'The Innovator's DNA'



Yet another classic book from Jeffrey Dyer, Hal Gregersen, and the Master of Disruption, Clayton Christensen

Perhaps one of the most important questions facing corporations today, especially those seeking more innovation, is:  what characteristics or attributes signal innovation capability in an individual?  Further, is it possible to embed those key attributes in the corporate culture, so that a corporation mimics the characteristics and capabilities of a strong innovator?  Could we distill what made the late Steve Jobs, Thomas Edison and other leading innovators so successful?

There’s another unspoken question but inherent in the first:  Is innovation capability an innate skill or can it be learned?  The 'nature versus nurture' debate continues for innovation skill.  On one hand many will argue that Jobs and other innovators like him are genetic mutants, unusual and specifically gifted for innovation success.  Others, increasingly, will argue that the skills and characteristics of innovators can be identified, developed and learned.  If innovation skills and aptitudes can be acquired and learned, innovation can be accelerated in far more organizations.

By identifying behaviours of the world's best innovators - from leaders at Amazon and Apple to those at Google, Skype, and Virgin Group - the authors outline five discovery skills that distinguish innovative entrepreneurs and executives from ordinary managers: Associating, Questioning, Observing, Networking and Experimenting.

Once you master these competencies (the authors provide a self-assessment for rating your own innovator's DNA), the authors explain how to generate ideas, collaborate to implement them, and build innovation skills throughout the organization to result in a competitive edge.

This innovation advantage will translate into a premium in your company's stock price as an innovation premium - which is possible only by building the code for innovation right into your organization's people, processes, and guiding values and vision.

Practical and provocative 'The Innovator's DNA' will strengthen your innovation prowess.

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See Slideshare for quick overview.