Book Club: ‘The Innovator’s DNA’
The bi-monthly selection for February 2012 is The Innovator’s DNA – Mastering the Five Skills of Disruptive Innovators.
Clayton Christensen is the author of numerous books including the bestseller The Innovator’s Dilemma. In The Innovator’s DNA Christensen and co-authors Jeff Dryer and Hal Gregersen build on what we know about disruptive innovation to show how individuals can develop the skills necessary to move progressively from idea to impact.
By identifying behaviors of the world’s best innovators, leaders from Amazon, Apple, Google, Skype and the Virgin Group, the authors outline five discovery skills that distinguish innovative entrepreneurs and executives from ordinary managers: Associating, Questioning, Observing, Networking and Experimenting.
Once you master these competencies (the author’s provide a self assessment for rating your own innovator’s DNA), the authors explain how you can generate ideas, collaborate with colleagues to implement them, and build innovation skills throughout your organization to sharpen its competitive edge. The innovation advantage can translate into a competitive [marker] – that is possible only by building the code for innovation into your organization’s people, processes and guiding philosophies.