Putting the Innovator's DNA into Practice: People-Why Building Teams and Organizations That Possess Complementary Skills Is Crucial to Innovation

By: Clayton M. Christensen and Jeffrey H. Dyer and Hal B. Gregersen

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Synopsis: Great minds might think alike, but great innovators surround themselves with people who think differently-not only in how they think, but in what they think about and when they think it. Without a diverse supporting cast, even executives' most exciting ideas are sure to fizzle. In this chapter, authors Jeff Dyer, Hal Gregerson, and Clayton Christensen remind leaders that successful innovation is a collaborative process, rarely achieved by a lone individual. While innovative leaders should set the tone, they must also stack their squad both with individuals who can push the organization's creative potential and those who can execute on its best new ideas. Citing examples from influential companies like BIG and IDEO, the authors advise readers on how to build the best team for the job, by selecting people with complementary skills who bring expertise from three key areas. The chapter introduces the concept of the innovation funnel and identifies the particular personalities that facilitate each stage of the cycle. Although disruptive innovation teams concentrate on creativity and outside-the-box thinking, this chapter proves that leaders need to focus on finding the right people to make game-changing innovation happen. This chapter was originally published as Chapter 8 of "The Innovator's DNA: Mastering the Five Skills of Disruptive Innovators."