Posts by Paul Sloane
What is the Most Important Skill for a Leader of Innovation?
Which of these do you think is the most important skill for a leader of innovation? Setting the vision, goals and metrics Generation of great ideas Selection of the best ideas Starting exploration projects Listening to customer feedback Managing the portfolio and stage-gates Gaining support and resources from other departments Killing the weaker projects Launching…
Read MoreTen Questions to ask During a Recession
If your organisation is facing a difficult time during the current downturn then here are some questions to ask at your next executive meeting. Are we doing all that is necessary in order to survive? I guess that is the question that you are already sharply focussed on. So we will not go into all…
Read MoreSix Things I wish I had known before I accepted the position of Chief Innovation Officer
I was pleased and proud to be appointed to the position of CIO (Chief Innovation Officer). It seemed like a great opportunity to join a dynamic executive team and help drive the growth and ambition which inspired the company. Unfortunately, things did not work out well and there are some hard lessons to be shared. …
Read MoreFive Foundations for Building a Culture of Innovation
If you are trying to transform an organisation which is sluggish and risk averse into one which is innovative and entrepreneurial then you have taken on a massive task. One approach is to use the Prosci ADKAR Change Management methodology as advocated by Jeffrey Hiatt and Tim Creasey. It consists of five key stages. 1.…
Read MoreSelect Your Next Big Innovation with an Innovation Market
How do you choose which of your many promising ideas should get the precious and limited resources needed to bring it to market? Try using the wisdom of crowds. Many companies do this with software products which allow people to comment or vote on ideas – and this is fine. But if you do not…
Read MoreHow Artificial Intelligence Spurs Corporate Innovation
In the 1990s John Koza, a professor at Stanford University carried out a series of experiments involving new ways to create electrical circuits.  He designed a programme which created thousands of random circuit designs. These were measured against desired outcomes. Most were terrible and were eliminated. Those closest to a solution were combined and rerun. …
Read MoreCustomer Requests are Signals not Signposts – Focus on the Problem
The best innovations solve real problems. They provide solutions that customers are prepared to pay money for.  So it seems to make sense that we should listen carefully to customer requests. But this can be a mistake. In the famous words of Steve Jobs, “It isn’t the customer’s job to know what they want.â€Â The customer…
Read MoreThe Wrong Diagnosis means the Wrong Remedy
We tend to revere our clinicians as towering experts in their fields. So how often do you think doctors misdiagnose? How often might your doctor tell you that you have some illness or condition, but it’s not right? For example, a doctor might diagnose the flu, but the patient really has something much more serious…
Read MoreDon’t Treat the Symptoms – Turn off the Pump
Find the Root Cause In August 1854, there was a deadly outbreak of cholera in the Soho district of central London. Cholera leads to diarrhoea, vomiting, dehydration, and in many cases to death. Thousands of people fell ill and over 600 died. At that time, medical authorities believed that cholera was caused by ‘miasma’ –…
Read MoreEight Reasons why Innovation beats Efficiency
If you are running an organization of any kind then making it more efficient is a key priority. It is important to speed up processes, eliminate waste, improve quality, reduce costs and generally please customers. And if you work hard at it you can do all of these things. But it is also important to…
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