Innovation Introduction

The Best Innovation Books

Business Model Generation by Alexander Osterwalder and Yves Pigneur
Testing Business Ideas by David Bland and Alex Osterwalder
Blue Ocean Strategy, and Blue Ocean Shift, both by W. Chan Kim and Renee Mauborgne
Disciplined Entrepreneurship by Bill Aulet
Driving Eureka by Doug Hall
The Startup Owner's Manual by Steve Blank and Bob Dorf
Zero to One by Peter Thiel with Blake Masters
The Lean Startup, and The Startup Way, both by Eric Ries
Invent and Wander by Jeff Bezos
Running Lean by Ash Maurya
The Innovator's Dilemma by Clayton M. Christensen
The Innovator's Mindset by George Couros
Startup Communities by Brad Feld

Innovation Quotes

Very few people take unorthodox ideas seriously today, and the mainstream sees that as a sign of progress. We can be glad that there are fewer crazy cults now, yet that gain has come at great cost: we have given up our sense of wonder at secrets yet to be discovered... The actual truth is that there are many more secrets left to find, but they will yield only to relentless searchers (Peter Thiel with Blake Masters, Zero to One).
The only sustainable solution to the accelerated pace of change is to create a culture of innovation. Innovation creates something meaningful and unique, and can be a product or a process, and innovation should be everyone's responsibility (Doug Hall, Driving Eureka).
Our job as leaders is not to control others but to bring out the best in them... Characteristics of an innovative leader include; vision, empathy, models learning, risk-taking, networked, observant, and a team builder who is always focused on relationships (George Course, The Innovator's Mind).
We must be committed to constant improvement, experimentation, and innovation in every initiative, and we will continue to make investment decisions in light of long-term market leadership considerations rather than short-term profitability considerations (Jeff Bezos).
Competition should not occupy the center of strategic thinking... Industry structure is not given; it can be shaped; Strategic creativity can be unlocked systematically (W. Chan Kim and Renee Mauborgne, Blue Ocean Strategy).
Problems show up in business through systems about 94 percent of the time, and through people about six percent of the time (W. Edwards Deming, Out of the Crisis).
Rigorously measure, confront hard truths, and create experiments to learn how to move numbers closer to the plan (Eric Ries, The Lean Startup).
The real reason why MIT is so successful at creating new companies is a combination of spirit and skills. At MIT there is a culture that encourages people to start companies all the time... More important than being charismatic, entrepreneurs need to be effective communicators, recruiters, and salespeople (Bill Aulet, Disciplined Entrepreneurship).
Historian Will Durant studied world history over four decades and concluded history is shaped more by demanding situations than by great men (Benjamin Hardy, Willpower Doesn't Work).
In 2018 more than 75% of US venture capital for business innovation went to just three states... There are principles that can help communities develop an environment that nurtures business innovation (Brad Feld, Startup Communities).

Business Model Innovation

The business model is a good place to consider innovating a business. A business model describes how an organization creates, delivers, and captures value. The book Business Model Generation explains this, along with the one-page Business Model Canvas.

The Business Model Canvas can be found at https://www.strategyzer.com. The Business Model Canvas has nine parts, including Key Partners, Activities, and Resources, the Value Propositions, Customer Relationships and Segments, Cost Structure, and Revenue Streams.

The Business Model Generation was followed up with the books, Value Proposition Design, Testing Business Ideas (my favorite), The Invincible Company, and High-Impact Tools for Teams. You can get all five in a box set, here. They also offer classes, courses, and coaches, here.

Strategic Innovation

Another good one-page tool that is proven to help people with strategic innovation is the Strategy Canvas, which is explained in the book, Blue Ocean Strategy. The Strategy Canvas helps you to map out the standard industry value curve and overlay your potential future strategies. The book, Blue Ocean Strategy helps you with "strategic creativity that drives value innovation” with focus and divergence, using the four action framework. It also explains how to reconstruct market boundaries in your favor, and create a compelling tagline.

You can find some Blue Ocean strategy tools at https://www.blueoceanstrategy.com/tools/. The Blue Ocean website also provides helpful information, case studies, and teaching material.

Personal Innovation

We can innovate our personal lives and significantly increase our sense of meaning in life, which can attract better human made opportunities. Many very successful people have referred to this cause and effect relationship as creating our own luck, or creating opportunities. When we focus on improving ourself and doing our best, it builds our confidence and competence, which naturally attracts better human made opportunities.

The book, Opportunity Truth, is a great place to start with a personal innovation introduction. It also provides details on how the Purposeful Growth System applies to professional growth, leadership growth, and business growth. The @Anewtrek YouTube channel provides great playlists with collections of links to many of the best videos of experts who share their secrets for personal innovation... https://www.youtube.com/@anewtrek/playlists

An Innovation Introduction

This Innovation Page Includes...

The Best Innovation Books

The Best Innovation Podcasts

Innovation Quotes

Business Model Innovation

Strategic Innovation

Personal Innovation