#1: Leadership and Innovation. "You can't always get what you want..."

But if you try sometimes, you just might find you get what you need.

This initial blog is dedicated to innovation leaders and those aspiring to become one. To be a true leader of innovation, you don’t need to personally conceive of every innovation, but you must create the conditions that enable your team to succeed. In this blog, I'll explore the three key elements for leadership and innovation:

1. Clarity of Purpose – A well-defined vision of the future in which you must succeed, along with a future value proposition that drives success.

2. Intentional Action Plan – A strategic roadmap outlining what needs to be done now, key milestones along the way and the allocation of resources to get it done. (H1, H2, H3.)

3. Playfulness – Cultivating a culture of innovation where people feel safe taking risks, exploring bold ideas, and embracing the unknown.

Over my 30 years in the business of innovation, this iconic Rolling Stones lyric has echoed in my mind more times than I can count. It’s not just a catchy refrain—it encapsulates a core truth about innovation. In fact, it’s part of what inspired me to start this blog: to explore how businesses can navigate the gap between what they want and what they need from innovation.

Too often, my colleagues and I have been brought in to help clients frustrated with their innovation efforts. Despite significant investments of time and money, the results often fall short of expectations. When we dig deeper, the reasons become apparent: while businesses excel at their core operations, they often lack the understanding or tools to pursue innovation effectively.

To lead successful innovation, it’s essential to grasp a principle I call “You Get What You Play For.” Wanting innovation isn’t enough; achieving it requires meeting three key criteria:

Have an inspired, shared Vision of the Future

1. Clarity of Purpose

To foster growth through innovation, you need a clear vision of what innovation is expected to accomplish. What types of innovation are you seeking? What does success look like? Your purpose should serve as a North Star, challenging, inspiring and guiding efforts.

Remember, innovation is inherently about creating something new and valuable. If you overly define the specifics upfront, you may limit opportunities to only what you can already imagine. Instead, articulate a compelling vision and let it guide exploration.

Intention requires Purpose and Choices

2. Intentional Action

Innovation doesn’t happen by chance. It requires deliberate, structured effort. Consider the concept of innovation horizons:

            •  Horizon 1 (H1): Incremental Innovation

Focused on improving existing products or processes to maintain or enhance competitiveness, this typically accounts for 70-80% of an innovation portfolio, and is critical to fueling the resources needed for future success.

            •  Horizon 2 (H2): Breakthrough Innovation

This involves game-changing ideas within your industry—creating new markets, new customers, and new opportunities. H2 requires exploration of emerging opportunity spaces and iterative development, accounting for 20-25% of efforts. Failures here aren’t endpoints; they’re learning steps.

            •  Horizon 3 (H3): Transformational Innovation

This is the realm of paradigm shifts and “new-to-the-world” innovations. It’s rare but impactful, rewarding early adopters and bold thinkers.

Great leaders allocate resources and energy thoughtfully across these horizons. Don’t expect breakthrough results if your efforts are only incremental.

Innovation isn't black & white, it requires technicolor thinking

3. Playfulness

True innovation requires creativity, curiosity, and a willingness to color outside the lines. A culture of innovation fosters eccentric thinking and encourages exploration of “wild and wacky” ideas—provided they align with the broader vision.

Failure isn’t the enemy; it’s a learning tool. “Fail fast, fail cheap is not a recipe for innovation.  It’s a recipe for failure. The saying should say: “Fail fast, fail cheap—but learn and try again.” Innovation thrives in environments that embrace experimentation and adapt from setbacks. Remember Thomas Edison’s thousands of attempts to invent the light bulb—each failure brought him closer to success.

Literal thinking won’t get you to innovation. Playfulness pushes boundaries, takes mental “flights of fancy,” and connects imaginative ideas back to purpose. It’s through this interplay of creativity and strategy that groundbreaking innovation emerges.

Why This Blog?

My goal in starting this blog is to demystify innovation—a crucial but often misunderstood driver of business growth. Innovation isn’t just about big ideas; it’s about the process of envisioning and implementing new ways to create value for your business and its stakeholders.

If you understand how to play for it, you can achieve it. Let’s explore how together.Why This Blog?

My goal in starting this blog is to demystify innovation—a crucial but often misunderstood driver of business growth. Innovation isn’t just about big ideas; it’s about the process of envisioning and implementing new ways to create value for your business and its stakeholders.

If you understand how to play for it, you can achieve it. Let’s explore how together.