Sure It’s Innovative, but would You Eat It?
by guest blogger Debra Jennings, Innovation 360 Marketing Manager
The other day, my friends and I were discussing the innovative merits of a new product called “Candwich” — a sandwich that comes in a can. We all agreed it was innovative, though for different reasons. One person liked the innovative packaging, which allows Candwiches to be conveniently dispensed from vending machines, just like a soda can, for busy people on the go. Another called out the innovative preservation techniques that allow the sandwiches (even the BBQ chicken variety) to stay fresh inside the can for up to a year, without refrigeration. Finally I had to ask: But would you eat it? Read the rest of this entry »
Why Smart People Sometimes Make Dumb Predictions
by guest blogger Debra Jennings, Innovation 360 Marketing Manager
I recently came across an amusing list entitled “15 Failed Predictions About the Future.” It wasn’t surprising to find the much-quoted statement from Thomas Watson, the chairman of IBM in 1943:
“I think there is a world market for maybe five computers.”
More interesting were predictions like this one from former British Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher:
“It will be years — not in my time — before a woman will become Prime Minister.”
And this gem, attributed to associates of Edwin Drake, a petroleum engineer who in 1859 suggested an unorthodox method for uncovering crude:
“Drill for oil? You mean drill into the ground to try and find oil? You’re crazy.”
Although these examples are funny now, they demonstrate how a closed mind and negative thought patterns, like the ones below, can lead to such failed predictions. Read the rest of this entry »
Time to Retire Strategic Planning and Adopt Innovation Strategy
It’s almost that time of year again. Strategic planning teams all over the world will gather behind closed doors in a vain attempt to predict the future – except for the visionary ones who are saying “Enough!” They have realized that doing the same thing over and over again and expecting different results is, well, simply crazy.
Remember the first James Bond movie you ever saw? Regardless of who was playing 007, you couldn’t help but be swept up as he outgunned and outsmarted the bad guys and saved the day. Now think of the last James Bond movie you saw. Did it give you the same thrill? Or did you almost fall asleep? It’s not the actor, or the mind-numbing car chases and explosions to blame. It’s the fact that we’ve seen it all before, year after year, we know how it ends. We’re left feeling vaguely unsatisfied, hoping for something more substantial.
It’s the same with strategic planning. Read the rest of this entry »
