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The Disruptive Innovation Checklist: Part 1
To break the rules you need to follow some rules
I’ve been working in and around innovation for many years but increasingly my interest is focused on the support systems needed to nurture disruptive innovation.
This week I have been re-reading what I believe is the definitive book on disruptive innovation: The Innovator’s Dilemma by Clayton Christensen. First published in 1997, it remains as relevant today as ever. For it’s not really about the technology of the day, but much more about the organisation ecosystems and forces that either help or hinder disruptive innovation.
I think it’s compulsory reading for innovators and leaders, but not everyone has the time or the inclination, so here’s a 2 minute highlight reel just for you.
All innovation is not created equal and Christensen makes a clear distinction between disruptive innovation and sustaining innovation. Disruptive Innovation breaks the rules of the old business models and rewrites them in ways the former industry leaders rarely see coming.
In this world where digital disruption abounds, I have heard many organisations assert they have built an innovation capability and promise they can defy the odds and disrupt themselves and create new ground. Yet across company after company and industry after industry, the data is compelling and unequivocal: unless you carefully calibrate and nurture the settings required for disruptive innovation to thrive, then failure is almost certain.
Disruptive innovation by incumbents is possible, however it takes courage, and a commitment to addressing the systemic issues that keep incumbents from disrupting themselves. To have a chance at success you need to be aware of these issues. I’ve summarised my research into disruptive innovation into a Checklist of seven rules to follow to establish a system that supports and protects the innovation. In this post, I cover the first four rules.
Rule #1: The innovation must serve the higher purpose and vision of the organisation.
Alignment with the organisation’s purpose is key for this is the glue that connects innovation to the wider organisation while also helping leaders craft a narrative about why this and…
