Agile Innovation: The Revolutionary Approach to Accelerate Success, Inspire Engagement, and Ignite Creativity

Part IIILeading the RevolutionFrom Plans to Actions

During times of universal deceit, telling the truth becomes a revolutionary act.

—George Orwell

Innovate as If Your Life Depends on It

There's a great scene in the movie Walk the Line in which the young Johnny Cash is auditioning for record producer Sam Phillips. Cash is singing an old gospel song, but Phillips cuts him off well before he's done. Of course, Cash protests. “Hey,” Cash demands, “why you didn't let us bring it home?”

To which Phillips responds:

Bring…bring it home? All right, let's bring it home. If you was hit by a truck and you was lying out there in that gutter dying, and you had time to sing one song. Huh? One song that people would remember before you're dirt. One song that would let God know how you felt about your time here on Earth. One song that would sum you up. You tellin' me that's the song you'd sing? That same Jimmy Davis tune we hear on the radio all day, about your peace within, and how it's real, and how you're gonna shout it? Or…would you sing somethin' different. Somethin' real. Somethin' you felt. Cause I'm telling you right now, that's the kind of song people want to hear. That's the kind of song that truly saves people. It ain't got nothin' to do with believin' in God, Mr. Cash. It has to do with believin' in yourself.¹

Making innovation successful demands the same mind-set. You've ...