Blog
Back to BlogPosts Tagged ‘No Risk No Innovation’
Exponential Leadership and Innovation
“If I had asked people what they wanted, they would have said faster horses.” While there is no hard evidence to attribute the above quote to Henry Ford, there is no argument that he was a visionary of his time. He created something that consumers didn’t realize they needed, by making the automobile affordable. He…
Read MoreInnovation and Disruptive Necessity
Is the world getting smaller, or are we seeing further? Today we stand on the shoulders of giants in a rapidly changing world. In order to gain the competitive edge needed to stay relevant, it is imperative that businesses seek to disrupt their own business model before the competition does. Innovate or die the adage…
Read MoreRisk is an Imperative for Sustainable Innovation
Over five thousand failures for just one success: When Thomas Edison discovered the light bulb it took him 5999 tries to get it right. Edison is quoted as saying, “Every wrong attempt discarded is a step forward.” Of the ten imperatives to Roberts Rules of Innovation, “No Risk… No Innovation” is arguably one of…
Read MoreThe World’s Most Innovative Companies: Risk, Observation, & Measurement
Every year Fast Company reveals its list of the world’s most innovative companies of the year. With the topic of innovation front and center, Fast Company considers themselves to be a progressive media brand “written for, by, and about the most progressive business leaders”. For the most part, this year’s top 10 listing comes as…
Read MoreNo Risk = No Innovation, and the “Get out of Jail” card
The global business strategists, Boston Consulting Group report that risk aversion is the number one barrier to innovation. Ray Kroc, the founder of McDonald’s Corporation was a bit more succinct in his thoughts on taking risks: “If you’re not a risk taker, you should get the hell out of business.” Risk is fundamental…
Read MoreHappy Labor Day: Ownership is Risk Taking
Labor Day, the first Monday in September, is a creation of the labor movement and is dedicated to the social and economic achievements of American workers. For some, Labor Day signifies the end to sunny summer days. For others, it constitutes a yearly national tribute to the contributions workers have made to the…
Read MoreWalking on the Edge with Innovation
Innovation thrives on a diet of news ideas. It needs new views, fresh thinking; a different perspective from across the organization, from the center to the edge. According to John Hagel and John Seely Brown for the Aspen Institute Roundtable Discussion in 2012, the place where innovation is most likely to flourish is not at…
Read MoreInnovation Balancing Act
On June 15th of this year, Nik Wallenda became the first person ever to walk across the roaring Niagra Falls on a 2-inch wire. After battling wind swells, and thick mist, Wallenda completed his walk crossing from the United States into Canada. He was greeted by a Canadian customs agent who asked,…
Read MoreInnovation Myths Debunked
Innovation is key to a company’s survival, regardless of the size or type of organization. But there are many myths and common misconceptions when it comes to how innovation is achieved. Many people think innovation is all about generating ideas, or ideation. While it’s true that every innovation must start with an idea, it is…
Read MoreInnovation Requires Risk Taking
“If you’ve never failed… you’ve never lived” is a popular video on YouTube describing the failures of people like Thomas Edison, once called “too stupid to learn” by his teacher and Walt Disney, who was fired from a newspaper for “lacking imagination”. Not every idea succeeds, and indeed, some of America’s most triumphant inventors, artists…
Read More