Putting the Innovator's DNA into Practice: Philosophies-What Do Highly Innovative Companies Have in Common?

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

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Synopsis: Becoming an innovative organization necessitates deep, company-wide commitment. Announcing a philosophy of innovation and committing to it in words and actions will instill in your employees the idea that in your organization, creativity is the norm, not the exception. In this chapter, authors Jeff Dyer, Hal Gregerson, and Clayton Christensen draw upon their research and interviews with today's leading executives and entrepreneurs to articulate the four philosophies that came up most in their study of accomplished innovators: 1) Innovation is everyone's job, not just R&D's; 2) Disruptive innovation is part of our innovation portfolio; 3) Deploy small, properly organized innovation project teams; and 4) Take "smart" risks in pursuit of innovation. The chapter also includes reflective questions that can help you gauge whether or not your company's promise of innovation actually translates into practice-in the form of groundbreaking new products and services that can boost your bottom line. This chapter was originally published as Chapter 10 of "The Innovator's DNA: Mastering the Five Skills of Disruptive Innovators."