Relentless Innovation: What Works, What Doesn’t--And What That Means For Your Business

Chapter 5The Antagonist

Every story has a protagonist, the leading man or woman who is the “star” of the show. Considering the “story” of innovation in corporate settings, let’s consider the “middle manager” as the protagonist. I’ve argued that middle managers, though unloved and underappreciated, hold the most important role in any organization. Middle managers work heroically to achieve profit, driving results and using inputs efficiently to sustain high share prices with fewer and fewer resources, yet their recognition and rewards pale next to those of executives. They strive to do what’s best for the company in terms of effectiveness while delivering a consistent quarterly result. These individuals are working to achieve the goals as established ...