As part of my “Magic and Innovation” series, here is a 3-minute video blog, “Transforming Nickel Ideas to Dollar Innovations: The Danger of Excessive Valuation of an Invention.” In it, I discuss one of the innovation fatigue factors that stem from the innovators or inventors themselves when they think their early-stage invention or embryonic innovation …
Almost like something out of a Utopian science fiction novel, two neighboring research communities, Fusionopolis and Biopolis, stand as R&D beacons to scientists and companies across the globe, rising from the small island nation of Singapore and its remarkable research park, One North. Fusionopolis and Biopolis are visible fruits of a dramatic new focus on …
As the world becomes more “green conscious,” green innovation will increasingly be an area where the best of human creativity can surprise and delight us. One of my favorite case studies in Conquering Innovation Fatigue is that of Orion Energy Systems (NASDAQ: OESX), where CEO Neal Verfuerth’s personal journey of innovation has resulted in a …
Just got my first copies of Conquering Innovation Fatigue. Very happy with the printing by John Wiley & Sons. Many thanks to artists Nichole Marshall and Mark Benyo for assistance in cover design and graphics. Both are from the Fox Cities of Wisconsin (Menasha and Appleton, respectively). While the book is written with a global …
The Book Is in Print! And Yes, There Is a Wisconsin Touch Read More »
We have emphasized the importance of strengthening “the will to share” as a key to having a culture of innovation in an organization. Breaking the will to share is one of the most dangerous innovation fatigue factors that we discuss in our book. Google, typically a hotbed of innovation, continues to show that they understand …
Strengthening the Will to Share: Google’s Approach Read More »
An April 2009 report in the McKinsey newsletter, “R&D in the downturn: McKinsey Global Survey Results,” reveals that many leading companies are not shredding their R&D budgets. These companies view R&D and new product development as a source of competitive advantage. Where R&D is clearly important for future success, many companies are actually expanding their …
The Downturn: This Is the Time to Invest in R&D/New Product Development Read More »
Fake Work: Why People Are Working Harder Than Ever but Accomplishing Less, and How to Fix the Problem by Brent D. Peterson and Gaylan D. Nielson (New York: Simon and Schuster, 2009) strikes a chord in most anybody who has been in Corporate America – or most anybody who works, for that matter. Dr. Brent Peterson from the Marriott School of Engineering (Brigham Young University) and Gaylan Nielson, CEO of The Work Itself Group, apply decades of experience in facing the dysfunctions of modern business and diagnosing the problems of wasted effort. They estimate that over half of all work is meaningless, or “fake workâ€â€“work that is not related to the objectives of the business and does not help a business to survive. Fake. Meaningless. Wasted. These are terrible adjectives to apply to the exhausting efforts we go through, but they are accurate much of the time.
One of the nine major “Innovation Fatigue Factors” that we emphasize in the book is what we call “Breaking the Will to Share.” This describes the tenuous bonds of loyalty and trust that motivate innovators in an organization to bring forth their best ideas and breathe life into their work for the good of the …
Breaking the Will to Share: The Silent Innovation Killer Read More »
The importance of relationships is one of enduring lessons in understanding how to overcome innovation fatigue and achieve innovation success. Relationships with the right people and partners are critical. Many fail to recognize that these must be nurtured and maintained, that time and effort is required. Learn this lesson from job seeking: it’s not enough …
Last week I called a friend and inspiration, Verna Allee, the founder of ValueNetworks.com and the driving force behind many successful applications of Value Network Analysis. I was pleased to learn that ValueNetworks.com was receiving a significant honor from the IT analyst firm Gartner. The award names Verna’s organization as a “Cool Vendor” in the …
Gartner Gives “Cool Vendor” Award to ValueNetworks.com Read More »