The Triadic Impulse Of Strategic Innovation

The future of a company lives in its ability to renew and innovate. The spirit of strategic innovation is powered by three core elements:

Free thinking
Design thinking
Rapid response capabilities

Free thinking
Consider the Tesla phenomenon: In the space of a few years, through intelligent deployment of modern technology and networking, a small start-up creates a game-changing vehicle, outsmarting century-old industries. It’s driving power: A capable free-thinker with a keen insight into the fields of enablement of modern technology. A fresh approach, enabling rapid advancement from zero to one – from nothing to a potently present, new something – in a shockingly short period of time. New technology is currently evolving faster than most people’s ability to comprehend its mind-boggling potential. There are many vacancies in the universe of new thought leaders and visionary entrepreneurs. There is no-one in charge – so you need not apply to anyone. Are you a visionary free thinker or seeking to be one? If you are running a business, the absence of this quality – that can be learnt – may mean waking up one day with the rude realization that someone else’s applied freedom just hijacked a good part of your franchise.

Design thinking
Star trek – the famed TV series – had an unintended profound impact on the evolution of modern technology. As an example, the inventors of the CT scanner drew their inspiration from that little beeping device that Dr. McCoy would wave over his patients. Apple is a great example to a company driven by design thinking: First create a design embodying the product’s driving philosophy – à la i-something – and then get the engineers to sweat out working inside the design’s set conditions to get it to full functionality. This approach requires the ability to push human imagination beyond its limits, time and again. It calls for people who are able to not just think outside the box, but as importantly, be purpose-driven with a clear vision and philosophy. The more purpose-driven a person is, the more they are able to prod with their mind and rich imagination into unchartered worlds of new ideas and design breakthroughs across the whole spectrum of living.

Rapid response capabilities
A company is like a person. It has its collective habits, minds, emotions, instincts, unique intelligence and soul and spirit lives. When, like a person, a company becomes subject to the stranglehold of habits, it becomes arrested in the repetition of a formulae. Success has its seasons. In today’s world of accelerating change, cycle’s durations are rapidly shrinking. Think about that shiny super smartphone that will no longer be so in no time. The task of keeping up with the velocity of change and its impact – seen and unseen – requires highly intelligent rapid response executive capabilities. Are you part of team that is able to turn on a dime? One that knows how to let the need lead? Re-muster and change direction at the drop of a hat? Knows how to encourage individual brilliance? Generate and adopt radical new ideas and perspectives and swiftly move to meticulous planning and execution unhindered by arresting habits and yesterday’s success?