in Innovation
Without DARPA there would be no internet. That and GPS, drones, self-driving cars, computer mouse, voice recognition and a host of other innovations that started as military projects and then made their way to society.
With a reputation as an innovator of the highest order, how does DARPA stay innovative?…
in Innovation, Podcast
Innovate or die? The idea that we must innovate to be successful, have we taken it to the extreme? Some people think so. An in interesting review of a book argues that our unhealthy obsession with the future, where anyone who wants to be successful has to innovate, disrupt, and “own the future”, is making us come up with simplistic ideas rather than great ideas that tackle real challenges. …
in Innovation
LEGO has earned the right to celebrate. Not only are kids playing with more mini LEGO people than there are human beings on the planet but in 2015, they were nominated by Forbes as the most powerful brand in the world. For a company which was on the brink of bankruptcy in 2004, the toy maker has made an amazing turnaround. They restructured, hired a new CEO, and forged more licensing partnerships than ever before. Most importantly, they discovered the secret to some of the world’s most successful company and reducing attrition in the call center and low risk innovation strategies.…
Michael Dearing, a venture capitalist, has developed strong views on the similarities of innovators after screening over three thousand founders and funding over sixty companies since 2006. Dearing observed that the most successful founders are prone to certain “cognitive distortions”: biased, even objectively inaccurate, ways they think of themselves and filter information that enable them to make quicker and better decisions, bounce back from setbacks, and attract talent.
As a leader, to enable innovation in your teams, you need to create the conditions necessary for innovation to happen. That means setting bold goals, providing support and getting out of the way; but it isn’t easy.
A common innovation challenge inside established organizations is getting out of people’s way to let them put their talent to use and develop ideas that could change the course of the company.
A common strategy that is executed to overcome this challenge is to create a dedicated innovation team, one that doesn’t work on core business challenges; rather it is given time to find the next revolution by letting them play with ideas. …
in Innovation, Podcast
Star Trek is one of the few science fiction universes that grapple with the idea that money may someday become obsolete. It’s a world where people are no longer interested in the accumulation of things. In this world, the way to cultivate status is by talent and intellect; for the betterment of ourselves and humanity. …
in Innovation
It’s inevitable, the robots are coming for our jobs. McKinsey Global Institute predicts that robots could increase global productivity 50% by 2025, adding $2 trillion to the economy; other studies point to similar outcomes.
Right now we’re in phase one of the robot revolution: routine task automation. …
Are all innovators alike?