-family:"Times New Roman";
mso-fareast-font-family:"MS 明朝";
mso-fareast-theme-font:minor-fareast;}
.MsoChpDefault
{mso-style-type:export-only;
mso-default-props:yes;
font-size:10.0pt;
mso-ansi-font-size:10.0pt;
mso-bidi-font-size:10.0pt;
mso-fareast-font-family:"MS 明朝";
mso-fareast-theme-font:minor-fareast;
mso-fareast-language:JA;}
@page WordSection1
{size:8.5in 11.0in;
margin:1.0in 1.25in 1.0in 1.25in;
mso-header-margin:.5in;
mso-footer-margin:.5in;
mso-paper-source:0;}
div.WordSection1
{page:WordSection1;}
</style><span style="font-family: Cambria; font-size: 13.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Cambria; mso-fareast-language: JA;">Myth #8: Innovating is about being different.
</span><br />
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 13.0pt; mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; tab-stops: 11.0pt .5in; text-autospace: none;">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: Cambria; font-size: 13.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Cambria; mso-fareast-language: JA;">Reality:
Innovating requires getting to the truth and believing it enough to do
something about it.
</span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 13.0pt; mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; tab-stops: 11.0pt .5in; text-autospace: none;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 13pt;">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">This is one of 20 myths and realities about innovation revealed in our qualitative survey report entitled, <i>What Veterans of Corporate Innovating Are Saying. </i> </span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 13pt;">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">If
you would like to receive a copy of this 20 page report, please
contact lanny@innovationsthatwork.com or jane@innovationsthatwork.com. <br /><br />We look forward to hearing from you soon. </span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 13pt;">
</div>
<span style="font-size: small;">
<span style="font-size: x-small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">© 2013 Vincent & Associates, Ltd. </span></span></span></span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 13pt;">
</div>
<span style="font-size: small;">
</span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 13pt;">
<br /></div>
Lanny Vincenthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06130090282609402345noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5758268197473083140.post-25697345408092324322013-10-15T08:35:00.000-07:002013-10-15T08:35:48.981-07:00Myth #7: Innovating is about finding the flawless "gem" of an idea/concept
<style>
<!--
/* Font Definitions */
@font-face
{font-family:"MS 明朝";
mso-font-charset:78;
mso-generic-font-family:auto;
mso-font-pitch:variable;
mso-font-signature:1 134676480 16 0 131072 0;}
@font-face
{font-family:"MS 明朝";
mso-font-charset:78;
mso-generic-font-family:auto;
mso-font-pitch:variable;
mso-font-signature:1 134676480 16 0 131072 0;}
@font-face
{font-family:Cambria;
panose-1:2 4 5 3 5 4 6 3 2 4;
mso-font-charset:0;
mso-generic-font-family:auto;
mso-font-pitch:variable;
mso-font-signature:-536870145 1073743103 0 0 415 0;}
/* Style Definitions */
p.MsoNormal, li.MsoNormal, div.MsoNormal
{mso-style-unhide:no;
mso-style-qformat:yes;
mso-style-parent:"";
margin:0in;
margin-bottom:.0001pt;
mso-pagination:widow-orphan;
font-size:12.0pt;
mso-bidi-font-size:10.0pt;
font-family:"Times New Roman";
mso-fareast-font-family:"MS 明朝";
mso-fareast-theme-font:minor-fareast;}
.MsoChpDefault
{mso-style-type:export-only;
mso-default-props:yes;
font-size:10.0pt;
mso-ansi-font-size:10.0pt;
mso-bidi-font-size:10.0pt;
mso-fareast-font-family:"MS 明朝";
mso-fareast-theme-font:minor-fareast;
mso-fareast-language:JA;}
@page WordSection1
{size:8.5in 11.0in;
margin:1.0in 1.25in 1.0in 1.25in;
mso-header-margin:.5in;
mso-footer-margin:.5in;
mso-paper-source:0;}
div.WordSection1
{page:WordSection1;}
-->
</style>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 13pt;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: small;">Myth #7: Innovating is about finding the flawless
"gem" of an idea/concept.
</span></span></div>
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: small;">
</span></span><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 13pt;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span>Reality:
"Gems" must be polished and faceted, they don't come that way. Too
few have the patience to polish and facet.
</span></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 13pt;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 13pt;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><span>This is one of 20 misconceptions and realities about innovation revealed in our qualitative survey report entitled, <i>What Veterans of Corporate Innovating Are Saying. </i>If
you would like to receive a copy of this 20 page report, please
contact lanny@innovationsthatwork.com or jane@innovationsthatwork.com. <br /><br />We look forward to hearing from you soon. </span></span></span></div>
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: xx-small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">© 2013 Vincent & Associates, Ltd. </span></span></span></span><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 13.0pt; mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; tab-stops: 11.0pt .5in; text-autospace: none;">
</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 13pt;">
<br /></div>
Lanny Vincenthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06130090282609402345noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5758268197473083140.post-89745000779747421912013-10-08T08:41:00.001-07:002013-10-08T08:41:12.882-07:00Myth #6: Innovating requires the committee's cooperation and agreement
<style>
<!--
/* Font Definitions */
@font-face
{font-family:"MS 明朝";
panose-1:0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0;
mso-font-charset:128;
mso-generic-font-family:roman;
mso-font-format:other;
mso-font-pitch:fixed;
mso-font-signature:1 134676480 16 0 131072 0;}
@font-face
{font-family:"Cambria Math";
panose-1:2 4 5 3 5 4 6 3 2 4;
mso-font-charset:1;
mso-generic-font-family:roman;
mso-font-format:other;
mso-font-pitch:variable;
mso-font-signature:0 0 0 0 0 0;}
@font-face
{font-family:Cambria;
panose-1:2 4 5 3 5 4 6 3 2 4;
mso-font-charset:0;
mso-generic-font-family:auto;
mso-font-pitch:variable;
mso-font-signature:-536870145 1073743103 0 0 415 0;}
/* Style Definitions */
p.MsoNormal, li.MsoNormal, div.MsoNormal
{mso-style-unhide:no;
mso-style-qformat:yes;
mso-style-parent:"";
margin:0in;
margin-bottom:.0001pt;
mso-pagination:widow-orphan;
font-size:12.0pt;
mso-bidi-font-size:10.0pt;
font-family:"Times New Roman";
mso-fareast-font-family:"MS 明朝";
mso-fareast-theme-font:minor-fareast;}
.MsoChpDefault
{mso-style-type:export-only;
mso-default-props:yes;
font-size:10.0pt;
mso-ansi-font-size:10.0pt;
mso-bidi-font-size:10.0pt;
mso-fareast-font-family:"MS 明朝";
mso-fareast-theme-font:minor-fareast;
mso-fareast-language:JA;}
@page WordSection1
{size:8.5in 11.0in;
margin:1.0in 1.25in 1.0in 1.25in;
mso-header-margin:.5in;
mso-footer-margin:.5in;
mso-paper-source:0;}
div.WordSection1
{page:WordSection1;}
-->
</style>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 13pt;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: small;">Myth #6: Innovating requires the committee's
cooperation and agreement.
</span></span></div>
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: small;">
</span></span><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 13pt;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: small;"><b>Reality:
Committees suck the oxygen out of ideas, innovators and innovating.
</b></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 13pt;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 13pt;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span>This is one of 20 misconceptions and realities about innovation revealed in our qualitative survey report entitled, <i>What Veterans of Corporate Innovating Are Saying. </i>If you would like to receive a copy of this 20 page report, please contact lanny@innovationsthatwork.com or jane@innovationsthatwork.com. <br /><br />We look forward to hearing from you soon. </span></span></span></div>
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: small;">© 2013 Vincent & Associates, Ltd. </span></span></span></span><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 13.0pt; mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; tab-stops: 11.0pt .5in; text-autospace: none;">
<br /></div>
Lanny Vincenthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06130090282609402345noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5758268197473083140.post-63307263740298817932013-10-01T08:04:00.000-07:002013-10-01T08:05:33.507-07:00Managing Innovation or Culture Change?<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: small;">Increasingly I find myself engaged in conversations wherein clients present “innovation” as their stated interest, but as I listen more closely, their underlying goal turns out to be changing their organization's culture, often called “change management.” <br /><br />Many established companies are engaged in both change management and innovation management. While each may deal with change, innovation management and change management are different. Their goals, focus and purpose are distinct from each other.<br /><br />Change management attempts to reform or transform the performance of the organization and its employees. The focus is on the core capabilities of the organization in serving existing customers and markets. Its purpose is to improve the organization's performance in the form of efficiencies, improvements or lower costs. Change management is inherently egocentric, focused inwardly on the organization itself. Its primary concern is improving productivity of operating throughputs.<br /><br />Innovation management attempts to renew the organization's relevance to those it serves. The focus is on external conditions, factors and dynamics in discovering prospects and needs and converting them into customers and solutions, respectively. Its purpose is to develop and introduce new value propositions in the form of new products, processes or services. Innovation is inherently allocentric, focused outwardly on serving others. Its primary concern is nurturing efforts of developing new value.<br /><br />A global consumer durables company I worked with for a number of years made a very explicit record of its innovation journey, stating that innovation would intentionally serve the broader and more fundamental purposes of organizational transformation. After more than a decade along this journey, the purposes of organizational culture change may have been realized. However, many express disappointment at the unrealized goals of their innovating. <br /><br />A company may require both innovation management and change management, and the efforts of one may reinforce the goals of the other. However, the two should not be thought of, managed or led as if they were one. Doing so produces much unnecessary frustration. Yet this may be happening more frequently than we realize, particularly since lean principles and the faddish “both/and” (vs. either/or) seem to have saturated the thinking of executive leaders. <br /><br />A favorite book of mine is <i>Differences That Make a Difference</i> by Russell Ackoff, which is filled with insights for leaders and managers. Ackoff took 50 sets of common terms, which are frequently used interchangeably by mistake, and clarified their more appropriate and accurate use. <br /><br />For example, many use “react” and “respond” as if they are synonyms. Ackoff suggests they are not. To make the difference explicit, he brings in a third term: “reflex.” Reflex is what happens automatically, in human physiology, it's autonomic. With a reflex we have no choice. In contrast, when we “react,” according to Ackoff, we have a choice but we don't exercise it. However, when we “respond,” we not only have a choice, but we consciously make it. <br /><br />Were Ackoff alive today, I bet he would add another pair of concepts that are frequently confused with each other: innovation management and change management. That these two concepts are often used synonymously has led to a great deal of wasted effort, disillusioned innovators and cynical leaders. All this could be avoided with a bit more attention to the differences between innovation management and change management.<br /><br />Detached analysts like economists and sociologists use the word “innovation” to describe how new ideas, values, know-how or products diffuse into a population and culture. As a result, these analysts tend to view innovation retrospectively. Everett Rogers in 1962 offered a diffusion theory for innovation that has become synonymous with innovation itself. Popular updates to Rogers' original theory include Malcolm Gladwell's <i>Tipping Point</i> and Geoffrey Moore's <i>Crossing the Chasm. </i>Diffusion is a type of change that describes how something new (product, process, technology, idea or knowledge) becomes adopted by a market or society. <br /><br />Entrepreneurs and innovators use “innovation” to describe both the process (innovating) and the result (an innovation) of their efforts. As active participants, innovators typically view innovation prospectively, often with a more detailed and close-up perspective. Peter Drucker, a father of modern management theory, was one of the first to take this point of view. Drucker wrote <i>Innovation and Entrepreneurship</i> in 1985 in which he describes innovation as the systematic and diagnostic discipline or tool entrepreneurs use to create, develop and introduce new value for prospective or current customers. <br /><br />A third use of the same word “innovation” comes from organizational leaders. Their use of “innovation” describes organizational changes required to dramatically improve performance. As leaders who are tasked with the process and outcomes of organizational change, these so-called “innovations” can be classified as either reformations or transformations. According to Ackoff, “reformations” seek performance improvements through organizational behavior change without changing structure or function; while “transformations” require changes in structure or function. <br /><br />When “innovation” is used to describe change management, the primary focus is on the organization and its performance. However, when “innovation” is used in the contexts of economists and innovators, the primary focus is on a new value proposition the organization is developing or introducing to those it serves. <br /><br />Both change management and innovation management involve diagnosis, making changes and dealing with resistance, which is often underestimated. Yet the counter-measures each employs to address this resistance are distinct. When organizational change efforts and innovation management are attempted simultaneously, the change efforts will often unintentionally produce new strains of resistance to the innovation and innovators. <br /><br />If change management and innovation management are attempted simultaneously then some insulation mechanism will be required (see “Innovation Midwives: Sustaining Innovation Streams in Established Companies,” <i>Research-Technology Management, </i>2005). Ignoring the need to insulate innovation and innovators, or even worse, integrating the change management effort with innovation management, will cause all sorts of waste and confusion, which does not have to be repeated. <br /><br />The difference between innovation management and change management is often ignored or poorly understood by well intentioned leaders who say that both are needed. The problem is in managing and leading both as if they are the same thing. Consider what Drucker wrote in 1973 in his book <i>Management:</i> “Because its purpose is to create a customer, the business enterprise has two—and only these two—basic functions: marketing and innovation. Marketing and innovation produce results; all the rest are costs.”<br /><br />That innovation is often regarded as an exception and interruption to “real work” is a testament to this pervasive confusion—a failure to recognize a difference that makes a difference. Innovations renew an organization's relevance to those it serves. Culture change aims to improve the performance of those doing the serving. An organization should always seek to improve what it's currently doing. Sooner or later, however, every organization needs to renew its relevancy to those it serves.</span></span><br />
<br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: xx-small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">This article by Lanny Vincent originally appeared in Vincent & Associates, Ltd. newsletter<i> Innovating Perspectives<span style="font-style: normal;"> in<i> September 2013</i></span><i><span style="font-style: normal;">.</span></i><span style="font-style: normal;"><i> </i>For </span><span style="font-style: normal;">other issues of our newsletter,
please </span><span style="font-style: normal;">go to www.</span><span style="font-style: normal;">innovationsthatwork.com or call (415) </span><span style="font-style: normal;">387-1270.</span> </i></span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: xx-small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><i><br />
</i></span></span></span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: small;"></span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: small;"></span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: small;"><br /> </span></span>Lanny Vincenthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06130090282609402345noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5758268197473083140.post-45558759287079451602013-09-24T09:03:00.001-07:002013-09-24T14:18:04.838-07:00Myth #5: Innovating is something you can broadly decide to do and then just expect it to happen.
<style>
<!--
/* Font Definitions */
@font-face
{font-family:"MS 明朝";
panose-1:0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0;
mso-font-charset:128;
mso-generic-font-family:roman;
mso-font-format:other;
mso-font-pitch:fixed;
mso-font-signature:1 134676480 16 0 131072 0;}
@font-face
{font-family:"MS 明朝";
panose-1:0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0;
mso-font-charset:128;
mso-generic-font-family:roman;
mso-font-format:other;
mso-font-pitch:fixed;
mso-font-signature:1 134676480 16 0 131072 0;}
@font-face
{font-family:Cambria;
panose-1:2 4 5 3 5 4 6 3 2 4;
mso-font-charset:0;
mso-generic-font-family:auto;
mso-font-pitch:variable;
mso-font-signature:3 0 0 0 1 0;}
/* Style Definitions */
p.MsoNormal, li.MsoNormal, div.MsoNormal
{mso-style-unhide:no;
mso-style-qformat:yes;
mso-style-parent:"";
margin:0in;
margin-bottom:.0001pt;
mso-pagination:widow-orphan;
font-size:12.0pt;
mso-bidi-font-size:10.0pt;
font-family:"Times New Roman";
mso-fareast-font-family:"MS 明朝";
mso-fareast-theme-font:minor-fareast;
mso-bidi-font-family:"Times New Roman";}
.MsoChpDefault
{mso-style-type:export-only;
mso-default-props:yes;
font-size:10.0pt;
mso-ansi-font-size:10.0pt;
mso-bidi-font-size:10.0pt;
mso-fareast-font-family:"MS 明朝";
mso-fareast-theme-font:minor-fareast;
mso-fareast-language:JA;}
@page WordSection1
{size:8.5in 11.0in;
margin:1.0in 1.25in 1.0in 1.25in;
mso-header-margin:.5in;
mso-footer-margin:.5in;
mso-paper-source:0;}
div.WordSection1
{page:WordSection1;}
/* List Definitions */
@list l0
{mso-list-id:2;
mso-list-type:hybrid;
mso-list-template-ids:2 101 -1 -1 -1 -1 -1 -1 -1 -1;}
@list l0:level1
{mso-level-number-format:bullet;
mso-level-text:•;
mso-level-tab-stop:none;
mso-level-number-position:left;
text-indent:-.25in;}
@list l0:level2
{mso-level-start-at:0;
mso-level-text:"";
mso-level-tab-stop:none;
mso-level-number-position:left;
margin-left:0in;
text-indent:0in;}
@list l0:level3
{mso-level-start-at:0;
mso-level-text:"";
mso-level-tab-stop:none;
mso-level-number-position:left;
margin-left:0in;
text-indent:0in;}
@list l0:level4
{mso-level-start-at:0;
mso-level-text:"";
mso-level-tab-stop:none;
mso-level-number-position:left;
margin-left:0in;
text-indent:0in;}
@list l0:level5
{mso-level-start-at:0;
mso-level-text:"";
mso-level-tab-stop:none;
mso-level-number-position:left;
margin-left:0in;
text-indent:0in;}
@list l0:level6
{mso-level-start-at:0;
mso-level-text:"";
mso-level-tab-stop:none;
mso-level-number-position:left;
margin-left:0in;
text-indent:0in;}
@list l0:level7
{mso-level-start-at:0;
mso-level-text:"";
mso-level-tab-stop:none;
mso-level-number-position:left;
margin-left:0in;
text-indent:0in;}
@list l0:level8
{mso-level-start-at:0;
mso-level-text:"";
mso-level-tab-stop:none;
mso-level-number-position:left;
margin-left:0in;
text-indent:0in;}
@list l0:level9
{mso-level-start-at:0;
mso-level-text:"";
mso-level-tab-stop:none;
mso-level-number-position:left;
margin-left:0in;
text-indent:0in;}
ol
{margin-bottom:0in;}
ul
{margin-bottom:0in;}
</style> <br />
<ul>
</ul>
<span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: large;"><i><b>Myth #5:</b> Innovating is something you can broadly decide to
do and then just expect it to happen.
</i></span><br />
<br />
<ul>
</ul>
<ul>
</ul>
<span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: large;"><b>Reality: </b>Innovating requires deep understanding of
specific problems and time spent trying to solve them.</span><br />
<ul>
</ul>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 13pt 0.5in; text-indent: -0.5in;">
<span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: small;"><br /></span>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 13pt 0.5in; text-indent: -0.5in;">
<br />
<span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: small;">This is one of 20 misconceptions and realities about innovation revealed in our recent</span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: small;">qualitative survey report entitled,<i><b> What Veterans of Corporate Innovating Are Saying. </b></i> </span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: small;">If you would like to receive a copy
of this 20 page report, please contact </span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: small;">lanny@innovationsthatwork.com or jane@innovationsthatwork.com. </span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: small;">We look forward to hearing from you soon.</span><br />
<br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: small;">© 2013 Vincent & Associates, Ltd. </span></div>
</div>
Lanny Vincenthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06130090282609402345noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5758268197473083140.post-21972994163796157482013-09-19T10:04:00.000-07:002013-09-24T09:20:13.149-07:00Myth #4: Innovating is ruled by processes and norms like any other business field.<style>
<!--
/* Font Definitions */
@font-face
{font-family:"MS 明朝";
panose-1:0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0;
mso-font-charset:128;
mso-generic-font-family:roman;
mso-font-format:other;
mso-font-pitch:fixed;
mso-font-signature:1 134676480 16 0 131072 0;}
@font-face
{font-family:"MS 明朝";
panose-1:0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0;
mso-font-charset:128;
mso-generic-font-family:roman;
mso-font-format:other;
mso-font-pitch:fixed;
mso-font-signature:1 134676480 16 0 131072 0;}
@font-face
{font-family:Cambria;
panose-1:2 4 5 3 5 4 6 3 2 4;
mso-font-charset:0;
mso-generic-font-family:auto;
mso-font-pitch:variable;
mso-font-signature:3 0 0 0 1 0;}
/* Style Definitions */
p.MsoNormal, li.MsoNormal, div.MsoNormal
{mso-style-unhide:no;
mso-style-qformat:yes;
mso-style-parent:"";
margin:0in;
margin-bottom:.0001pt;
mso-pagination:widow-orphan;
font-size:12.0pt;
mso-bidi-font-size:10.0pt;
font-family:"Times New Roman";
mso-fareast-font-family:"MS 明朝";
mso-fareast-theme-font:minor-fareast;
mso-bidi-font-family:"Times New Roman";}
.MsoChpDefault
{mso-style-type:export-only;
mso-default-props:yes;
font-size:10.0pt;
mso-ansi-font-size:10.0pt;
mso-bidi-font-size:10.0pt;
mso-fareast-font-family:"MS 明朝";
mso-fareast-theme-font:minor-fareast;
mso-fareast-language:JA;}
@page WordSection1
{size:8.5in 11.0in;
margin:1.0in 1.25in 1.0in 1.25in;
mso-header-margin:.5in;
mso-footer-margin:.5in;
mso-paper-source:0;}
div.WordSection1
{page:WordSection1;}
/* List Definitions */
@list l0
{mso-list-id:1;
mso-list-type:hybrid;
mso-list-template-ids:1 1 -1 -1 -1 -1 -1 -1 -1 -1;}
@list l0:level1
{mso-level-number-format:bullet;
mso-level-text:•;
mso-level-tab-stop:none;
mso-level-number-position:left;
text-indent:-.25in;}
@list l0:level2
{mso-level-start-at:0;
mso-level-text:"";
mso-level-tab-stop:none;
mso-level-number-position:left;
margin-left:0in;
text-indent:0in;}
@list l0:level3
{mso-level-start-at:0;
mso-level-text:"";
mso-level-tab-stop:none;
mso-level-number-position:left;
margin-left:0in;
text-indent:0in;}
@list l0:level4
{mso-level-start-at:0;
mso-level-text:"";
mso-level-tab-stop:none;
mso-level-number-position:left;
margin-left:0in;
text-indent:0in;}
@list l0:level5
{mso-level-start-at:0;
mso-level-text:"";
mso-level-tab-stop:none;
mso-level-number-position:left;
margin-left:0in;
text-indent:0in;}
@list l0:level6
{mso-level-start-at:0;
mso-level-text:"";
mso-level-tab-stop:none;
mso-level-number-position:left;
margin-left:0in;
text-indent:0in;}
@list l0:level7
{mso-level-start-at:0;
mso-level-text:"";
mso-level-tab-stop:none;
mso-level-number-position:left;
margin-left:0in;
text-indent:0in;}
@list l0:level8
{mso-level-start-at:0;
mso-level-text:"";
mso-level-tab-stop:none;
mso-level-number-position:left;
margin-left:0in;
text-indent:0in;}
@list l0:level9
{mso-level-start-at:0;
mso-level-text:"";
mso-level-tab-stop:none;
mso-level-number-position:left;
margin-left:0in;
text-indent:0in;}
ol
{margin-bottom:0in;}
ul
{margin-bottom:0in;}
</style><i><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><b>Myth #4: </b></span></span></i><br />
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 13pt 0.5in; text-indent: -0.5in;">
<i><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Innovating is ruled by processes and norms like
any other business field, like accounting</span></span></i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 13pt 0.5in; text-indent: -0.5in;">
<i><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">and manufacturing.
</span></span></i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 13pt 0.5in; text-indent: -0.5in;">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><b>Reality: </b></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 13pt 0.5in; text-indent: -0.5in;">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Innovating can benefit from some processes and metrics. However, instinct or
"gut" is </span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 13pt 0.5in; text-indent: -0.5in;">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">inescapable, and when overwhelmed by processes and metrics,
innovating stops, or </span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 13pt 0.5in; text-indent: -0.5in;">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">evolves into the superficial and illusory.
</span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 13pt 0.5in; text-indent: -0.5in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 13pt 0.5in; text-indent: -0.5in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 13pt 0.5in; text-indent: -0.5in;">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">This is one of 20 misconceptions and realities about innovation revealed in our qualitative survey </span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 13pt 0.5in; text-indent: -0.5in;">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">report entitled, <i><b>What Veterans of Corporate Innovating Are Saying. </b></i><br />
</span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 13pt 0.5in; text-indent: -0.5in;">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">If you would like to receive a copy
of this 20 page report, please contact </span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 13pt 0.5in; text-indent: -0.5in;">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">lanny@innovationsthatwork.com or jane@innovationsthatwork.com. </span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 13pt 0.5in; text-indent: -0.5in;">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">We look forward to hearing from you soon.<br />
<br />
<br />
</span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 13pt 0.5in; text-indent: -0.5in;">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">© 2013 Vincent & Associates, Ltd. </span></span></div>
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"></span></span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 13.0pt; margin-left: .5in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 0in; mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; mso-pagination: none; tab-stops: 11.0pt .5in; text-autospace: none; text-indent: -.5in;">
<br /></div>
Lanny Vincenthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06130090282609402345noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5758268197473083140.post-61725880405550624602013-09-10T16:08:00.000-07:002013-09-24T09:17:57.471-07:00Myth #3: Innovating is about the idea.<style>
<!--
/* Font Definitions */
@font-face
{font-family:"MS 明朝";
mso-font-charset:78;
mso-generic-font-family:auto;
mso-font-pitch:variable;
mso-font-signature:-536870145 1791491579 18 0 131231 0;}
@font-face
{font-family:"Cambria Math";
panose-1:2 4 5 3 5 4 6 3 2 4;
mso-font-charset:0;
mso-generic-font-family:auto;
mso-font-pitch:variable;
mso-font-signature:-536870145 1107305727 0 0 415 0;}
@font-face
{font-family:Cambria;
panose-1:2 4 5 3 5 4 6 3 2 4;
mso-font-charset:0;
mso-generic-font-family:auto;
mso-font-pitch:variable;
mso-font-signature:-536870145 1073743103 0 0 415 0;}
/* Style Definitions */
p.MsoNormal, li.MsoNormal, div.MsoNormal
{mso-style-unhide:no;
mso-style-qformat:yes;
mso-style-parent:"";
margin:0in;
margin-bottom:.0001pt;
mso-pagination:widow-orphan;
font-size:12.0pt;
mso-bidi-font-size:10.0pt;
font-family:"Times New Roman";
mso-fareast-font-family:"MS 明朝";
mso-fareast-theme-font:minor-fareast;}
.MsoChpDefault
{mso-style-type:export-only;
mso-default-props:yes;
font-size:10.0pt;
mso-ansi-font-size:10.0pt;
mso-bidi-font-size:10.0pt;
mso-fareast-font-family:"MS 明朝";
mso-fareast-theme-font:minor-fareast;
mso-fareast-language:JA;}
@page WordSection1
{size:8.5in 11.0in;
margin:1.0in 1.25in 1.0in 1.25in;
mso-header-margin:.5in;
mso-footer-margin:.5in;
mso-paper-source:0;}
div.WordSection1
{page:WordSection1;}
/* List Definitions */
@list l0
{mso-list-id:1;
mso-list-type:hybrid;
mso-list-template-ids:1 1 -1 -1 -1 -1 -1 -1 -1 -1;}
@list l0:level1
{mso-level-number-format:bullet;
mso-level-text:•;
mso-level-tab-stop:none;
mso-level-number-position:left;
text-indent:-.25in;}
@list l0:level2
{mso-level-start-at:0;
mso-level-text:"";
mso-level-tab-stop:none;
mso-level-number-position:left;
margin-left:0in;
text-indent:0in;}
@list l0:level3
{mso-level-start-at:0;
mso-level-text:"";
mso-level-tab-stop:none;
mso-level-number-position:left;
margin-left:0in;
text-indent:0in;}
@list l0:level4
{mso-level-start-at:0;
mso-level-text:"";
mso-level-tab-stop:none;
mso-level-number-position:left;
margin-left:0in;
text-indent:0in;}
@list l0:level5
{mso-level-start-at:0;
mso-level-text:"";
mso-level-tab-stop:none;
mso-level-number-position:left;
margin-left:0in;
text-indent:0in;}
@list l0:level6
{mso-level-start-at:0;
mso-level-text:"";
mso-level-tab-stop:none;
mso-level-number-position:left;
margin-left:0in;
text-indent:0in;}
@list l0:level7
{mso-level-start-at:0;
mso-level-text:"";
mso-level-tab-stop:none;
mso-level-number-position:left;
margin-left:0in;
text-indent:0in;}
@list l0:level8
{mso-level-start-at:0;
mso-level-text:"";
mso-level-tab-stop:none;
mso-level-number-position:left;
margin-left:0in;
text-indent:0in;}
@list l0:level9
{mso-level-start-at:0;
mso-level-text:"";
mso-level-tab-stop:none;
mso-level-number-position:left;
margin-left:0in;
text-indent:0in;}
ol
{margin-bottom:0in;}
ul
{margin-bottom:0in;}
</style><i><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: small;">Myth #3: Innovating is about the idea. </span></span></i><br />
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 13pt 0.5in; text-indent: -0.5in;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: small;"><b>Reality:
Innovating is about value to the company and to the customer.
</b></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 13pt 0.5in; text-indent: -0.5in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 13pt 0.5in; text-indent: -0.5in;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: small;">This is one of 20 misconceptions and realities about innovation revealed in our qualitative survey </span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 13pt 0.5in; text-indent: -0.5in;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: small;">report entitled, <i><b>What Veterans of Corporate Innovating Are Saying. </b></i><br />
</span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 13pt 0.5in; text-indent: -0.5in;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: small;">If you would like to receive a copy
of this 20 page report, please contact </span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 13pt 0.5in; text-indent: -0.5in;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: small;">lanny@innovationsthatwork.com or jane@innovationsthatwork.com. </span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 13pt 0.5in; text-indent: -0.5in;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: small;">We look forward to hearing from you soon.<br />
<br />
<br />
</span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 13pt 0.5in; text-indent: -0.5in;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: small;">© 2013 Vincent & Associates, Ltd. </span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 13.0pt; margin-left: .5in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 0in; mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; mso-pagination: none; tab-stops: 11.0pt .5in; text-autospace: none; text-indent: -.5in;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: small;"> </span></span><b><span style="font-family: Cambria; font-size: 13.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Cambria; mso-fareast-language: JA;"> </span></b></div>
Lanny Vincenthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06130090282609402345noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5758268197473083140.post-57565153726835728892013-08-27T12:59:00.002-07:002013-09-24T09:18:56.870-07:00Myth #2: Innovating is luck and serendipity.<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><b>20 Misconceptions and Realities about Innovation</b></span></span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><i>Myth: Innovating is luck and serendipity. </i><b><br /><br />Reality: Companies can structure, organize and fund innovating as a core capability. </b></span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></span>
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">This is one of 20 misconceptions and realities about innovation revealed in our qualitative survey report entitled, <i>What Veterans of Corporate Innovating Are Saying. </i><br />
<br />If you would like to receive a copy
of this 20 page report, please contact lanny@innovationsthatwork.com or
jane@innovationsthatwork.com. We look forward to hearing from you soon.<br />
<br />
<br />
© 2013 Vincent & Associates, Ltd. </span></span><span style="font-family: Helvetica; mso-bidi-font-family: Helvetica; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-language: JA;"></span>
<br />
<span class="post-author vcard"></span>Lanny Vincenthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06130090282609402345noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5758268197473083140.post-59425412795172618082013-08-20T11:10:00.000-07:002013-09-24T09:19:20.791-07:00Myth #1: Corporate innovating requires freedom from constraint.<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><b>20 misconceptions and realities about innovation</b></span></span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><i>Myth: Corporate innovating requires freedom from constraint.</i><b><br /><br />Reality: The more profound innovations occur because barriers and constraints are overcome. </b></span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></span>
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">This is one of 20 misconceptions and realities about innovation revealed in our survey report entitled, <i>What Veterans of Corporate Innovating Are Saying. </i></span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></span>
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></span>
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">In May, <span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><i><b>Vincent & Associates, Ltd.</b></i> </span>conducted a qualitative survey of about 50 veteran innovators to find out what is really going on underneath all the hype about innovation.</span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></span>
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Unlike other opinion surveys, this one went deep by tapping the experienced wisdom of seasoned veterans, each of whom remains engaged in corporate innovating efforts. The experience of each respondent on average was close to two decades. </span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></span>
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">The survey revealed in general: </span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></span>
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">• Innovators not having enough time for innovating efforts because of their "day job," </span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></span>
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">• Managers lowering the threshold of what qualifies as an innovation,</span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></span>
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">• Leaders reacting to uncertainties by avoiding risk, and </span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></span>
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">• All complaining about the poverty of insight amidst a flood of data.</span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></span>
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Despite significant contextual differences from company to company, the survey found common issues hindering corporate innovating: persistent interruptions, <i>ad hoc </i>orientations to innovating, role ambiguities, and system versus innovating system imbalances. </span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></span>
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Three broad recommendations are offered: </span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></span>
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">• Count what matters, not what is measurable. </span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></span>
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">• Be "choiceful" rather than reactive by first creating options, so you have choices.</span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></span>
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">• Neither integrate nor isolate innovating efforts. Instead invite everyone to seek improvements and, in the process, a few will emerge who actually innovate. </span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></span>
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">If you would like to receive a copy of this 20 page report, please contact lanny@innovationsthatwork.com or jane@innovationsthatwork.com. We look forward to hearing from you soon.</span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></span>
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></span>
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">© 2013 Vincent & Associates, Ltd. </span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></span>
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></span>
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></span>Lanny Vincenthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06130090282609402345noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5758268197473083140.post-14708941050981368832013-08-06T15:43:00.000-07:002013-08-06T16:01:44.960-07:00Little Red Riding Could: A Tale of Intrapreneurship By Paula Rosch<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Once</span></span><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: small;"> upon a time…in the midst of a big company,
there was a small office occupied by a young woman. She had an uncanny ability
to understand the needs of consumers and turn those insights into successful
product ideas. That, <i>and</i> her predilection
for peddling her red bike to work, brought her the nickname of Little Red
Riding Could. Others thought of her as “one of those creative people.” One day,
her CEO said to her, “Our business is very ill and needs help. Why don’t you
pick one of those product ideas of yours and take it to market? Be very careful, though. It’s competitive out
there. Don’t talk to anyone and stick to the corporate path as you work and
never leave it. That way there will be no risk.”</span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: small;"> </span></span>
<br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: small;">Little Red Riding Could embraced her new project and started to make a
to-do list. “Don’t worry”, she told the
CEO, “I’ll take my idea all the way to market and never stop.” The young woman
had good intentions, but soon after starting she picked up a popular magazine
and saw an article with a title that seemed to be related to her project. She
stuck a green Post-it®
sticker to the title page so she could easily find it later, but then another
article caught her eye; putting her to-do list aside, she sat down to read and
didn’t finish until the journal’s pages were heavy with idea-laden Post-it® notes.</span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: small;">
</span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: small;">Suddenly, Little Red Riding Could remembered the task she had set out
to do, but she was intrigued by something she had read, and she took a new
direction. Instead of hurrying ahead
with her plan, she decided to run a few errands around town to look for some
materials she knew the company would not have at hand. Needing a jolt after all
her activity, she stopped at a coffee shop, had a latte, and looked through her
purchases. The lyrics of a song playing over the sound system provided a key to
how her product might come together, and she hurried back to her workshop to
construct a sample.</span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: small;">
</span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: small;">She took her work to one of her engineer friends. “Bob”, she said,
“What if instead of designing the product like we planned, we tried something
like this?” showing him the sample and describing its potential as he quickly
did some sketches on notepaper. </span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: small;">
</span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: small;">By now, Little Red Riding Could was deep within the world of her own
creativity, and unknowingly under the scrutiny of some hidden and very
unfriendly eyes. As she left Bob’s office, the swish of someone behind her made
her shiver a little. She was afraid she had strayed too far from her assignment
and hurried away to get back on track.</span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: small;">
</span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: small;">She headed down the hall but was startled by an authoritative, gruff
voice: “Where are you going with that sample?” It was a high level manager in
the corporation. “I’m taking it to market,” she told him. “Our business is ill and this
will help it get better.”</span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: small;">
</span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: small;">Well, the manager didn’t like the looks of the new idea. It looked different.
It looked complicated. It didn’t look like anything they had done before. He didn’t want it to go any further, so he
stalled for time. “Why don’t you put together a presentation to the department?
I know everyone will want to hear about your new product idea. Let’s have the
meeting tomorrow at 2:00 p.m.”</span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: small;">
</span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: small;">Feeling happy that the manager was supporting her product idea, Little
Red Riding Could launched into preparing a compelling presentation. Meanwhile,
the manager rushed back to his office and had his administrative assistant set
up an <b><i>1 o'clock</i></b><i> </i>meeting to
forewarn his own managers: “I don’t want to spend any money or time on this
idea,” he told them.</span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: small;">
</span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: small;">When Little Red Riding Could showed up for the meeting with her data
and her prototypes, the manager and his deputies were there. Their narrow eyes
and suspicious demeanor made them all seem a little wolfish, not like the idea
benefactor she had met in the hall the day earlier.</span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: small;">
</span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: small;">"I've called this group together to discuss your idea," said
the manager, and opened the discussion up to the group.</span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: small;">
</span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: small;">"I don't think we will make enough money on this idea" said
the financial manager. "My" said Red, "what a big profit you
need!"</span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: small;">
</span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: small;">"I don't think we can advertise this idea," said the
marketing manager. "My," said Red, "what a big audience you
need!"</span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: small;">
</span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: small;">"I don't think we can make this idea work," said the
research manager. "My," said Red, "what a big machine you
need!"</span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: small;">
</span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: small;">They argued and protested against Red and her idea until they had gobbled
up all of her confidence. The CEO, passing by the meeting room, noticed the
loud protests coming through the closed door. She decided to intervene, and
when she saw the manager and his cronies ganging up on Red's idea, she said
"I have been watching you discourage new ideas for some time now, and I am
not happy about it." She gave him the ax.</span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: small;">
</span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: small;">Little Red Riding Could went on to bring another product to market. The
consumers were happy and the company regained its health. Feeling proud and yet
lucky that she had skirted another potential disaster, Red told herself,
"Never again will I stray from the path and go off on tangents to find new
ideas...at least, not until next time." </span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: small;">
</span></span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: small;">© 2013 Paula Rosch, The Paula Rosch Group. All Rights Reserved.</span></span></div>
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: small;">
</span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: small;"><i>Paula Rosch is a discovery-to-invention innovator
with hands-on technology, marketing, and product development expertise. Paula
is the inventor on nearly 100 patents, uncovering original insights about human
behavior through her ScoutPath<span style="font-size: xx-small;">TM</span> process and translating them into
commercialized brands and products with great consumer appeal and staying
power. You can contact her at paula@paularosch.com.</i></span></span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 12pt;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: small;"><i></i></span></span><br />
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<br />
<span style="font-size: x-small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">This article by Paula Rosch originally appeared in Vincent & Associates, Ltd. newsletter<i> Innovating Perspectives<span style="font-style: normal;"> in<i> July 2013</i></span><i><span style="font-style: normal;">.</span></i><span style="font-style: normal;"><i> </i>For </span><span style="font-style: normal;">other issues of our newsletter,
please </span><span style="font-style: normal;">go to www.</span><span style="font-style: normal;">innovationsthatwork.com or call (415) </span><span style="font-style: normal;">387-1270.</span> </i></span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: x-small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><i><br />
</i></span></span></div>
</div>
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: small;">
</span></span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: small;">
</span></span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: small;">
</span></span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: small;">
</span></span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: small;">
</span></span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: small;">
</span></span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: small;">
</span></span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: small;">
</span></span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: small;">
</span></span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: small;">
</span></span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: small;">
</span></span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: small;">
</span></span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: small;">
</span></span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: small;">
</span></span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: small;"> </span></span></div>
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: small;">
</span></span>Lanny Vincenthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06130090282609402345noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5758268197473083140.post-60142036925201127222013-07-02T15:26:00.005-07:002013-07-02T15:28:20.061-07:00Parenting Children and Innovations<style>
<!--
/* Font Definitions */
@font-face
{font-family:Calibri;
panose-1:2 15 5 2 2 2 4 3 2 4;
mso-font-charset:0;
mso-generic-font-family:auto;
mso-font-pitch:variable;
mso-font-signature:-520092929 1073786111 9 0 415 0;}
/* Style Definitions */
p.MsoNormal, li.MsoNormal, div.MsoNormal
{mso-style-unhide:no;
mso-style-qformat:yes;
mso-style-parent:"";
margin-top:0in;
margin-right:0in;
margin-bottom:10.0pt;
margin-left:0in;
line-height:115%;
mso-pagination:widow-orphan;
font-size:11.0pt;
font-family:Calibri;
mso-ascii-font-family:Calibri;
mso-ascii-theme-font:minor-latin;
mso-fareast-font-family:Calibri;
mso-fareast-theme-font:minor-latin;
mso-hansi-font-family:Calibri;
mso-hansi-theme-font:minor-latin;
mso-bidi-font-family:"Times New Roman";
mso-bidi-theme-font:minor-bidi;}
p.MsoNoSpacing, li.MsoNoSpacing, div.MsoNoSpacing
{mso-style-priority:1;
mso-style-unhide:no;
mso-style-qformat:yes;
mso-style-parent:"";
margin:0in;
margin-bottom:.0001pt;
mso-pagination:widow-orphan;
font-size:11.0pt;
font-family:Calibri;
mso-ascii-font-family:Calibri;
mso-ascii-theme-font:minor-latin;
mso-fareast-font-family:Calibri;
mso-fareast-theme-font:minor-latin;
mso-hansi-font-family:Calibri;
mso-hansi-theme-font:minor-latin;
mso-bidi-font-family:"Times New Roman";
mso-bidi-theme-font:minor-bidi;}
p.MsoListParagraph, li.MsoListParagraph, div.MsoListParagraph
{mso-style-priority:34;
mso-style-unhide:no;
mso-style-qformat:yes;
margin-top:0in;
margin-right:0in;
margin-bottom:10.0pt;
margin-left:.5in;
mso-add-space:auto;
line-height:115%;
mso-pagination:widow-orphan;
font-size:11.0pt;
font-family:Calibri;
mso-ascii-font-family:Calibri;
mso-ascii-theme-font:minor-latin;
mso-fareast-font-family:Calibri;
mso-fareast-theme-font:minor-latin;
mso-hansi-font-family:Calibri;
mso-hansi-theme-font:minor-latin;
mso-bidi-font-family:"Times New Roman";
mso-bidi-theme-font:minor-bidi;}
p.MsoListParagraphCxSpFirst, li.MsoListParagraphCxSpFirst, div.MsoListParagraphCxSpFirst
{mso-style-priority:34;
mso-style-unhide:no;
mso-style-qformat:yes;
mso-style-type:export-only;
margin-top:0in;
margin-right:0in;
margin-bottom:0in;
margin-left:.5in;
margin-bottom:.0001pt;
mso-add-space:auto;
line-height:115%;
mso-pagination:widow-orphan;
font-size:11.0pt;
font-family:Calibri;
mso-ascii-font-family:Calibri;
mso-ascii-theme-font:minor-latin;
mso-fareast-font-family:Calibri;
mso-fareast-theme-font:minor-latin;
mso-hansi-font-family:Calibri;
mso-hansi-theme-font:minor-latin;
mso-bidi-font-family:"Times New Roman";
mso-bidi-theme-font:minor-bidi;}
p.MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle, li.MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle, div.MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle
{mso-style-priority:34;
mso-style-unhide:no;
mso-style-qformat:yes;
mso-style-type:export-only;
margin-top:0in;
margin-right:0in;
margin-bottom:0in;
margin-left:.5in;
margin-bottom:.0001pt;
mso-add-space:auto;
line-height:115%;
mso-pagination:widow-orphan;
font-size:11.0pt;
font-family:Calibri;
mso-ascii-font-family:Calibri;
mso-ascii-theme-font:minor-latin;
mso-fareast-font-family:Calibri;
mso-fareast-theme-font:minor-latin;
mso-hansi-font-family:Calibri;
mso-hansi-theme-font:minor-latin;
mso-bidi-font-family:"Times New Roman";
mso-bidi-theme-font:minor-bidi;}
p.MsoListParagraphCxSpLast, li.MsoListParagraphCxSpLast, div.MsoListParagraphCxSpLast
{mso-style-priority:34;
mso-style-unhide:no;
mso-style-qformat:yes;
mso-style-type:export-only;
margin-top:0in;
margin-right:0in;
margin-bottom:10.0pt;
margin-left:.5in;
mso-add-space:auto;
line-height:115%;
mso-pagination:widow-orphan;
font-size:11.0pt;
font-family:Calibri;
mso-ascii-font-family:Calibri;
mso-ascii-theme-font:minor-latin;
mso-fareast-font-family:Calibri;
mso-fareast-theme-font:minor-latin;
mso-hansi-font-family:Calibri;
mso-hansi-theme-font:minor-latin;
mso-bidi-font-family:"Times New Roman";
mso-bidi-theme-font:minor-bidi;}
.MsoChpDefault
{mso-style-type:export-only;
mso-default-props:yes;
font-size:11.0pt;
mso-ansi-font-size:11.0pt;
mso-bidi-font-size:11.0pt;
font-family:Calibri;
mso-ascii-font-family:Calibri;
mso-ascii-theme-font:minor-latin;
mso-fareast-font-family:Calibri;
mso-fareast-theme-font:minor-latin;
mso-hansi-font-family:Calibri;
mso-hansi-theme-font:minor-latin;
mso-bidi-font-family:"Times New Roman";
mso-bidi-theme-font:minor-bidi;}
.MsoPapDefault
{mso-style-type:export-only;
margin-bottom:10.0pt;
line-height:115%;}
@page WordSection1
{size:8.5in 11.0in;
margin:1.0in 1.25in 1.0in 1.25in;
mso-header-margin:.5in;
mso-footer-margin:.5in;
mso-paper-source:0;}
div.WordSection1
{page:WordSection1;}
/* List Definitions */
@list l0
{mso-list-id:1781028046;
mso-list-type:hybrid;
mso-list-template-ids:896944772 436884978 67698713 67698715 67698703 67698713 67698715 67698703 67698713 67698715;}
@list l0:level1
{mso-level-tab-stop:none;
mso-level-number-position:left;
margin-left:40.5pt;
text-indent:-.25in;
mso-ansi-font-weight:bold;}
@list l0:level2
{mso-level-number-format:alpha-lower;
mso-level-tab-stop:none;
mso-level-number-position:left;
text-indent:-.25in;}
@list l0:level3
{mso-level-number-format:roman-lower;
mso-level-tab-stop:none;
mso-level-number-position:right;
text-indent:-9.0pt;}
@list l0:level4
{mso-level-tab-stop:none;
mso-level-number-position:left;
text-indent:-.25in;}
@list l0:level5
{mso-level-number-format:alpha-lower;
mso-level-tab-stop:none;
mso-level-number-position:left;
text-indent:-.25in;}
@list l0:level6
{mso-level-number-format:roman-lower;
mso-level-tab-stop:none;
mso-level-number-position:right;
text-indent:-9.0pt;}
@list l0:level7
{mso-level-tab-stop:none;
mso-level-number-position:left;
text-indent:-.25in;}
@list l0:level8
{mso-level-number-format:alpha-lower;
mso-level-tab-stop:none;
mso-level-number-position:left;
text-indent:-.25in;}
@list l0:level9
{mso-level-number-format:roman-lower;
mso-level-tab-stop:none;
mso-level-number-position:right;
text-indent:-9.0pt;}
ol
{margin-bottom:0in;}
ul
{margin-bottom:0in;}
</style><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 12.0pt;">The
challenges, joys and dynamics of raising children provide an interesting
metaphor for managing innovation.</span>
<br />
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 12.0pt;">A
couple of months ago we received a letter from Carol Chase, the principal of
our daughter’s school.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The entire letter
was devoted to some sound advice this principal had received from her mother
about raising children.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>She gave it a
fresh title<i>: </i><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">“Five Strategies for Raising
Self-Reliant Children in a Self-Indulgent World,” </i>but the wisdom in it was
aged to perfection.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Here are the five
strategies:</span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin-left: 40.5pt; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -.25in;">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">1.<span style="font: 7.0pt "Times New Roman";">
</span></span></span></b><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 12.0pt;">Say “No”: </span></b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 12.0pt;">“When your child,
whether four or fourteen, is demanding something more…your child needs
you.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Your child needs you to say
“no.”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Children of all ages need clearly
defined boundaries, limits and expectations in order to develop self-reliance
and personal responsibility.”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Could a
more pertinent principle be spoken for nascent innovations?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Like children these innovation efforts to
hear “no” so as to focus and concentrate their energies where development is
needed.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Without the “no’s,” innovations
lose focus and discipline and can easily squander resources.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin-left: 40.5pt; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -.25in;">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">2.<span style="font: 7.0pt "Times New Roman";">
</span></span></span></b><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 12.0pt;">Hold, Hug and Talk: “</span></b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 12.0pt;">When your child is having
a meltdown, your child needs you to give him or her a quiet space in which to
calm down.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Then it is essential to
problem-solve with your child.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>This is
the beginning of teaching your child self-discipline.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It is best to start with a hold and a hug, and
then begin the talk for problem-solving.”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>MOMs (or mentors of mavericks) are an often ignored but necessary role
frequently missing in established companies seeking to innovate.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Without a competent and present MOM (not to
be confused with a sponsor, who is also necessary), innovations don’t receive
the insulation from the “adult” (and performance metrics-oriented) world of the
established revenue stream.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>MOMs and
innovation midwives enable this “holding, hugging and talking” that allows for
a set-based concurrent engineering” so effectively used by Toyota’s
knowledge-based product development philosophy (see Michael N. Kennedy’s book, <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Product Development for the Lean
Enterprise).</i></span></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraph">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin-left: 40.5pt; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -.25in;">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">3.<span style="font: 7.0pt "Times New Roman";">
</span></span></span></b><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 12.0pt;">Teach Money: </span></b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 12.0pt;">“Living in a society
that is consumer rich in material goods requires that children learn financial
responsibility at an early age,” says Chase about raising children.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Hasn’t a similar point been<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>made about managing innovation by Clayton
Christiansen when he admonishes us to be “patient for growth, but impatient for
profit.”?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>(See his book, <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">The Innovator’s Solution.)</i><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>As a friend of mine recently said, reflecting
on teaching his own kids about money: “When you have earned it, you treat it
differently.”</span></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraph">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin-left: 40.5pt; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -.25in;">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">4.<span style="font: 7.0pt "Times New Roman";">
</span></span></span></b><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 12.0pt;">Teach Manners: </span></b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 12.0pt;">“Your child needs you to
teach social responsibility [which] begins by learning respectful
communication, behavior, participation and contribution within the first
community unit for a child—the family.”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>In our 2003 five-company study of innovation practices, we found one of
the major tasks in which “innovation midwives” or MOMs need to be diligent is
in “honoring the core.”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>If managers of
established revenue streams feel in any way a competitive threat (for resources)
coming from within the organization, they will consciously</span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 12.0pt;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 12.0pt;">—</span>and often
unconsciously</span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 12.0pt;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 12.0pt;">—</span>work against the innovation.</span></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraph">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin-left: 40.5pt; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -.25in;">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">5.<span style="font: 7.0pt "Times New Roman";">
</span></span></span></b><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 12.0pt;">Live Your Values: </span></b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 12.0pt;">“Your child needs you to
teach core values.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The clearer you are
about your core values, the more solid the base for your child.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>This requires ongoing introspection on the
part of the parent and an outgoing manifestation of living the values.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Children are watching their parents
always.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>They will do what they see
parents do, not what parents say.”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>If
the established business is oriented to the purpose of serving the needs of its
customers—even needs customers may not yet recognize</span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 12.0pt;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 12.0pt;">—</span>then it will not only
talk the talk of innovation, but also will walk the walk.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 12.0pt;">Our
innovation efforts not only need effective parenting, they also need effective
parents</span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 12.0pt;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 12.0pt;">—</span>mavericks, project managers, technology gatekeepers, MOMs and
“midwives.” Would we not be more successful at our innovation efforts if we
took the time, effort, care and love children require of their parents?</span><br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">This article by Lanny Vincent originally appeared in<i> Innovating Perspectives<span style="font-style: normal;"> in<i> May 2004</i></span><i><span style="font-style: normal;">.</span></i><span style="font-style: normal;"> For </span><span style="font-style: normal;">other issues of our newsletter,
please </span><span style="font-style: normal;">go to www.</span><span style="font-style: normal;">innovationsthatwork.com or call (415) </span><span style="font-style: normal;">387-1270.</span> </i></span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><i><br />
</i><i>© 2013 Vincent & Associates, Ltd. </i></span></span></div>
</div>
Lanny Vincenthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06130090282609402345noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5758268197473083140.post-61598552113868095992013-06-11T16:48:00.004-07:002013-06-11T16:51:14.330-07:00Is "Craft" missing from your Innovating?Several years ago I visited the National Inventors Hall of Fame in Akron, Ohio (it has since moved to Alexandria, Virginia). The building in Akron was unconventionally designed so visitors began their tour on the top floor, not on the first floor. Starting at the top and winding my way down, the novel layout ushered me through a historical journey of inventing in the United States. My tour ended where the names and pictures of the inventor inductees were hung with appropriate respect on the ground floor level. <br />
<br />
Some of the top floor exhibits chronicled the early days of the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO). Several panels described what the USPTO used to require of aspiring inventors and patent recipients in its earliest years. Requirements included written descriptions, claims and drawings, of course, but also a working model. <br />
<br />
In those early days, prolific inventors were often paired with anonymous partners, nameless craftsman who built working models of their inventor's inventions. These mechanical contraptions demonstrated that the inventor's conception could be "reduced to practice." After a while, the USPTO became increasingly challenged to find space to store these models. Finally, after the catastrophic fire of 1836, the USPTO abandoned its requirement for a working model. I have often wondered what may have been lost when the USPTO dropped this requirement. <br />
<br />
Without the requirement for a working model, the guild of artisan model makers disappeared. Prior to the 1836 fire, approximately 10,000 patents had been issued. Now there are some 50,000,000 issued patents. In hindsight, it was probably necessary for the USPTO to abandon the requirement for a working model; however, in doing so, the model maker became obsolete. <br />
<br />
My visit to the National Inventors Hall of Fame left me wondering whether a craft orientation is missing from our modern innovating efforts. My hypothesis is that in our current economic environment wherein so much attention is given to invention-less intrapreneurship and innovation, corporate innovating might remain disabled due in part to the persistent omission of craft in the innovating process. Does craft still have something essential to contribute to innovating? <br />
<br />
By asking this question I could easily be accused of nostalgic longing for the old days of mechanical engineering. Current technologies choreograph electrons and make photons dance to the scores of software, firmware or middleware. We have come a long way from the Rube Goldberg age of mechanical contraptions that once took up too much space in the USPTO. But I wonder, despite the reality and efficiency of creating working models in 3-D CADs and simulators, have we lost what craft can contribute to innovating efforts?<br />
<br />
Consider the meaning of "craft" particularly in the context of innovating. Might this seemingly old-fashion mindset, skill and approach still have something to contribute, especially to the development of "empowering" innovations (as Clayton Christensen calls those innovations that create jobs and new intrinsic value)? And when we avoid crafting our innovations, might we be missing something essential?<br />
<br />
The English word craft derives from the German word kraft, which means "strong" or "force." The word derives from the German adjective kräftiger, suggesting "strong, sturdy, vigorous, powerful, bold." For those familiar with paper chemistry, think Kraft pulping—the product and process invention of Carl Dahl and enabled by G.H. Tomlinson. Kraft pulping converts wood into wood pulp to produce near pure cellulose resulting in paper of superior strength in a relatively inexpensive manner. <br />
<br />
Today "craft" and its cousin "artisan," connote small-scale, made by hand, albeit with great care and skill. In the context of innovating, it suggests a deeply intimate, feedback-rich set of learning interactions between the creator and his or her creation. When a craftsman engages in his craft, tacit knowledge and skill is formed, and this is the very kind of experienced-based knowledge Ikujiro Nonaka and Hirotaka Takeuchi infer as the foundational phenomena of innovating itself (see <i>The Knowledge Creating Company). </i><br />
<br />
Viewed from the point of view of early stage innovating, craft could provide an essential "force" in the formation of an innovation. Viewed from the point of view of large-scale mass production of standardized products, however, craft appears irrelevant or quaint. Innovating with more of a craft mindset, however, may increase the probability that outcomes are more than merely clever, cute or creative. Craft may instill innovation with sufficient care, intrinsic value and substance early, giving it a chance to weather the inevitable watering down that comes in the later stages of market introduction and launch.<br />
<br />
We can’t ignore the post-industrialization realities of mass production and mass markets in a globalized economy. Neither can we ignore the fact that large, complex and global corporations are typically dissatisfied with the financial returns from their innovating efforts. Might these corporations be too impatient for growth and not impatient enough for profits? Might a more modest craft orientation of "reducing" the invention (and innovation) to practice actually be the quicker and more trustworthy way to determine if prospective customers recognize sufficient value to convince the CFO that profits can be sustained? <br />
<br />
The innovation economist David Teece did a study in 1986 commissioned by the U.S. Commerce Department. At that time the Department feared the strengthening ebb tide of manufacturing going offshore. Many wondered if this worrisome tide would leave erosions of profit, know-how and intellectual property. Teece persuaded the Commerce Department and many others not to worry. Teece concluded that more profits accrue to those with the complementary business assets (distribution, sales, etc., which take inventions to market) than to those who are only owners of intellectual property. <br />
<br />
While I am in no position to argue with Teece's findings; the logical inference from his conclusions may have added to the notion that companies should invent and innovate only what the company can take to market. Henry Chesbrough, the guru of open innovation, called this the "not-sold-here" mindset. Chesbrough named it one of the primary barriers to technological innovation. To be fair, Teece subsequently explored the notion of "dynamic capabilities"—a company's ability to reconfigure its own complementary business assets—as a sign of its adaptive, innovating potential. But the train had already left the station.<br />
<br />
Large companies search for big innovation opportunities often mistakenly assuming they have prescience to discern the big from the little before the little gets big. Yet large opportunities seldom start out large. More often these opportunities start small and grow into large opportunities. This seems to be the case for innovating as well. <br />
<br />
Might innovating efforts that begin with a craft orientation end up being "strong, sturdy, vigorous, powerful and bold" enough to warrant further investment in scalable growth and expansion? Might our impatience for growth (and misplaced patience for profits) be factors keeping us dissatisfied with the puny financial returns from innovating? Might our distain for the craft approach to innovating be causing us to avoid the more potent and substantive "empowering" innovations that create jobs? <br />
<br />
There are innovations that may require both product and process inventions—like the semiconductor or kraft pulping. Are we avoiding the risk of innovations that require both product and process inventions? Are we deploying our engineering and scientific talent to “sustaining” innovations and “efficiency” innovations (reducing costs of making and distributing) because they are more distributable, scalable and extensible? <br />
<br />
At least one large global company may not have lost its sense of craft when it comes to innovating. Consider Corning. In 2001, in their book, <i>Corning and the Craft of Innovation, </i>authors Margaret Graham and Alex Shuldiner wrote, "What made Corning distinctive was that it not only built the environment for scientific work and collected a solid knowledge base but also continued to draw on and maintain strong craft traditions…avoiding some of the worst excesses of ‘scientific management’." <br />
<br />
Scientific management may point us to more easily distributable and scalable innovations. However, it doesn't necessarily mean they should be distributed, scaled or extended. Innovating may be more of collaborative craft, at least in the early stages, than a repeatable process, unless of course, you are satisfied with sustaining and efficiency innovations. <br />
<br />
<br />
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">This article by Lanny Vincent originally appeared in<i> Innovating Perspectives<span style="font-style: normal;"> in<i> May 2013</i></span><i><span style="font-style: normal;">.</span></i><span style="font-style: normal;"> For </span><span style="font-style: normal;">other issues of our newsletter,
please </span><span style="font-style: normal;">go to www.</span><span style="font-style: normal;">innovationsthatwork.com or call (415) </span><span style="font-style: normal;">387-1270.</span> </i></span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><i><br />
</i><i>© 2013 Vincent & Associates, Ltd. </i></span></span></div>
Lanny Vincenthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06130090282609402345noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5758268197473083140.post-13105312727138067362013-05-14T13:50:00.007-07:002013-06-11T16:49:02.362-07:00Exercising Patience<style>
<!--
/* Font Definitions */
@font-face
{font-family:"MS 明朝";
panose-1:0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0;
mso-font-charset:128;
mso-generic-font-family:roman;
mso-font-format:other;
mso-font-pitch:fixed;
mso-font-signature:1 134676480 16 0 131072 0;}
@font-face
{font-family:"MS 明朝";
panose-1:0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0;
mso-font-charset:128;
mso-generic-font-family:roman;
mso-font-format:other;
mso-font-pitch:fixed;
mso-font-signature:1 134676480 16 0 131072 0;}
@font-face
{font-family:Calibri;
panose-1:2 15 5 2 2 2 4 3 2 4;
mso-font-charset:0;
mso-generic-font-family:auto;
mso-font-pitch:variable;
mso-font-signature:3 0 0 0 1 0;}
/* Style Definitions */
p.MsoNormal, li.MsoNormal, div.MsoNormal
{mso-style-unhide:no;
mso-style-qformat:yes;
mso-style-parent:"";
margin-top:0in;
margin-right:0in;
margin-bottom:10.0pt;
margin-left:0in;
line-height:115%;
mso-pagination:widow-orphan;
font-size:11.0pt;
font-family:Calibri;
mso-ascii-font-family:Calibri;
mso-ascii-theme-font:minor-latin;
mso-fareast-font-family:"MS 明朝";
mso-fareast-theme-font:minor-fareast;
mso-hansi-font-family:Calibri;
mso-hansi-theme-font:minor-latin;
mso-bidi-font-family:"Times New Roman";
mso-bidi-theme-font:minor-bidi;}
p.MsoNoSpacing, li.MsoNoSpacing, div.MsoNoSpacing
{mso-style-priority:1;
mso-style-unhide:no;
mso-style-qformat:yes;
mso-style-parent:"";
margin:0in;
margin-bottom:.0001pt;
mso-pagination:widow-orphan;
font-size:11.0pt;
font-family:Calibri;
mso-ascii-font-family:Calibri;
mso-ascii-theme-font:minor-latin;
mso-fareast-font-family:"MS 明朝";
mso-fareast-theme-font:minor-fareast;
mso-hansi-font-family:Calibri;
mso-hansi-theme-font:minor-latin;
mso-bidi-font-family:"Times New Roman";
mso-bidi-theme-font:minor-bidi;}
.MsoChpDefault
{mso-style-type:export-only;
mso-default-props:yes;
font-size:11.0pt;
mso-ansi-font-size:11.0pt;
mso-bidi-font-size:11.0pt;
font-family:Calibri;
mso-ascii-font-family:Calibri;
mso-ascii-theme-font:minor-latin;
mso-fareast-font-family:"MS 明朝";
mso-fareast-theme-font:minor-fareast;
mso-hansi-font-family:Calibri;
mso-hansi-theme-font:minor-latin;
mso-bidi-font-family:"Times New Roman";
mso-bidi-theme-font:minor-bidi;}
.MsoPapDefault
{mso-style-type:export-only;
margin-bottom:10.0pt;
line-height:115%;}
@page WordSection1
{size:8.5in 11.0in;
margin:1.0in 1.0in 1.0in 1.0in;
mso-header-margin:.5in;
mso-footer-margin:.5in;
mso-paper-source:0;}
div.WordSection1
{page:WordSection1;}
</style>
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">In moral matters, patience is a
virtue. In innovation, patience is not
only a virtue, it’s a necessity—a corporate “muscle” in need of constant
exercise. </span></span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Venture capitalists are not the only
ones losing their patience these days. Established
companies competing for financial capital and talent push harder to show better
results, faster. Declining investments
in R&D (as a percentage of sales), shorter cycle times, and every
increasing “D” in proportion to “R,” are just a few symptoms of this growing
corporate impatience. Many companies’
patience muscles may be getting a little weak.</span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">
</span></span><br />
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">The rewards for patience can be
significant. R&D investments can
produce returns that surprise even investors.
For example, Kimberly-Clark Corporation originally estimated the
disposable training pants market to be $250 million. Yet in a few short years
after they introduced Pull-Ups®, sales exceeded $450 million for their product
alone. While Pull-Ups was introduced to
the market in 1989, it was almost ten years after the two product development
visionaries—Glen Fleischer and Walt Pearls—patiently listened to mother
after mother to help them conceive of this new product. Perhaps the cycle time could have been
shorter, but it’s dubious the gestation period for this innovation could have
been rushed.</span></span></div>
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">
</span></span><br />
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">In their impatience to make the number,
many companies risk missing out on bigger numbers than can come from moments of
discovery that precede invention and innovation—moments that require
patience.</span></span></div>
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">
</span></span><br />
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">From the growing number of market
discovery assignments and collaborative invention assignments we do each year,
a pattern appears to be emerging—discovery precedes invention and successful
innovation. Invention can certainly
occur without some preceding discovery. Yet innovations that follow a fresh discovery—be it a surprise result
in the lab or a new perspective on the market—seem to carry a quality far
superior to and more strategic than their “stand alone” counterparts. If this
is true then how can a company build in the regular exercise that the muscle of
patience requires?</span></span></div>
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">
</span></span><br />
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Strategy can be one way of making
patience a regular practice. Cisco takes
a minority interest in smaller companies with interesting technology for a time
before acquiring them—and their talent.
Policy can be another way of building patience. The board of Marriott International, among
others, deliberately refuses to make decisions at the same meeting in which an
issue is raised. They wait until the
next meeting, just to increase the quality of the decision by adding a little
patience. Segregating and dedicating selected
resources to an effort is yet another way of exercising patience.</span></span></div>
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">
</span></span><br />
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Ezra Pound said, “Glance is the enemy
of wisdom.” We are coming to believe
that wisdom, and the patience required to develop it, may be the silent partner
that sustains a company’s innovation efforts well into its future.</span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: small;"><br /></span></span>
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: small;"><br /></span></span>
</div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">This article by Lanny Vincent originally appeared in<i> Innovating Perspectives<span style="font-style: normal;"> in<i> April 2000</i></span><i><span style="font-style: normal;">.</span></i><span style="font-style: normal;"> For </span><span style="font-style: normal;">other issues of our newsletter,
please </span><span style="font-style: normal;">go to www.</span><span style="font-style: normal;">innovationsthatwork.com or call (415) </span><span style="font-style: normal;">387-1270.</span> </i></span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><i><br />
</i><i>© 2013 Vincent & Associates, Ltd. </i></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
</div>
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">
</span></span><br />
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<br /></div>
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">
</span></span><br />
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<br /></div>
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">
</span></span><br />
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<br /></div>
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">
</span></span>Lanny Vincenthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06130090282609402345noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5758268197473083140.post-28201262145355501802013-05-02T13:17:00.000-07:002013-05-14T13:51:06.978-07:00Positioned to Receive Signals<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: small;">An unwritten rule for assembling a working group—especially for inventive or creative problem solving—is to have no more than three levels of the organization’s hierarchy present in the same room at the same time. Sometimes you want only two. When too many levels are in the same place at the same time, asymmetries of power can inhibit dissent and constrain the free expression of divergent thinking—both essential ingredients in collaborative and generative efforts.<br /><br />As there are exceptions to every rule, there are to this one as well. Exceptions include when higher-ups have collegial rapport with their direct reports or when the discernment of faint signals from complex and ambiguous external conditions outweighs the need for command and control directives. Thanks to Greg Blythe, master technology strategist at HP, for bringing our attention to the Cynefin framework’s description of complex versus chaotic conditions (see Wikipedia’s entry on Cynefin—a very useful diagnostic taxonomy for different types of external conditions). Cynefin goes even so far as to suggest that command and control oriented leadership may be appropriate for turbulent and chaotic conditions, but is inappropriate for complex and uncertain conditions. <br /><br />Over the past few months I have had the privilege of facilitating several working sessions where both these exceptions were in play. Success was achieved, much to the credit of the ego-strength (i.e., humility) of the participating higher ups, and the guidance of Cynefin. Had we encountered a lack of rapport between organizational levels or had we misdiagnosed the type of external conditions, organizational power would have presented a significant hindrance to these innovating efforts. Why? <br /><br />Innovating efforts depend so heavily on reading faint signals—signals that come to and through the bottom, middle and top levels of an organization’s hierarchy. If the bottom, middle and top are not freed from the signal distortions of power, the ability of the whole organization to respond will be crippled, often leading to a response that makes matters worse.<br /><br />When market conditions are sufficiently clear and external dynamics are sufficiently known, the delegation and distribution of power is relatively clear and straightforward in corporate governance and management systems. Here a command and control mindset works pretty well. Leaders lead, managers manage, employees follow and governing bodies oversee when operating conditions for corporations are relatively stable. <br /><br />However, when external market conditions become more complex and volatile, leading, managing, following and governing require participants in governance and management systems to leave their “fixed” positions and move into the clear so as to read the faint signals, which need to be discerned. Like a basketball team with possession of the ball, players need to leave their set positions and move to free themselves to be open to receive the ball from their teammates and find an open shot.<br /><br />Disruptions often turn familiar, friendly environments into unfamiliar, unfriendly ones. Whether those disruptions come from another’s innovation, the arrival of a tipping point, a gradual slippage of relevance, or the seemingly spontaneous combustion of a complex soup of factors, the disrupted will likely always outnumber the disruptors. <br /><br />Disruption can be lessened by a governance, leadership and management system that is able to flex itself from a “command and control” set to a “sense and respond” movement. The heart of this latter posture—actually a “readiness” more than a posture—resides in collaborative dialogues, not in hierarchical reviews.” (See Adaptive Enterprise: Creating and Leading Sense and Respond Organizations by Stephan H. Haeckel, and also Michael Kusnic and Daniel Owen’s piece on “Collaborative Decision-Making in Adaptive Enterprises” in Appendix B of Haeckel's book.)<br /><br />Much of the innovation literature and practice will keep senior executives and board members fixed in their reviewer roles. But when they come out of those fixed roles and find the “opening,” their individual and collective contributions to the company’s innovating system increase significantly. <br /><br />A company’s innovating system requires a constant balancing and rebalancing between governing, leading and managing. Recent investigations by the Innovation Practitioners Network in applying systems principles to innovating practice suggest too many corporate innovating systems are over-managed and under-led, and quite possibly under-governed.<br /><br />In the rebalancing, the governance, leadership and management of innovating systems should always leave plenty of room to invite the governors (i.e., innovation council or board members), leaders (i.e., sponsors) and managers (including midwives) to leave their starting positions, at least temporarily, and share with each other what each is perceiving from the complexities and turbulence of the external environment. <br /><br />Without these collaborative dialogues, undistorted by rank power, knowledge will remain segmented, dots will remain unconnected, innovating will suffer, innovators will be handicapped, and the opposing team will likely find the hoop more often. </span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: small;"><br /></span></span>
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: small;"><br /></span></span>
<br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><i>This article by Lanny Vincent originally appeared in Innovating Perspectives<span style="font-style: normal;"> in<i> March 2013</i></span><span style="font-style: normal;">.</span><span style="font-style: normal;"> For </span><span style="font-style: normal;">other issues of our newsletter,
please </span><span style="font-style: normal;">go to www.</span><span style="font-style: normal;">innovationsthatwork.com or call (415) </span><span style="font-style: normal;">387-1270.</span> </i></span></span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><i><br />
</i><i>© 2013 Vincent & Associates, Ltd. <i><br /></i></i></span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></span>
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></span></div>
Lanny Vincenthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06130090282609402345noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5758268197473083140.post-44215909858178017802013-04-16T07:32:00.002-07:002013-05-02T13:18:01.705-07:00Fear, Faith and Innovation<style>
<!--
/* Font Definitions */
@font-face
{font-family:"MS 明朝";
mso-font-charset:78;
mso-generic-font-family:auto;
mso-font-pitch:variable;
mso-font-signature:-536870145 1791491579 18 0 131231 0;}
@font-face
{font-family:"MS 明朝";
mso-font-charset:78;
mso-generic-font-family:auto;
mso-font-pitch:variable;
mso-font-signature:-536870145 1791491579 18 0 131231 0;}
@font-face
{font-family:Cambria;
panose-1:2 4 5 3 5 4 6 3 2 4;
mso-font-charset:0;
mso-generic-font-family:auto;
mso-font-pitch:variable;
mso-font-signature:-536870145 1073743103 0 0 415 0;}
/* Style Definitions */
p.MsoNormal, li.MsoNormal, div.MsoNormal
{mso-style-unhide:no;
mso-style-qformat:yes;
mso-style-parent:"";
margin:0in;
margin-bottom:.0001pt;
mso-pagination:widow-orphan;
font-size:12.0pt;
font-family:Cambria;
mso-ascii-font-family:Cambria;
mso-ascii-theme-font:minor-latin;
mso-fareast-font-family:"MS 明朝";
mso-fareast-theme-font:minor-fareast;
mso-hansi-font-family:Cambria;
mso-hansi-theme-font:minor-latin;
mso-bidi-font-family:"Times New Roman";
mso-bidi-theme-font:minor-bidi;}
p.MsoNoSpacing, li.MsoNoSpacing, div.MsoNoSpacing
{mso-style-priority:1;
mso-style-unhide:no;
mso-style-qformat:yes;
mso-style-parent:"";
margin:0in;
margin-bottom:.0001pt;
mso-pagination:widow-orphan;
font-size:11.0pt;
font-family:Cambria;
mso-ascii-font-family:Cambria;
mso-ascii-theme-font:minor-latin;
mso-fareast-font-family:"MS 明朝";
mso-fareast-theme-font:minor-fareast;
mso-hansi-font-family:Cambria;
mso-hansi-theme-font:minor-latin;
mso-bidi-font-family:"Times New Roman";
mso-bidi-theme-font:minor-bidi;}
.MsoChpDefault
{mso-style-type:export-only;
mso-default-props:yes;
font-family:Cambria;
mso-ascii-font-family:Cambria;
mso-ascii-theme-font:minor-latin;
mso-fareast-font-family:"MS 明朝";
mso-fareast-theme-font:minor-fareast;
mso-hansi-font-family:Cambria;
mso-hansi-theme-font:minor-latin;
mso-bidi-font-family:"Times New Roman";
mso-bidi-theme-font:minor-bidi;}
@page WordSection1
{size:8.5in 11.0in;
margin:1.0in 1.0in .5in 1.0in;
mso-header-margin:.5in;
mso-footer-margin:.5in;
mso-paper-source:0;}
div.WordSection1
{page:WordSection1;}
</style><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: small;">One
of the silent killers of innovation efforts may be fear. With the uncertainty in every stage of the
innovation process, fear can easily seep in and disable the innovator,
especially since the innovator is typically working against the odds. </span></span><br />
<br />
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: small;">One
of the most obvious fears associated with doing something new, and against the
odds, is the fear of failure. (This fear
has an interesting cousin called the fear of success<span style="font-size: small;">—</span>e.g., the jealousy for
resources that a ‘prodigal’ sibling innovation may appear to steal from the
‘elder’ and established sibling business.) However, there are likely other types of fears that become particularly
acute during certain stages of the innovation process. For example, the fear of rejection can keep
an idea generator from voicing an idea that could lead to a breakthrough.</span></span></div>
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: small;">
</span></span><br />
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: small;">Innovation
efforts involve working through four fundamental challenges<span style="font-size: small;">—</span><b>discovering </b>something new, <b>inventing </b>something useful, <b>incarnating </b>this invention into a
practical context and tangible value, and finally <b>introducing </b>the invention to the market and/or organization. Might not each of these challenges have its
own “demon” for the innovator; in other words, its own dominant type of
fear? For instance, the fear of
“unlearning” (i.e., appearing “naïve”) may be the demon against which
innovators fight in the discovery stage of an innovation effort. For the invention stage, it may be the fear
of rejection. For the
reduction-to-practice stage, it may be the fear of failure. And for the introduction and integration
stage, it may be the fear of insignificance (e.g., realizing that while
valuable, the innovation might not be the “be all and end all”).</span></span></div>
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: small;">
</span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: small;">“Drive
out fear” was one of Edward Deming’s fourteen timeless principles which became
popular during the total quality era a few years ago. Deming’s principle has a timeless relevance
to innovation management as well. But how
do you do that?</span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: small;">
</span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: small;">For
a couple of years now we’ve been toying with a hypothesis regarding the role
faith plays in the innovation process. While successful innovations are difficult to predict and diverse in
their character and circumstances, the accounts of how successful innovations
have developed have at least one theme in common<span style="font-size: small;">—</span>an overcoming of the
odds. When overcoming the odds is a part
of the plot line, both Hollywood and the world’s spiritual traditions know that
the story involves a little bit of faith on the part of the innovator. If innovation is about overcoming the odds
and their associated fears, then faith may play a larger role in innovation
than is often conceded. As many of the
world’s spiritual traditions have known for a long time, one of the most
effective antidotes to fear is faith.</span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: small;">
</span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: small;">Justifying
innovation investments, especially financially, continues to be a perennial
management challenge. Net Present Value,
options valuation methods, scorecards, and other attempts have not been able to
completely satisfy those who are searching for a defensive rationale. Given the
general dissatisfaction with any clear and definitive financial criteria for
innovation investments, it is fascinating that so many companies continue to
invest</span></span><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: small;">—</span></span>sometimes significant portions of their resources—in the pursuit of
growth-enabling innovations. So what is
it that sustains this motivation if it is not the numbers? Might it be faith? [Faith as defined by one spiritual tradition
as “the assurance of things hoped for, the conviction of things unseen.”]</span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: small;">
</span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: small;">Aside
from all this philosophical hypothesizing, there may even be practical
management implications in all this as well. Faith teaches us to face our ears, whether with the child-like <b>awe</b> required of the learner to unlearn
what he thought he knew, or with the <b>confidence</b>
required of the idea generator to expect and anticipate rejection, or with the <b>persistence</b> required of the inventor
whose 99% perspiration results from repeated trials and errors, or with the <b>humility</b> required of the
introducer/integrator to stand aside and let the light shine on the innovation
itself. Awe, confidence, persistence and
humility…aren’t these all synonyms for faith?</span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: small;">
</span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: small;">We
would appreciate your thoughts, experiences and connections with any or all
parts of this hypothesis<span style="font-size: small;">—</span>the role faith has played in your innovation
efforts. The dialogue itself should help
us each with more, better and even faster, <i>innovations
that work<span style="font-size: small;">®</span>.</i></span></span><br />
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<br />
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">
</span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">This article by Lanny Vincent originally appeared in <i>Innovating Perspectives<span style="font-style: normal;"> in<i> September 2003</i></span><i><span style="font-style: normal;">.</span></i><span style="font-style: normal;"><i> </i>Subsequently Lanny wrote the book <i>Prisoners of Hope: How Innovators and Others Get Lift for Innovating </i>(published by Westbow Press<span style="font-size: small;"><i> </i></span></span></i><span style="font-style: normal;"><span style="font-size: small;">in</span></span><i><span style="font-style: normal;"> 2011), which </span></i><span style="font-style: normal;"><span style="font-size: small;">expands and elaborates o<span style="font-size: small;">n the subject of this article. <span style="font-size: small;">For more information, p</span>lease go to </span></span></span><i><span style="font-style: normal;"><span style="font-size: small;"><i><span style="font-size: small;">http://www.innovationsthatwork.com/books-poh.html</span></i></span></span></i></span></span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><i><span style="font-style: normal;">For </span><span style="font-style: normal;">other back issues of our newsletter,
please </span></i><span style="font-style: normal;">visit</span><span style="font-style: normal;"> </span><i><span style="font-style: normal;">www.</span><span style="font-style: normal;">innovationsthatwork.com or call (415) </span><span style="font-style: normal;">387-1270.</span> </i></span></span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><i><br />
</i><i>© 2013 Vincent & Associates, Ltd. <i><br /></i></i></span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></span>
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></span></div>
</div>
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: small;">
</span></span><br />
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<br /></div>
</div>
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: small;">
</span></span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: small;">
</span></span>Lanny Vincenthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06130090282609402345noreply@blogger.com0