Ten Innovation Myths
Over the past year I’ve shifted my presentation materials so they include mostly pictures and 96 point font. That’s good for audiences (at least, I think it is), but bad when I get the kind of request that landed in my in-box last week.
“I’m doing an innovation update at one of our meetings and I’m hoping you can assist me with some conversation starters,” a senior leader said to one of our clients. “The main point of the presentation is to get the audience thinking proactively and positively about how they can contribute to innovation.”
I had presented a slideshow on this exact topic in April. Unfortunately, my slides consisted of a big picture of a black box, a photo of Steve Jobs, headshots of eight academics, a screenshot of an Old Spice advertising campaign, and a picture of my favorite haircut place in Singapore. The slides are pretty, but they won’t help a thirdparty who lacks the context.
So, my colleague Josh Suskewicz and I put our heads together and came up with the 10 innovation myths that we encounter most often in the field.
|
Myth
|
Reality
|
|---|---|
| Innovation is random | Innovation is a discipline — it can be measured and managed. Consider how Procter & Gamble’s structured approach to innovation allowed it to triple its innovation success rate and double the size of a typical initiative. |
| Only creative geniuses can innovate | Innovation is distinct from creativity. While creativity can help, people who aren’t intrinsically creative can create high-impact innovation if they follow the right process. |
| You’re either an innovator or you’re not | Research recounted in The Innovator’s DNA described how innovation is about 30 percent nature and 70 percent nurture. |
Read the rest at Scott’s Harvard Business Review blog.
Scott D. Anthony is managing director of Innosight Asia-Pacific.
