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The Innovator's DNA, Updated, with a New Preface: Mastering the Five Skills of Disruptive Innovators
A new classic, cited by leaders and media around the globe as a highly recommended read for anyone interested in innovation.
In this bestselling book, authors Jeff Dyer (Innovation Capital and The Innovator's Method), Hal Gregersen (Questions Are the Answer), and Clayton M. Christensen (The Innovator's Dilemma, The Innovator's Solution, and How Will You Measure Your Life?) 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--from leaders at Amazon and Apple to those at Google, Tesla, and Salesforce.com--the authors outline five discovery skills that distinguish innovative entrepreneurs and executives from ordinary managers: associating, questioning, observing, networking, and experimenting. Using the same diagnostics used in their study of successful innovators, the authors show you how to evaluate, and build upon, your own "DNA" code through in-depth advice and stories that demonstrate each discovery skill in action and how to develop it.
Once you know the behaviors and skills of successful innovators, Dyer, Gregersen, and Christensen explain how you can use them to generate ideas, collaborate with colleagues to implement them, and build innovation skills throughout your organization to sharpen its competitive edge. This innovation advantage will translate into a premium in your company's stock price--an innovation premium--which is possible only by building the code for innovation right into your organization's people, processes, and guiding philosophies. This book shows you how.
Now updated with a new introduction and fresh examples, The Innovator's DNA is the essential resource for individuals and teams who want to strengthen their innovative prowess.
320 pages, Hardcover
Published June 4, 2019
546 people are currently reading
6746 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 178 reviews
December 10, 2013
Here is another book review with perspective with how the content can be applied to education. This is how I always read my materials.
On with the review.
Book website: www.innovatorsdna.com
This book was another fascinating read. I have been blessed to have read many great books in a row. This one is another one that all people should read.
The authors conducted an eight year study that established 5 Skills that all innovators possess.
1. Association
2. Question
3. Observe
4. Network
5. Experiment
When I think of these five skills I don't think of successful people despite that many have these skills, but I instantly think of kids. All kids have these five skills. The key idea that I left this book with is that schools and society must change to quit killing these skills in youth. My young children possess these skills, but as they get older I fear they will lose these vital skills to be successful in life.
It is hard to innovate when structure does not change and even more so in schools with such limited scope when educators are forced to fight for obedience instead of learning.
The authors mention that large companies typically fail at disrupting innovation because top management team is dominant by people with delivery skills, not discovery skills. I think this holds true in some regards in education as well. The schools that deliver have administration that get it and work for discovery and testing the edge of chaos.
If we want this to change then I think the honest question must be
How does your company/school reward and promote discovery skills?
I am not suggesting that we just go wild fire and leave things completely wide open without restriction. Creativity loves constraint. We must remember that questions alone do not produce innovation. They are necessary, but insufficient. We need those people that can deliver. You need big ideas, but you need those who work through the details to get it done. In schools I think it would be amazing if we took time to assemble teacher teams divided up by these skills. You need teams with a variety of skills and abilities. Discovery driven people are not all that matters
The book talks about people who would be good for teams and innovation. I like these skills for educators as well. I often wonder if colleges prepare student teachers for these skills and more importantly are schools screening teachers with these skills. If not, then I think this is something that needs to be addressed. The skills are
1. Show a track record that demonstrate discovery skills
2. Possess deep expertise in at least on knowledge area and show breadth in a few others (T shaped knowledge)
3. Display a passion to change world and make a difference
If we know that innovators and creators are going to be the face of change and the future of business, then we as educators and schools need to shift how we teach and the values we express. I think we are in a pivotal time that we must begin to change some things up. Not everything is broken, but we are in need of an update.
This book was an essential read that left me with many great ideas to think about and items that I need to address. My current goal as a result of this book is to create a place for teachers to come tinker, explore, question, observe, and experiment. I am calling it Tinker Time and it starts this week. I will continue to push myself as an educator to allow more of these 5 skills to develop in my classroom and school.
- See more at: http://coffeeforthebrain.blogspot.com...
On with the review.
Book website: www.innovatorsdna.com
This book was another fascinating read. I have been blessed to have read many great books in a row. This one is another one that all people should read.
The authors conducted an eight year study that established 5 Skills that all innovators possess.
1. Association
2. Question
3. Observe
4. Network
5. Experiment
When I think of these five skills I don't think of successful people despite that many have these skills, but I instantly think of kids. All kids have these five skills. The key idea that I left this book with is that schools and society must change to quit killing these skills in youth. My young children possess these skills, but as they get older I fear they will lose these vital skills to be successful in life.
It is hard to innovate when structure does not change and even more so in schools with such limited scope when educators are forced to fight for obedience instead of learning.
The authors mention that large companies typically fail at disrupting innovation because top management team is dominant by people with delivery skills, not discovery skills. I think this holds true in some regards in education as well. The schools that deliver have administration that get it and work for discovery and testing the edge of chaos.
If we want this to change then I think the honest question must be
How does your company/school reward and promote discovery skills?
I am not suggesting that we just go wild fire and leave things completely wide open without restriction. Creativity loves constraint. We must remember that questions alone do not produce innovation. They are necessary, but insufficient. We need those people that can deliver. You need big ideas, but you need those who work through the details to get it done. In schools I think it would be amazing if we took time to assemble teacher teams divided up by these skills. You need teams with a variety of skills and abilities. Discovery driven people are not all that matters
The book talks about people who would be good for teams and innovation. I like these skills for educators as well. I often wonder if colleges prepare student teachers for these skills and more importantly are schools screening teachers with these skills. If not, then I think this is something that needs to be addressed. The skills are
1. Show a track record that demonstrate discovery skills
2. Possess deep expertise in at least on knowledge area and show breadth in a few others (T shaped knowledge)
3. Display a passion to change world and make a difference
If we know that innovators and creators are going to be the face of change and the future of business, then we as educators and schools need to shift how we teach and the values we express. I think we are in a pivotal time that we must begin to change some things up. Not everything is broken, but we are in need of an update.
This book was an essential read that left me with many great ideas to think about and items that I need to address. My current goal as a result of this book is to create a place for teachers to come tinker, explore, question, observe, and experiment. I am calling it Tinker Time and it starts this week. I will continue to push myself as an educator to allow more of these 5 skills to develop in my classroom and school.
- See more at: http://coffeeforthebrain.blogspot.com...
October 22, 2012
It took a sheer force of will to finish this because a friend of mine wanted to borrow it. At the conclusion of my first reading, I felt like I had heard the same quotes and same ideas over and over so many times that I marveled how Jeff Dyer, Hal Gregersen could write the same chapter 10 times and get Clayton Christensen to let them put his name on it (I say that because I don't ever sense Clay's voice throughout the mini-tome). The book is so repetitive, I had to wonder if they had put on an essay contest where they said: "Write about how to innovate, and you must mention the Google vs. P&G swap, the Apple "Think Different" ad campaign, and you have to talk about T-shaped people." But, you have to keep in mind that this is a book written by academics. It's not supposed to be entertaining, so any entertainment value to be gotten from it is a bonus. The book sometimes come across so supremely satisfied with its own ideas that you think that the authors believe that they invented IDEO and were responsible for teaching Steve Jobs et al the secrets of innovation. I finished the book thinking I would give two stars to the trio who came off as a pack of bright and excited Cutco salesmen (or life insurance or pest control or security systems, whatever kind of salesman you need to understand the off-putting excitement over something so highly unexciting).
But, as is my custom, I went over the book again to insert the marked quotes into my UberQuotation catalogue (1754 quotations logged and counting). As I re-read some of the portions that I had marked months ago before I started dragging my feet through this slog of repetition, I saw the beauty of the book for what it was: a simple, straightforward recipe for how to innovate methodically and systematically. I noticed how my behavior towards approaching problems had indeed changed because of some latent residual wisdom I had gained from reading. I did indeed focus more on asking questions as opposed to my former method of jumping in to solve a problem. I had indeed made an effort to network with people just for the pleasure of learning from them. I was less afraid of experimenting because something told me that I needed to "fail often to succeed sooner." In reading Innovator's DNA, a little piece of it became fused into my own DNA. For which I, too, was so supremely satisfied.
I felt to give it two stars the first time and four stars the second time, so I split the difference: three stars.
But, as is my custom, I went over the book again to insert the marked quotes into my UberQuotation catalogue (1754 quotations logged and counting). As I re-read some of the portions that I had marked months ago before I started dragging my feet through this slog of repetition, I saw the beauty of the book for what it was: a simple, straightforward recipe for how to innovate methodically and systematically. I noticed how my behavior towards approaching problems had indeed changed because of some latent residual wisdom I had gained from reading. I did indeed focus more on asking questions as opposed to my former method of jumping in to solve a problem. I had indeed made an effort to network with people just for the pleasure of learning from them. I was less afraid of experimenting because something told me that I needed to "fail often to succeed sooner." In reading Innovator's DNA, a little piece of it became fused into my own DNA. For which I, too, was so supremely satisfied.
I felt to give it two stars the first time and four stars the second time, so I split the difference: three stars.
May 3, 2012
Didn't really like it. Too much Steve Jobs boosterism, and I don't agree with the basic premise that if we all get to be better innovators, we can be like Steve Jobs too. That's not really a goal I aspire to, frankly, nor do I think it's possible.
However, there is some helpful language here that will help those in the delivery chain think more creatively about discovering areas for improvement.
However, there is some helpful language here that will help those in the delivery chain think more creatively about discovering areas for improvement.
July 15, 2017
Insight comes from exposure to different ideas, experimenting and reflecting. This is no big news, I don't see what all the hype is about. But I suppose that if you find this book useful, then maybe you indeed needed it in the first place.
November 15, 2018
This one made me feel deceived. I'm a huge fan of Clayton Christensen, whose books The Innovator's Dilemma and The Innovator's Solution blew my mind and brought important frameworks and concepts I use all the time in my equity investing profession. Seeing the title and Mr. Christensen listed as one of the authors, I was fooled to believe this was another member of his innovator's series.
It wasn't.
Actually written by Jeffrey Dyer and Hal Gregersen, Clayton acted more as an advisor and premium reviewer on this one - and as a book bait to Clayton's fanboys like me.
The lack of innovation on the ideas presented on the book can tell. The authors could have eaten more of their own cooking and apply the advice on the text to actually come up with ideas that haven't been said for about 875,327 times by now. Are they serious they wrote a whole book to bring the message that innovators practice association, questioning, observation, networking and experimentation? The age of the book is not an excuse, as when it was published in 2011, when these "innovator's skills" were more than known.
Don't get me wrong. The authors were behind a very extensive study on innovation in the corporate world and I praise their work and effort. But doing all that to support conclusions that were 100% already expected doesn't turn into a worthwhile book.
Unless you have been living in a cave for the past few years and couldn't imagine that innovation excellence should come from the act of associating, questioning, observing, networking and experimenting, go spend your reading time with something else.
It wasn't.
Actually written by Jeffrey Dyer and Hal Gregersen, Clayton acted more as an advisor and premium reviewer on this one - and as a book bait to Clayton's fanboys like me.
The lack of innovation on the ideas presented on the book can tell. The authors could have eaten more of their own cooking and apply the advice on the text to actually come up with ideas that haven't been said for about 875,327 times by now. Are they serious they wrote a whole book to bring the message that innovators practice association, questioning, observation, networking and experimentation? The age of the book is not an excuse, as when it was published in 2011, when these "innovator's skills" were more than known.
Don't get me wrong. The authors were behind a very extensive study on innovation in the corporate world and I praise their work and effort. But doing all that to support conclusions that were 100% already expected doesn't turn into a worthwhile book.
Unless you have been living in a cave for the past few years and couldn't imagine that innovation excellence should come from the act of associating, questioning, observing, networking and experimenting, go spend your reading time with something else.
December 2, 2024
The authors outline a suite of behaviors that lead to a greater likelihood to innovate, as well as various examples and quotes that demonstrate how these behaviors shake out in the real world. Many of their insights seem quite intuitive and obvious in hindsight, but it's interesting to see them all compiled here. I do think that parts of the book were quite repetitive and that the book could have been greatly streamlined, but there's quite a few useful insights that I'm sure will come in handy moving forward.
November 4, 2021
A good framework for practicing innovative routines.
July 6, 2024
Changed my outlook
July 2, 2025
Had to read for work. It was fine. Just fine.
October 24, 2022
idiotic.
April 4, 2018
Really really like the authors advice...but know it is damn hard to implement.
November 13, 2024
Read this in a rush for class, probably didn't give it due attention
March 6, 2022
The book has a good structure and brings interesting points and tips about how to be Innovative as a person and as a company.
But, after some chapters, it starts to be repetitive bringing using the same examples and always reinforcing the same thinks like:
- You must develop/have a team that has all the discovery skills;
- Steve Jobs citations
- Dell citations
...
I understand that this is the result of their research and it's an important to present but I don´t think that it should be a +200 page long book.
Specially the second part that is basilcally repeating the discovery skills in the context of a company.
I would recommend to search for a summary of this book instead of reading all of it and look for the checklist on "how to improve X discovery skill" in each chapter.
But, after some chapters, it starts to be repetitive bringing using the same examples and always reinforcing the same thinks like:
- You must develop/have a team that has all the discovery skills;
- Steve Jobs citations
- Dell citations
...
I understand that this is the result of their research and it's an important to present but I don´t think that it should be a +200 page long book.
Specially the second part that is basilcally repeating the discovery skills in the context of a company.
I would recommend to search for a summary of this book instead of reading all of it and look for the checklist on "how to improve X discovery skill" in each chapter.
March 4, 2012
I found the way the authors approached the topic of innovation to be at odds with the overall structure of the book. This dichotomy was distracting. While the book is about innovative entrepreneurs, thinking outside the box, and what it takes to master those skills, the authors presented the information in an extremely structured, traditional, and data heavy format. It seemed strange to be posturing that one could up their innovation quotient through a structured set of contrived behaviors. The book has great insight and information hidden between the pages...you just have to engage with it beyond the format in which it's initially presented.
October 8, 2012
The concepts are great and definitely worth incorporating into your daily life, but all of the important information can be found in the HBR article they wrote - the book just adds anecdotal stories from the lives of successful innovators. Some of the cases were so tied to business that I found them contradictory when trying to apply them to the citizen or government sectors. There are 4 skills to practice, which culminate in the skill of association, or connecting various fields and ideas. That's because the most interesting combinations are often discovered at the intersections and boundaries.
1. Questioning
2. Observing
3. Networking with diverse fields and interests
4. Experimenting
1. Questioning
2. Observing
3. Networking with diverse fields and interests
4. Experimenting
January 20, 2013
I love every book I've ever read written by Clayton Christensen. This book describes five characteristics that all innovators share in common: Associating, Questioning, Observing, Networking, and Experimenting. I would like to develop these skills to help me in my career. After the first section of individual skills developed by innovators, he lists out companies that share this same DNA structure and are able to innovate in the marketplace. I found this book, like all the other Christensen books, very intriguing.
June 5, 2014
As a fan of Clayton Christensen, I thought this would be an interesting read. The main insight -- that questioning, observing, associating, networking, and experimenting are together the keys to innovation -- was interesting, but it probably could have been adequately explored in a long article. The book just ended up being pretty repetitive, and the explanations obvious in view of Christensen's other work. That being said, this is still a great book for anyone interested in inventing or improving their creativity.
November 5, 2019
Assigned reading for class, this one was okay. The book contains some practical tips and pointers, though I am not sure there was a semester's worth of content and what was appended in the new edition wasn't a great value add to me.
August 18, 2017
Excellent
Excellent book for leadership today - describes how to imagine and invite improvement, not be afraid of change, and even seek out new (innovative) ideas.
Excellent book for leadership today - describes how to imagine and invite improvement, not be afraid of change, and even seek out new (innovative) ideas.
September 7, 2019
Prof Christensen and others need to stop recycling and recombining old ideas and presenting them as new. Most of this book is content from other, earlier books by the authors.
September 11, 2016
Good, but nothing earth-shattering here.
August 24, 2019
For a book on innovation, this is disappointingly unimaginative. My son is back in school, finishing a degree in operations management and this is one of two books assigned for a class this semester. The other is inGenius, which has its own flaws, but at least will have value for the students. As I read books like these when I can, I wanted to see what he'd be working with. Dyer, et al, have cobbled together a poor business book with worn tropes, academic tables, and all of the wrong examples - Bezos, Jobs, Larry Page, ... and far too much "What if Jobs hadn’t decided to drop in on the calligraphy classes when he had dropped out of college?", "What if so and so hadn't stopped to talk to ...?" The authors give too much credit to the wrong things - and gloss over the failures. Jobs' supposed innovation of OSX derived from his NeXT Computer days didn't mention that NeXT was a colossal failure (as was every Jobs attempt at a post-Macintosh computer; and credit where due, the consumer electronics direction was innovative.) Now, there are some good points made, but they are buried in repetition and take too much time to filter if this is the first book on the subject you read.
(Christensen gets a lot of love in the comments, but I've not been able to force myself through The Innovator's Dilemma despite multiple tries and a genuine interest in the subject. Maybe I'll try again...)
I don't think this is a good book for a class, despite its academic framing. I'm curious to see what is presented and what my son will get out of it.
Jumping off point: the authors mentioned Kaki King's guitar imagination and I checked out one of her TEDWomen "talks" here. That was something of value.
(Christensen gets a lot of love in the comments, but I've not been able to force myself through The Innovator's Dilemma despite multiple tries and a genuine interest in the subject. Maybe I'll try again...)
I don't think this is a good book for a class, despite its academic framing. I'm curious to see what is presented and what my son will get out of it.
Jumping off point: the authors mentioned Kaki King's guitar imagination and I checked out one of her TEDWomen "talks" here. That was something of value.
March 9, 2021
CRIATIVIDADE X INOVAÇÃO
Tive o privilégio de ler o livraço "O DNA da Inovação" para o Resumocast.
A partir da obra, muitos conceitos ficaram claros sobre o tema.
Mas o principal foi o seguinte:
Inovação não vem de berço.
Você pode até nascer com o talento da criatividade.
Mas se isso não for estimulado, nunca se tornará um voraz inovador.
Imagina que dois irmãos gêmeos nascem.
Uma menina, com muito talento para criatividade.
E um menino, nem tanto.
Só que a menina, por ter pais machistas, não é tão estimulada.
E passa a maior parte do seu tempo no quarto.
Já o rapaz, embora não talentoso, é incentivado a fazer as mais diferentes aulas, sair com os amigos, experimentar diferentes brinquedos...
No longo prazo, qual deles você acha que terá mais tino inovador?
Claro que o menino.
Então, independente de com quem você mais se identificou nesse exemplo, a mensagem é a mesma:
Para inovar você precisa de estímulos, de prática.
Se você quer desafiar o padrão, precisa experimentar, conhecer coisas novas.
E com frequência.
É como se isso fizesse parte do seu trabalho.
Não vai adiantar nada você ler todos os livros de inovação se continuar no quarto, só na teoria.
E metáfora não poderia ser outra:
Fazer isso se equipara a um chef que estuda todas as receitas mas nunca cozinhou para ninguém.
Portanto, se você quer pensar em novas soluções para antigos problemas...
Se quer transcender o senso comum para resolver dores suas e do mundo...
Explore, se aventure, conheça coisas novas e viva uma vida interessante.
Os livros são apenas o primeiro passo.
Mas o ouro está aí fora esperando pra ser descoberto por você, na prática!
Então após ler esse texto, vista os óculos da inovação.
E explore as mais diversas possibilidades a partir dessa nova ótica.
Conte conosco no caminho!
Hoje e sempre, #VivendoDePropósito
Tive o privilégio de ler o livraço "O DNA da Inovação" para o Resumocast.
A partir da obra, muitos conceitos ficaram claros sobre o tema.
Mas o principal foi o seguinte:
Inovação não vem de berço.
Você pode até nascer com o talento da criatividade.
Mas se isso não for estimulado, nunca se tornará um voraz inovador.
Imagina que dois irmãos gêmeos nascem.
Uma menina, com muito talento para criatividade.
E um menino, nem tanto.
Só que a menina, por ter pais machistas, não é tão estimulada.
E passa a maior parte do seu tempo no quarto.
Já o rapaz, embora não talentoso, é incentivado a fazer as mais diferentes aulas, sair com os amigos, experimentar diferentes brinquedos...
No longo prazo, qual deles você acha que terá mais tino inovador?
Claro que o menino.
Então, independente de com quem você mais se identificou nesse exemplo, a mensagem é a mesma:
Para inovar você precisa de estímulos, de prática.
Se você quer desafiar o padrão, precisa experimentar, conhecer coisas novas.
E com frequência.
É como se isso fizesse parte do seu trabalho.
Não vai adiantar nada você ler todos os livros de inovação se continuar no quarto, só na teoria.
E metáfora não poderia ser outra:
Fazer isso se equipara a um chef que estuda todas as receitas mas nunca cozinhou para ninguém.
Portanto, se você quer pensar em novas soluções para antigos problemas...
Se quer transcender o senso comum para resolver dores suas e do mundo...
Explore, se aventure, conheça coisas novas e viva uma vida interessante.
Os livros são apenas o primeiro passo.
Mas o ouro está aí fora esperando pra ser descoberto por você, na prática!
Então após ler esse texto, vista os óculos da inovação.
E explore as mais diversas possibilidades a partir dessa nova ótica.
Conte conosco no caminho!
Hoje e sempre, #VivendoDePropósito
December 26, 2019
Ksiazka stara sie odpowiedziec na pytanie, z jakiej krwi i kosci, lub z jakiego "DNA" powinien byc zbudowany innowator?
Ksiazke dobrze sie czyta, mozna odniesc wrazenie, ze to zbior felietonow, lub krotkich opowiadan. A tak naprawde, mamy do czynienia z publikacja naukowa.
Cala zawartosc ksiazki oparta jest na badaniach przeprowadzonych wsrod liderow biznesu najbardziej innowacyjnych firm na swiecie. Bodajze przeprowadzono w sumie 3 tysiace wywiadow. Okazuje sie, ze droga do innowacyjnosci w przypadku najbardziej innowacyjnych firm jest dosc podobna. Znaleziono wiele podobienstw wsrod badanych firm i ich liderow. Wniosek jest taki, ze innowacyjni ludzie maja wiele wspolnych cech. Te wspolne cechy to wlasnie "DNA Innowatora".
Pozytywna wiadomosc jest taka, ze innowacyjnosci mozna sie nauczyc i autorzy sa o tym przekonani, iz kazdy z nas, w mniejszym, lub wiekszym stopniu moze zwiekszyc wlasny potecjal innowacyjnosci, umiejetnosci generowania nowych, oryginalnych pomyslow.
Innowacyjne "DNA" sprowadza sie do czterech podstawowych schematow zachowan: zdolnosc zadawania pytan, zdolnosc obserwacji, zawieranie znajomosci, eksperymentowanie. Pracujac nad tymi czterema behawioralnymi umiejetnoscioami jestesmy w stanie swoim zachowaniem wytworzyc innowacyjna "aure" wokol nas. Jesli dodatkowo polaczymy te cztery umiejetnosci behavioralne z procesem poznawczym zwanym asocjacyjnym mysleniem to powinnismy bez problemu stac sie innowatorem. Jest jednak jedno ale. Potrzebna jest odwaga do zmiany status quo i chec podejmowania ryzyka. Bedac swiadomym wlasnego zachowania i nawet odrobine pracujac nad soba, jestesmy w stanie w dosc znaczacy sposob podniesc swoj wlasny potencjal innowacyjnosci, pomyslowosci i odniesc skuces w dziedzinie w ktorej dzialamy.
Ksiazke dobrze sie czyta, mozna odniesc wrazenie, ze to zbior felietonow, lub krotkich opowiadan. A tak naprawde, mamy do czynienia z publikacja naukowa.
Cala zawartosc ksiazki oparta jest na badaniach przeprowadzonych wsrod liderow biznesu najbardziej innowacyjnych firm na swiecie. Bodajze przeprowadzono w sumie 3 tysiace wywiadow. Okazuje sie, ze droga do innowacyjnosci w przypadku najbardziej innowacyjnych firm jest dosc podobna. Znaleziono wiele podobienstw wsrod badanych firm i ich liderow. Wniosek jest taki, ze innowacyjni ludzie maja wiele wspolnych cech. Te wspolne cechy to wlasnie "DNA Innowatora".
Pozytywna wiadomosc jest taka, ze innowacyjnosci mozna sie nauczyc i autorzy sa o tym przekonani, iz kazdy z nas, w mniejszym, lub wiekszym stopniu moze zwiekszyc wlasny potecjal innowacyjnosci, umiejetnosci generowania nowych, oryginalnych pomyslow.
Innowacyjne "DNA" sprowadza sie do czterech podstawowych schematow zachowan: zdolnosc zadawania pytan, zdolnosc obserwacji, zawieranie znajomosci, eksperymentowanie. Pracujac nad tymi czterema behawioralnymi umiejetnoscioami jestesmy w stanie swoim zachowaniem wytworzyc innowacyjna "aure" wokol nas. Jesli dodatkowo polaczymy te cztery umiejetnosci behavioralne z procesem poznawczym zwanym asocjacyjnym mysleniem to powinnismy bez problemu stac sie innowatorem. Jest jednak jedno ale. Potrzebna jest odwaga do zmiany status quo i chec podejmowania ryzyka. Bedac swiadomym wlasnego zachowania i nawet odrobine pracujac nad soba, jestesmy w stanie w dosc znaczacy sposob podniesc swoj wlasny potencjal innowacyjnosci, pomyslowosci i odniesc skuces w dziedzinie w ktorej dzialamy.
December 25, 2020
Siempre es un placer leer a Christensen, fue una gran perdida que tuvimos en este año...
Este libro es increblemente conceptual y pragmatico, basado en un estudio de 8 años del autor, muestra a través de un conjunto de 5 habilidades como las personas que estan dentro de las organizaciones y esas mismas organizaciones tienen la capacidad de innovar.
Si bien es un libro que se centra en la innovación, evidencia de una manera muy interesante la importancia de la creatividad dentro del proceso de innovación. Uno de los aspectos principales, pero no únicos, es su definición de asociación (primera y principal habilidad del AND del innovador).
Me fue muy grato descubrir que la manera particular que Christensen define la habilidad de asociar, representa el concepto de Bisociación que vengo estudianto hace rato y que fue creado por Koestler. Sin duda, quizá influenciado por él, quizá desde una emergencia empirica, o quizá de ambas este estudio de Christensen muestra de alguna manera la importancia que tiene la bisociación en el proceso de crear y descubrir cosas nuevas y valiosas.
Recomendado si se quiere entender cuales son las habilidades de los profesionales y las organizaciones que tienen como objetivo innovar en el Siglo XXI.
Este libro es increblemente conceptual y pragmatico, basado en un estudio de 8 años del autor, muestra a través de un conjunto de 5 habilidades como las personas que estan dentro de las organizaciones y esas mismas organizaciones tienen la capacidad de innovar.
Si bien es un libro que se centra en la innovación, evidencia de una manera muy interesante la importancia de la creatividad dentro del proceso de innovación. Uno de los aspectos principales, pero no únicos, es su definición de asociación (primera y principal habilidad del AND del innovador).
Me fue muy grato descubrir que la manera particular que Christensen define la habilidad de asociar, representa el concepto de Bisociación que vengo estudianto hace rato y que fue creado por Koestler. Sin duda, quizá influenciado por él, quizá desde una emergencia empirica, o quizá de ambas este estudio de Christensen muestra de alguna manera la importancia que tiene la bisociación en el proceso de crear y descubrir cosas nuevas y valiosas.
Recomendado si se quiere entender cuales son las habilidades de los profesionales y las organizaciones que tienen como objetivo innovar en el Siglo XXI.
June 29, 2022
This is a bit of background reading for some work that I am doing for a course. In it the authors have interviewed, or in the case of Steve Jobs, read interviews / biographies, of a large number of leading entrepreneurs to work out what attributes they share that make them successful at what they do and make their company an innovative company. They compare them to successful CEOs of less innovative companies.
In the first half of the book they then go through how individuals can put this into practice to cultivate those skills identified. In the second half they look at what is needed to make a company more innovative - people, processes and philosophy.
Whilst I think that this is an interesting book, and it has given me some really good background, I think that the first half of the book is the better half. (Although I would argue basing the scoring for an innovative company on a stock market valuation of future expected growth has major flaws). The second half, doesn't seem to bring anything new to the innovation world, as it features a lot that can be gleaned from a few You Tube interviews with the likes of Jeff Bezos. The book is well written though and not at all dry or dull.
In the first half of the book they then go through how individuals can put this into practice to cultivate those skills identified. In the second half they look at what is needed to make a company more innovative - people, processes and philosophy.
Whilst I think that this is an interesting book, and it has given me some really good background, I think that the first half of the book is the better half. (Although I would argue basing the scoring for an innovative company on a stock market valuation of future expected growth has major flaws). The second half, doesn't seem to bring anything new to the innovation world, as it features a lot that can be gleaned from a few You Tube interviews with the likes of Jeff Bezos. The book is well written though and not at all dry or dull.
July 27, 2025
Finished the book (finally, actually restarted reading around two months ago, but still the first pages before Corona…) on my first day of holiday in Tuscany. Some parts were interesting, especially the practical tips. What i noted down:
Three types of activity (at work):
- Discovery
- Delivery
- Development
The five skills of Disruptive Innovators:
- Associating
* Two words. Connect logically one with the other. Game: TriBond.
- Questioning
* Ask different questions (How was your day vs What questions were raised)
- Observing
* Take frequent walks in different locations.
- Networking
* Invite different people; ask them for their opinion or to come up with a problem.
- Experimenting
* Cross physical borders.
* Cross intellectual birders. New magazines. Film. Documentary.
* Develop a new skill.
* Disassemble a product. Pick up stuff at a flea market and take it apart.
* Build prototypes. 3D Printer.
* Regularly pilot new ideas.
* Go Trend Spotting.
Three types of activity (at work):
- Discovery
- Delivery
- Development
The five skills of Disruptive Innovators:
- Associating
* Two words. Connect logically one with the other. Game: TriBond.
- Questioning
* Ask different questions (How was your day vs What questions were raised)
- Observing
* Take frequent walks in different locations.
- Networking
* Invite different people; ask them for their opinion or to come up with a problem.
- Experimenting
* Cross physical borders.
* Cross intellectual birders. New magazines. Film. Documentary.
* Develop a new skill.
* Disassemble a product. Pick up stuff at a flea market and take it apart.
* Build prototypes. 3D Printer.
* Regularly pilot new ideas.
* Go Trend Spotting.
August 25, 2020
Simple straightforward book written by highly educated people, that discusses 5 skills of disruptive innovator; (associating, questioning, observing, networking, experimenting) in pragmatic and example based way.
Easy to understand and follow, but indeed requires effort to ‘mastering’ those skills rather than just from reading the book. Downside of the book is the consistent repetition from the story of some companies and some leaders name to the point where unfortunately I find it makes the book quite shallow.
What intrigue me to read the book is the book title, The innovator’s DNA, mastering the 5 skills to be disruptive innovator, which make me question “isnt DNA given by birth? Can it change after we master some skills?” and I tried hard to find the answer by reading the book thoroughly, which at the end I couldnt find.
Howvever, still good book to read to widen our prespective (as reading will always do for us).
Easy to understand and follow, but indeed requires effort to ‘mastering’ those skills rather than just from reading the book. Downside of the book is the consistent repetition from the story of some companies and some leaders name to the point where unfortunately I find it makes the book quite shallow.
What intrigue me to read the book is the book title, The innovator’s DNA, mastering the 5 skills to be disruptive innovator, which make me question “isnt DNA given by birth? Can it change after we master some skills?” and I tried hard to find the answer by reading the book thoroughly, which at the end I couldnt find.
Howvever, still good book to read to widen our prespective (as reading will always do for us).
March 26, 2021
Based on a 8-year research by the authors, The Innovator's DNA lists the 5 key skills necessary for successful innovation. The structure of the book is really impressive in the sense that, the initial chapters focus on explaining the skills themselves, with sufficient examples and relativity to the overall concept. The later chapters demonstrate how these skills, applied at team or organizational level, can benefit the innovation quotient for organizations. The book is replete with quotes, citations, and references to other books penned by these authors, which is a bit of distraction vs. referencing the actual content. Also, the constant reference to concepts that'll be explained in later chapters is an effort the authors are asking readers to make - especially, difficult at the pace at which the book progresses and flows smoothly. Overall, it's a good book with excellent concepts backed by empirical research and real-life examples.
July 3, 2023
The most shallow and empty book with a constant reiteration of the same anecdotes and topics they illustrate. There isn't enough material even for a blog post. The whole book could be distilled into a couple of paragraphs. It's amazing how frivolous the authors are with shallow words that took not pages but whole chapters to deliver what could be said in one sentence—usually one sentence that states a blatantly obvious thing that isn't worth mentioning and definitely isn't worth of detailed description. But it takes one shallow chapter after another with a constant reiteration of the same things. And after all chapters—and after a useless conclusion—there are many appendixes with pages of childish guides. It's amazing how bad and empty the book is.
The shallowest book I have ever read.
The shallowest book I have ever read.
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