Learn from the Best
Great leaders of innovation know that creativity is not enough. They succeed not only on the basis of their ideas, but because they have the vision, reputation, and networks to win the backing needed to commercialize them. It turns out that this quality--called "innovation capital"--is measurably more important for innovation than just being creative.
The authors have spent decades studying how people get great ideas (the subject of The Innovator's DNA) and how people test and develop those ideas (explored in The Innovator's Method).
Now they share what they've learned from a multipronged research program designed to determine how people compete for, and obtain, resources to launch new ideas:
Featuring interviews with the superstars of innovation--individuals like Jeff Bezos (Amazon), Elon Musk (Tesla), Marc Benioff (Salesforce), Indra Nooyi (PepsiCo), and Shantanu Narayen (Adobe)--this book will help you position yourself and your ideas to compete for attention and resources so that you can launch innovations with impact.
Jeff Dyer is the Horace Beesley Distinguished Professor of Strategy at Brigham Young University's Marriott School and an adjunct professor at the Wharton School, University of Pennsylvania. Dyer is a coauthor of The Innovator's DNA (with Hal Gregersen and Clayton M. Christensen) and The Innovator's Method (with Nathan Furr). He is widely published in Harvard Business Review, Forbes, and other business journals.
Nathan Furr is a strategy professor at INSEAD. He is a coauthor of Leading Transformation (with Kyle Nel and Thomas Zoega Ramsoy) and The Innovator's Method (with Jeff Dyer) and has contributed numerous articles to Harvard Business Review, Sloan Management Review, Forbes, Inc., and other business media.
Curtis Lefrandt is the CEO of the Innovator's DNA consultancy. Prior to founding Innovator's DNA, Lefrandt worked as a consultant at Innosight, on the iPod team at Apple, in venture capital investing, and as a social entrepreneur.
Dyer, Furr, and Lefrandt are cofounders of Innovator's DNA, a consultancy that enables organizations to build a culture of innovation.
Author social media/website info:
Jeff Dyer: innovatorsdna.com, @Jeffrey_Dyer, innosight.com, @InnovatorsDNA, @innovators_dna
Nathan Furr: innovatorsdna.com, insead.edu, @nathan_furr, @InnovatorsDNA, @innovators_dna
Curtis Lefrandt: innovatorsdna.com, @clefrandt, @InnovatorsDNA, @innovators_dna
Advance Praise for Innovation Capital:
Marc Benioff, Chairman and co-CEO, Salesforce--
"Innovation Capital shines a unique spotlight on a fundamental building block for achieving success in any entrepreneurial endeavor--cultivating a network of amazing mentors, advocates, and benefactors to help turn your ideas into reality."
Shantanu Narayen, Chairman and CEO, Adobe--
"There's an adage in business that 'the best idea wins.' In truth, it's often the idea with the best champion--someone who can instill belief, rally support, and paint a vision for turning ideas into reality--that wins. Innovation Capital provides a fantastic blueprint for becoming an effective champion of ideas. It's full of valuable lessons from the companies and innovators who have lived them."
Tina Seelig, Professor of the Practice, Department of Management Science and Engineering, Stanford University; author, Creativity Rules--
"This is an important book that should be read by anyone who aspires to lead an innovative organization. It clearly demystifies that path to gaining support for bold new ideas that will ultimately be game-changing."
Ralph Hamers, CEO, ING Group--
"Innovation Capital is that special currency that can be exchanged for true transformation. It's what elevates great inventors into great innovation leaders. This book is a must-read for anyone leading their team through an innovation-inspired change and for startup innovators trying to make a success of their ideas."
Indra Nooyi, former Chairman and CEO, PepsiCo--
"In this book, Jeff, Nathan, and Curtis present a compelling case for how leaders at every level can build and grow their innovation capital to turn new and creative ideas into reality. Whether you're just launching your career or you're an industry veteran, this is a must-read."