Ten Types of Innovation: The Discipline of Building Breakthroughs

Chapter 15

Mind the Gap

Uncover Your Blind Spots

Innovation efforts mostly fail. Even when development teams do well, most firms can still find ways to screw up the execution. Despite high hopes and best efforts, projects often just can’t get off the ground. When that happens, everyone involved is typically embarrassed—so they work hard to scrub any mention of the effort from their resumés.

Treating innovation as a discipline demands that you do the opposite. When a project fails, treat it forensically: “Why didn’t it work? Did any part of it succeed? What should we do differently next time?” And when you see success? Don’t assume that it is entirely due to your personal brilliance. Chances are, outside factors were at work there, too.

Also remember that how you succeeded in the past influences the way you approach the future. By putting past projects under a spotlight, it is possible to understand your innovation patterns. Being conscious about what you do and how you do it is a key step toward mastering innovation as a discipline.

Here are some helpful guidelines for using the Ten Types of Innovation diagnostically to make sure your organization is not missing out on potential opportunities.

Not Everything Is Innovation

The Ten Types cover the arc of business, so it’s likely that you’ll be doing something in many of them. But remember: “Something” is not necessarily innovation; it might be an incremental improvement; it might simply be your everyday business. Be precise, and ...