September 30, 2019 | by Chris Kalaboukis
How A Networked Culture Drives Innovation
In Who Says Elephants Can’t Dance, the bestselling memoir of the his historic turnaround at IBM, Lou Gerstner wrote, “I came to see, in my time at IBM, culture isn’t just one aspect of the game—It is the game. In the end, an organization is nothing more than the collective capacity of its people to …
September 30, 2019 | by Chris Kalaboukis
Entrepreneurial Efforts for Innovation Must Fit Your Brand
To meet ever-increasing growth objectives, established companies want to be more entrepreneurial. And the thinking goes like this – launch new products and services to create new markets, do it quickly and do it on a shoestring. Do that Lean Startup thing. Build minimum viable prototypes (MVPs), show them to customers, incorporate their feedback, make …
September 29, 2019 | by Chris Kalaboukis
Silicon Valley’s Next Target: Disrupt the Construction and Real Estate Industries
‘Construction Tech’ and ‘Real Estate Tech’ are the next greenfield market spaces. Every industry, every company, and every leader must recognize one simple fact: every product, service, process, and business model will be disrupted–it’s just a matter of time. Companies that think they’re immune to the trends and technologies upending every industry on the planet risk …
September 29, 2019 | by Chris Kalaboukis
Get Ready for the Largest Divide Man Has Ever Faced
According to one of the most detailed studies of A.I.’s adoption, the benefits and the risks are much greater than anything we’ve ever imagined. Are you prepared? The din of AI seems to be everywhere. From boardroom to bedroom, AI is promising to alter every aspect of how we work, live, play. But we’ve heard …
September 27, 2019 | by Chris Kalaboukis
How Education Can Win the 4th Industrial Revolution
If you agree, then thriving in the 4th industrial revolution will require nothing short of restructuring public education at all levels, not just k-12. Even doctors will need to change how they educate their young. How many things can you do with a paperclip? Many not for profits are directing their efforts to provide equitable access to …
September 26, 2019 | by Chris Kalaboukis
When Should You Collaborate and When Should You Compete?
Boeing and Airbus are arch-rivals, competing vigorously over decades for supremacy in the global aviation market, much like DowDupont and BASF do in chemicals. Yet all of these companies, along with many others, collaborate at places like the Composite…
September 25, 2019 | by Chris Kalaboukis
The Whole System is Rigged Against Innovation
Work in innovation for more than a decade you see familiar patterns. One of the most damning, yet predictable ones is relying on the core business units to commercialize innovations outside of their core. This tendency bruises an innovation effort beyo…
September 24, 2019 | by Chris Kalaboukis
Scenarios for Smart, Sustainable, Human Cities
Intelligent, Connected, and Mobile – By Rohit Talwar, Steve Wells, Alexandra Whittington, April Koury, and Maria Romero How might technological advances in data management, artificial intelligence, and energy help shape the future of cities? A vision of the “city of the future” is often presented as a compelling symbol of the direction in which society …
September 23, 2019 | by Chris Kalaboukis
Drivers of Commoditycare
Imitation and commoditization in retail products and services has become the norm and it’s getting harder and harder to stand out in the mind of customers. Despite enormous advertising budgets, slick marketing, viral social media campaigns, and hype, most product improvement is incremental with very little real innovation. Similarly, while there are presently big variations …
September 23, 2019 | by Chris Kalaboukis
Single Biggest Obstacle to Artificial Intelligence is This Obscure Factor
The promise of A.I. seems to be right around the corner, but not unless we deal with one critical challenge that would delay A.I. by decades. The promise of A.I. is everywhere and in everything. From our homes to our cars and our refrigerators to our t…
September 22, 2019 | by Chris Kalaboukis
People Are Always the Hardest Part
The toughest part of all things is the people part. Hold on to being right and all you’ll be is right. Transcend rightness and get ready for greatness. Embrace hubris and there’s no room for truth. Embrace humbleness and everyone can get real. Judge yourself and others will pile on. Praise others and they will …
September 22, 2019 | by Chris Kalaboukis
Here’s What You Really Need To Know About Quantum Computing
Every once in a while, a technology comes along with so much potential that people can’t seem to stop talking about it. That’s fun and exciting, but it can also be confusing. Not all of the people who opine really know what they’re talking about and, as the cacophony of voices increases to a loud …
September 20, 2019 | by Chris Kalaboukis
Harvard Study Reveals One Exercise That Predicts 96% Lower Cardiovascular Risk
In less that 10 minutes you can gauge your risk of a heart disease or a cardiac event by doing this exercise. Cardiovascular diseases ranks as the number cause of death worldwide. And while it’s well known that even moderate exercise can significantly lower cardiovascular risk, diagnosing that risk has often involved numerous expensive clinical …
September 19, 2019 | by Chris Kalaboukis
De-Risking Corporate Innovation by Using Suppliers
In this column we have analyzed why it is nearly impossible for Corporate Innovation teams to successfully commercialize new products, services, and business models both within and outside of their core business at length. The risks alone make Legal an…
September 18, 2019 | by Chris Kalaboukis
When to pull the plug and learn from failure
Creating a new venture, championing a new process or offering a new course or program is exciting. However, statistically, it is more likely you will fail than succeed and there is a fine line between determination and pig-headed optimism. You might not have the skills to do what you love. At some point, you will have …
September 17, 2019 | by Chris Kalaboukis
What kind of culture best fosters innovation?
Hint: it’s not about the perks Fast Company‘s recently published 50 Best Workplaces for Innovators list is an eye-opener worth reading. The magazine’s research team, in partnership with Accenture, sought companies that “empower all employees…to create new products, improve operations, and take risks.” Ones where “innovation isn’t just a buzzword but a part of the…
The post What kind of culture best fosters innovation? appeared first on Innovationedge.
September 17, 2019 | by Chris Kalaboukis
Here’s How We’re Killing Innovation In America
Throughout America’s history, technological innovation has been key to security and prosperity. Whether it was through entrepreneurs like Thomas Edison, Henry Ford and Thomas Watson, or government programs like the Manhattan Project, the Apollo Program and the Human Genome Project, The United States has been on the cutting edge. Today, as we enter a new …
September 16, 2019 | by Chris Kalaboukis
You’re Looking For Love In All The Wrong Places
We’ll give virtually anything to find it but what if it’s already here and you just aren’t paying attention? You’d have been hard-pressed today to avoid the many arrows being slung from Cupid’s social media armies. They’ve invaded your timelines, feeds, texts, emails, and, if you’re lucky enough, perhaps they’ve even delivered a dozen or …
September 16, 2019 | by Chris Kalaboukis
A Little Uninterrupted Work Goes a Long Way
If your day doesn’t start with a list of things you want to get done, there’s little chance you’ll get them done. What if you spent thirty minutes to define what you want to get done and then spent an hour getting them done? In ninety minutes you’ll have made a significant dent in the …
September 15, 2019 | by Chris Kalaboukis
Increased R&D Doesn’t Mean Innovation
A recent PwC study looked at a large rise in global R&D spending in 2018, more than a 17% gain over 2017. Many pundits shared the article as evidence of an innovation revolution despite the warnings in the article. Silly, huh? The piece states, “rising R&D spending is an indication that companies are committing to …
September 15, 2019 | by Chris Kalaboukis
4 Things All Managers Must Know About Digital Transformation But Don’t
Today, technology has become central to how every business competes. Futuristic advancements like artificial intelligence, big data and cloud computing are no longer pie-in-the-sky propositions, but mission critical initiatives that leaders are racing to implement within their organizations. Unfortunately, most of these initiatives fail. In fact, McKinsey found that fewer than a third of organizational …
September 13, 2019 | by Chris Kalaboukis
How NASA Used an Unforgettable Image to Brilliantly Communicate a Big Message
In Arthur C. Clarke’s classic Space Odyssey Sci-fi series a recurring theme is the presence of a large back monolith built by an ancient civilization. The monolith has transformational powers that alter the trajectory of humanity, starting with our ancient cave-dwelling ancestors and then following our evolution through the modern day and into the future. …
September 12, 2019 | by Chris Kalaboukis
Don’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’ – …
September 11, 2019 | by Chris Kalaboukis
Real Reason Shoppers Are Not Returning
Malls are closing. Retail stores are fighting to stay afloat. Analysts expect that more than 6,000 stores will close in 2019. More than 40,000 employees are expected to be laid off. The blame is often cast on the new digital retail experience. Yes, the…
September 10, 2019 | by Chris Kalaboukis
Therantology
The Theranos story continues to unfold in the headlines and will likely be the stuff of Harvard Business School cases for years to come. Here is a brief history of Theranos. and where they find themselves now. According to the WSJ, Theranos Inc. said it will shut down its blood-testing facilities and shrink its workforce by more than …
September 9, 2019 | by Chris Kalaboukis
Testing Your Business Model
Sometimes we get caught up in the details when we should be working on the foundation. Here’s a rule: If the underlying foundation is not secure, don’t bother working on anything else. If you’re working on a couple new technologies, but the overall business model won’t be profitable, don’t work on the new technologies. Instead, …
September 9, 2019 | by Chris Kalaboukis
Here’s What You Need To Know To Compete In An Ecosystem Driven World
In 1980, a young Harvard Business School professor named Michael Porter published Competitive Strategy, which drove thinking on the subject for the next 30 years. In essence, he argued that you build sustainable competitive advantage by maximizing barg…
September 9, 2019 | by Chris Kalaboukis
The Perfect Want Ad
Simon Sinek cuts to the chase. This is all you really need to know if you are trying to attract the right people to your team, project, or organization. And notice how he used the Edward Shackleton story to make his point. Telling the right story is…
September 8, 2019 | by Chris Kalaboukis
Leading People in the Imagination Age
Most of us are aware that the nature of work is changing. According to Singularity University, while emerging technologies may destroy many jobs, they will also create many new appealing ones. Widespread innovation, in the imagination age, will give birth to exciting new industries, all of which are sources of new jobs and occupations. It’s exciting …
September 8, 2019 | by Chris Kalaboukis
Empathy, Integrative Thinking and Innovation
I write and play music as a creative hobby. It doesn’t pay terribly well, but it is fun, and can also occasionally trigger insights into the creative process that translate into the broader innovation space. Most recently, it caused me to revisit integrative thinking, a concept I was first introduced to by Roger Martin in his …