Mastering the Five Skills of Disruptive Innovators

After reading the Innovator's Dilemma, I was teased by the store to read this. I sort of remember some of this stuff from my school days, but this was a great refresher course to read while riding my exercise bike.

Well organized and written. Uses great real world examples. Includes research that validates theories. I like the little tests you take to examine which of the traits of an Innovator you have and ways to improve.

While most of the principles described in the book might already be pretty well known for people working in R&D department, this reading might help bureaucrats to look beyond the formal rules and company policies and this way increase the chance to expand the market with new products and services or improve the existing ones.

Few qualities separate inordinately successful entrepreneurs from the rest of the pack than the ability to innovate. Many have debated whether individuals are born with this quality or whether it can be nurtured. In The Innovator's DNA, Jeff Dyer, Hal Gregersen and Clayton Christensen explain that while genetics play a role, innovation is most certainly a skill that can be learned.

In particular, the authors introduce and expound upon five "discovery skills" found in the leaders of some of the most innovative companies in the world: (1) associating, (2) questioning, (3) observing, (4) networking and (5) experimenting. Each discovery skill is accompanied by real-world examples and pragmatic exercises that make the book unusually valuable in an age where copious books on change, leadership and innovation overwhelm the already-overwhelmed executive.

I give The Innovator's DNA an exceptional five stars out of five. The authors present a very readable book and provide concrete exercises for developing innovative skills. Using the principles provided in the book, I created a folder on my computer that I call my "Innovation Room." I use this to track progress as I work through various exercises and as I take time to ponder about how to apply innovative solutions to extant problems in Utah. This book was and will continue to be useful to me, and is recommended as a must-read for those interested in adding rare innovative attributes to their arsenal of problem-solving and decision-making skills.

*NOTE: The preceding text is taken verbatim from my short book review printed in the June 2012 edition of Utah Business.

Companies that are seen as innovators command an "innovation premium" in the market, and for good reason. These are the companies that not only adapt to changing conditions, but lead the way through them.

The five discovery skills--building blocks of innovation--that are identified in this book were arrived at through extensive research (8 years and over 100 interviews), which separates it from the bulk of the existing books on innovation that too often trumpet a methodology that worked in one case at one organization as being a universal solution.

The surprising revelation is that these five building blocks are behaviors, not traits that you are either born with or will never have. These are habits that can be learned and mastered through practice.

Although the ideas will be familiar to readers on creativity and innovation, they take on new meaning when presented in this context and prioritized based on the researcher's findings. For example, two of the five behaviors are universal and appear to be essential, while the other three showed up frequently, but not every one of those behaviors is practiced in every case.

The later part of this book gives practical ideas on how to integrate these habits into the 3P's (people, processes, and philosophies) of an organization.

I had high expectations for this book and it did not disappoint.

Here is another book review with perspective with how the content can be applied to education. This is how I always read my materials.

On with the review.

Book website: [...]

This book was another fascinating read. I have been blessed to have read many great books in a row. This one is another one that all people should read.

The authors conducted an eight year study that established 5 Skills that all innovators possess.

1. Association
2. Question
3. Observe
4. Network
5. Experiment

When I think of these five skills I don't think of successful people despite that many have these skills, but I instantly think of kids. All kids have these five skills. The key idea that I left this book with is that schools and society must change to quit killing these skills in youth. My young children possess these skills, but as they get older I fear they will lose these vital skills to be successful in life.

It is hard to innovate when structure does not change and even more so in schools with such limited scope when educators are forced to fight for obedience instead of learning.

The authors mention that large companies typically fail at disrupting innovation because top management team is dominant by people with delivery skills, not discovery skills. I think this holds true in some regards in education as well. The schools that deliver have administration that get it and work for discovery and testing the edge of chaos.

If we want this to change then I think the honest question must be

How does your company/school reward and promote discovery skills?

I am not suggesting that we just go wild fire and leave things completely wide open without restriction. Creativity loves constraint. We must remember that questions alone do not produce innovation. They are necessary, but insufficient. We need those people that can deliver. You need big ideas, but you need those who work through the details to get it done. In schools I think it would be amazing if we took time to assemble teacher teams divided up by these skills. You need teams with a variety of skills and abilities. Discovery driven people are not all that matters

The book talks about people who would be good for teams and innovation. I like these skills for educators as well. I often wonder if colleges prepare student teachers for these skills and more importantly are schools screening teachers with these skills. If not, then I think this is something that needs to be addressed. The skills are

1. Show a track record that demonstrate discovery skills
2. Possess deep expertise in at least on knowledge area and show breadth in a few others (T shaped knowledge)
3. Display a passion to change world and make a difference

If we know that innovators and creators are going to be the face of change and the future of business, then we as educators and schools need to shift how we teach and the values we express. I think we are in a pivotal time that we must begin to change some things up. Not everything is broken, but we are in need of an update.

This book was an essential read that left me with many great ideas to think about and items that I need to address. My current goal as a result of this book is to create a place for teachers to come tinker, explore, question, observe, and experiment. I am calling it Tinker Time and it starts this week. I will continue to push myself as an educator to allow more of these 5 skills to develop in my classroom and school.
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As is true of others who have written business books that also offer breakthrough insights, the authors of this one set out to answer an especially important question: "Where do disruptive business models come from?" What Jeff Dyer, Hal Gregersen, and Clayton Christensen concluded is shared in this book. It's too early to be certain, of course, but I think this book is destined to become a "business classic," as have so many of the other books that Christensen has authored or co-authored. It is worth noting that The Innovator's DNA emerged from an eight-year collaborative study, suggesting that its information, insights, and counsel are research-driven, anchored in the real world.

Some of the most valuable material was generated by interviews of dozens of "inventors of revolutionary products and services as well as founders and CEOs of game-changing companies build on innovative ideas." They also include what they learned from Steve Jobs, Richard Branson, and Howard Schultz (whom they did not interview) whose innovative thinking has transformed entire industries. "We wanted to understand as much about these people as possible, including the moment (when and how) they came up with the creative ideas that launched new products or businesses."

The title of this book refers to an aggregate of five primary discovery skills that enable various innovative entrepreneurs and executives to generate breakthrough ideas. "A critical insight from our research is that one's ability to generate innovative ideas is not merely the function of the mind, but also a function of behaviors. This is good news for us all because it means that if we change our behaviors, we can change our creative impact."

It should also be noting that an abundance of entrepreneurial research throughout the past 17-20 years reveals that, in terms of personality traits or psychometric measures, entrepreneurs do not differ significantly from typical (even traditional) business executives. My take is that almost anyone in almost any workplace can develop the five discovery skills. The extent and velocity of that development will largely depend on leadership. "The bottom line: If you want innovation [enterprise wide], you need creativity skills within the top management team of your company."

The co-authors include a disclaimer (sort of): "First, engaging in the discovery skills doesn't ensure financial success...Second, failure (in a financial sense) often results from not being vigilant in engaging all the discovery skills...Third, we spotlight different innovators and innovative companies to illustrate key ideas or principles, but not [repeat NOT] to set them up as perfect examples of how to be innovative."

The five Discovery Skills are hardly head-snappers: Associating with stimuli (mind, heart, and five senses); Questioning anything and everything, especially one's assumptions and premises; Observing with intent and intensity, noting what many others miss; Networking by connecting people as well as dots while accessing new (i.e. unfamiliar) resources; and Experimenting (e.g. test the untested, disassemble and deconstruct, prototype, add new knowledge). In the most innovative organizations or portions thereof, all five are institutionalized in terms of incentives and rewards, division of labor, allocating resources, transparency, cross-functional collaboration, recognition/celebration, and (yes) protection for prudent but bold risk-takers.

Not everyone is willing and/or able to thrive in such a culture. Disruption is by nature messy, unpredictable, confusing, upsetting, and often threatening. When Joseph Schumpeter introduced the process of "creative destruction," his ultimate objective was, in fact, creative creation. Just as Albert Einstein urges us to make everything as simple as possible but no simpler, Schumpeter urges us to destroy everything except what is essential...and then build on that. The authors of this book urge us to strengthen the five skills through individual and team initiatives that are guided and informed by a business model that, if it is designed properly, will be continuously self-disruptive.

"But My servant Caleb, because he has a different spirit in him and has followed Me fully, I will bring into the land where he went, and his descendants shall inherit it." -- Numbers 14:24 (NKJV)

Innovation is one of those subjects about which there is a lot of agreement ... and disagreement. Some people believe innovation is inborn, while others argue that it is mostly learned behavior. Some people find it so hard to develop new ideas that they spend much time learning how to think differently, without much considering if those different thoughts are helpful or not. Others have so many different ideas that they have difficulty focusing on just a few of them.

Into such agreement and disagreement, individual studies of actual innovators and non-innovators can be helpful in pointing out differences. If the differences can be learned, then others can become innovators. That's the premise behind this book.

Disruptive innovations are those that leave existing business models and offerings hung out to dry, such as what happened to Bowmar and its portable electronic calculator business. Most innovation is, instead, incremental, providing just a little twist on what's always been done in an evolutionary change. If you have read any other books in this series, you know that most organizations focus on incremental innovation because it is so immediately profitable ... leaving the competitive door open for those with disruptive approaches.

In The Innovator's DNA, the authors use about 80 interviews of disruptive innovators and survey information for a large number of non-innovators to identify that these factors are important (as summarized in the model found described by Figure 1-1 on page 27:

(1) Courage to innovate
(1a) Challenging the status quo
(1b) Taking risks

(2) Engaging in helpful behaviors
(2a) Questioning
(2b) Observing
(2c) Networking
(2d) Experimenting

(3) Cognitive skill to synthesize novel inputs (characterized as associational thinking)

The book goes on to describe these characteristics in more detail and to suggest ways to increase your effective use of them through people, processes, and organizational philosophies.

To greatly oversimplify the book's key point, you should assume that there's an enormously valuable disruptive innovation waiting for you to discover that will greatly reward you for your efforts. Therefore, making finding that disruptive innovation your top activity and organize accordingly.

If someone told you that you could count on finding large flawless natural diamonds by simply looking around for them where you live and work, you would certainly be looking. And if, in fact, there were such diamonds, you would be more likely to find them.

So are disruptive innovations almost always available. Well, my research and teaching experiences have convinced me that's the case. This book, however, doesn't try to make that case. It just assumes it to be true in a tacit way.

How applied is the information? Well, it's great for someone new to the subject. For someone who isn't, it's pretty simplified. As a result, this book will mainly appear to those who don't have a clue how to start looking for a disruptive innovation, and that's all to the good.

I must admit that I think the notion of an innovation premium in stocks probably can't be accurately verified by the methods used in this book. It just assumes any premium is due to innovation. My own research shows that innovation is only one factor in gaining and retaining a stock-price premium value. So take that bit with a big grain of salt.

Otherwise, the work is solid ... as far as it goes.

I do hope the authors will do a more applied version of this work aimed at those who are more advanced practitioners of disruptive innovation. Now, that would be a most helpful book!

If you believe, everything that can be invented has been invented, and there is no compelling reason for the humanity to continually innovate, then certainly, this is not the book for you. However, you will be glued to The Innovator's DNA - if you are intrigued by questions like: How can I become more innovative myself? How can we infuse a culture of innovation? What is the secret sauce that differentiates the most successful enterprises and innovative individuals? How visionary entrepreneurs like Apple's Steve Jobs, the store's Jeff Bezos, eBay's Pierre Omidyar, and P&G's A.G. Lafley come up with groundbreaking new ideas? If you want to bring in a difference to the world around you and improve the quality of lives, then The Innovator's DNA is a hard to put down.

Authored by Jeff Dyer, Hal Gergersen, and Clayton M. Christensen, and published by the Harvard Business Review Press in 2011, The Innovator's DNA, deciphers the mystique genome of disruptive innovators, and simplifies the complex aura that is often woven around innovation, thereby, democratizing the notion of innovation. Based on an eight-year inductive and exploratory, interview-based, research methodology to unravel the origins of creative, and often disruptive business strategies in particularly innovative companies, the authors microscopically examine the habits of innovative entrepreneurs, over 3,000 executives and 500 individuals who had started innovative companies or invented new products/services. The results of this study was first published in a leading academic journal, Strategic Entrepreneurship Journal, and then later published in another article that was the runner-up for the 2009 Harvard Business Review McKinsey Award.

While the first part of the book focuses on how disruptive innovation can start with you as an individual, the second part deals with the DNA of disruptive organizations and teams. The first six chapters describe how innovative people think differently and act differently to generate creative ideas for new products, services, processes and businesses. The rest of the chapters are focused on answering the question, how innovative companies and tram comprising many people build the code for innovation into their people, processes, and philosophies?

In the first chapter, the DNA of the disruptive innovators, the authors argue that creativity is not a genetic predisposition, but is an active endeavor. Based on their research on five hundred innovators compared to about five thousand executives, the authors classify five discovery skills that make innovators special. They argue that innovators' DNA carries strong cognitive trait of association, and behavioral skills of passionate questioning, intense observing, diverse networking, and continual experimenting. The authors expound that innovators are passionate and courageous to continually innovate.

In the second chapter, discovery skill #1, associating, the authors dwell on the dynamics of combinatorial play, and how innovators use diverse associations to propel great business ideas. Stressing on cross-pollination of experiences, and perspectives, the authors details how disruptive innovator create odd combinations of different concepts, zoom in and out into the depth of details while collecting lots of ideas to connect the dots across diverse experiences to synthesize disruptive thoughts.

In the third chapter, discovery skill #2, questioning, the authors describe how innovators treat the world as a question mark, always on an autopilot mode, instinctively ignoring safe questions, and opting for crazy ones, challenging the status quo, common wisdom, and often threatening the powers that be with uncommon intensity and frequency. The authors expound that questioning is a way of life for innovators and elucidates how vital it is to inculcate the habit of asking descriptive questions like what is?, what caused?, and disruptive questions such as why?, why not?, and what if?

In the fourth chapter, discovery skill #3, observing, the authors showcase how innovators always keep their intense observation skills turned on, carefully scanning the world around them, and sensitized to what doesn't work. The authors argue that such observations often engage multiple senses, and prompt compelling questions. They reflect on how innovators generate business insights keenly observing people, processes, companies or technologies and seeing a solution that can be applied in a different context. They visit new environments, look for surprises, always on an exploratory journey in all they do.

In the fifth chapter, discovery skill #4, networking the authors explain how
Innovators gain a radically different perspective unlike typical delivery executives through an enriching network of diverse individuals. They stress that out-of-box-thinking necessitates tapping outside experts, through idea networking, going out of way to meet people with different backgrounds and perspectives. Networking is most likely to spark innovative ideas, the authors aver.

In the sixth chapter, discovery skill #5 experimenting, the authors stress that for the innovators, the world is their lab, they always try out new experiences, taking things apart, testing ideas by creating prototypes, and running pilots. They further argue that though questioning, observing, and networking are excellent for providing data about past and future, experimenting is the best way to generate data to achieve success and shape the future. It points out that most innovators remain undeterred by the outcome of their experiments.

In chapter seven, the authors explain in detail the DNA of the most innovative companies, and how they build their code for innovation right into their organization's 3Ps: people, processes and philosophies. It establishes that leading by founder leaders who excelled at discovery, such companies have more people with stronger discovery skills at all levels, and a culture of systematic processes to infuse same skills in all employees. The philosophies of such firms include innovation is everyone's job, disruptive innovation as part of portfolio, lots of small project teams, and smart risks, the book explains.

In chapter eight the authors focus on "People", and how to put the Innovator's DNA into practice. They explain how innovation distinguishes leaders from followers. The authors further argue that in world's most innovative companies senior executive don't delegate innovation, they lead the innovation charge with a high discovery quotient and regularly contribute innovative ideas. The authors stress that innovative companies find novel ways to hire discovery driven people who have a track record of innovation and a strong desire to change the world.

Chapter nine illuminates the readers on "Processes", and how to put the Innovator's DNA into practice. The authors reveal that the DNA of the innovative organizations reflects the DNA of innovative individuals. They elucidate that just as innovative people systematically engage in questioning, observing, networking and experimenting to trigger new ideas, innovative organizations develop systematic processes that encourage the same skills in employees. By creating organizational processes that mirror their individual discovery behaviors, innovative leaders build their personal innovator's DNA into their organization, the authors assert.

Chapter ten stretches the imagination on "Philosophies", and how to put the Innovator's DNA into practice. The authors explain that highly innovative companies live by a set of key innovation philosophies that instill a deep enterprise-wide commitment to innovation. They profess that such companies make clear that innovation is everyone's job, that disruptive innovation is vital, that they create lots of small project teams endowed with the right people, structures, and resources to power new ideas to market, and they knowingly take risk in their pursuit of innovation. The authors maintain that such philosophies drive a culture that only ignites new ideas, but helps them make a dent in the universe.

In the concluding part the authors stress on the imperative to act different, think different, and making a difference to the worlds around us. They stress that though the innovators journey, individually or collectively, can often feel like a road less travelled, the road is worth taking because it just make all the difference in one's live and initiate meaningful change in the lives of people. The authors emphasize that innovation is an investment for individuals and companies alike. The chapter sums up with a provocative thought "The people who are crazy enough to think they can change the world are ones who do. So, just do it. Do it now."

There are Three Appendices at the end which capture the sample of innovators interviewed, the Innovator's DNA inductive research methodology - and how to develop strong discovery skills in individuals, in the next generation, in the homes and neighborhood. The authors share a final call for action to adopt a young innovator, at least one child, and help hone his innovation skills, the only way to nurture our future by a new generation of disruptive innovators.

A critical insight from the author's research is that one's ability to generate innovative ideas is not merely the function of the mind, but also a function of behaviors. What sets this book apart and makes it hard to put down is its simple, conversational narrative and the way it dismantles the commonly held ivory tower notion of innovation and puts the focus on how innovation is relevant for all, and how it can be practiced with ease, not just the business, but even for the common man or even the children and how it can play a vital role in bringing up societal progress and nurturing our future.

The only thing which could have been better in the book is The authors' final call for action dwells on an appeal to adopting young innovators, finding at least one child, and helping him/her appreciate and strengthen the innovative skills, the great way to bring in a difference to the world around us. Indeed, a book that makes you more resolute to the larger human cause. Indeed, if we don't collectively nurture the next generation of disruptive innovators, in our homes in our neighborhood who will?

The book makes one reminiscent of a quote by the founder of one of the most innovative companies of the world IBM, Thomas J. Watson who said, "All the problems of the world could be settled easily if men were only willing to think. The trouble is that men very often resort to all sorts of devices in order not to think, because thinking is such hard work." Indeed, this book is a gripping work, a great leveler to stimulate innovation across the spectrum, in all walks of life.

Are we ready to tread this path, venture into the realm of unanswered queries of humankind and unravel the mysteries?

Let's just do it. The time to act is now...

Innovation gurus Jeff Dyer, Hal Gregersen and Clayton M. Christensen studied today's innovators and synthesized their findings into this immediately applicable handbook. They never oversimplify or suggest that innovation always succeeds, but they do indicate that the practices they identified in their research correlate with commercial achievement. getAbstract recommends their expert compilation to those who want to become more innovative, to business leaders seeking to revitalize their firms and to trainers who want to help learners think more creatively.

This book absolutely has been one of the best books I have read this year. How does one become creative or innovative? You do this by:
1) Questioning
2) Observing
3) Networking
4) Experimenting
5) Associating

This is what all the great minds have done and it has been proven to work, as long as you take the time to develop them.
Read this book and add it to your library as you will want to reference it when you feel stumped or need a boost of creative thought.

This book is a great addition to the "Innovator's Library". If you have read the Innovator's Dilemma, Solution, Prescription, etc., then you will truly appreciate the Innovator's DNA. I have often wondered what innovative qualities have empowered Steve Jobs or Clayton Christensen, and this book does an excellent job of pin pointing some key innovative characteristics. In addition, it allows the reader to self evaluate his or her innovative capability, and then make the needed adjustments to become more innovative.

Whether you are a Wall Street executive, a newly graduated university student, or an eclectic entrepreneur, you will find this book extremely helpful in improving and establishing your innovative capacity. A great purchase for all those who would like to understand our generation's innovative minds, and then to further your quest to become an innovator.

In business we become complacent when all is well. Given the current uncertainty we need to consider that our business may nedd to evolve. This book provides a framwork of how to assess your business and provodes direction to improve or even better, prepare for an uncertain future.