Innovative Intelligence: The Art and Practice of Leading Sustainable Innovation in Your Organization

Innovative Intelligence: The Art and Practice of Leading Sustainable Innovation in Your Organization

by David S. Weiss, Claude Legrand
Released March 2011
Publisher(s): Wiley
ISBN: 9780470677674

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Book description

Innovation is a key source of competitive advantage, but it remains frustratingly elusive for many organizations. Too many organizations try to improve innovation by focusing on one element at a time, particularly in the area of new products and services. They train individuals, hire more creative people, or create specialized innovation departments. Yet, for most organizations, these investments yield only disappointing results. They have not had sustainable solutions-practical and reliable programs that deliver long-term, predictable results. Instead, they have had an endless array of partial answers. They are left with an alarming innovation gap.

Innovative Intelligence answers the question: How can we close the innovation gap by making individuals and organizations systematically and sustainably innovative? The key to systematic success is to ensure that organizational practices and culture genuinely foster innovative thinking. Innovative Intelligence presents the case for a new focus for leaders centered on innovative thinking, and demonstrates how leaders can maximize the innovative capacity of their employees and teams. It shows how to embrace a culture of innovation and have it permeate throughout the organization, at every level.

Innovative Intelligence gives readers a clear roadmap and practical tools to make their cultures more supportive of innovation, identify and tap into the innovative intelligence in their workplace and develop leaders who can close the innovation gap for greater business success.

Praise forInnovative Intelligence:

"Innovative Intelligence is the most comprehensive, concise and systematic handbook I've seen on how to succeed at innovating for individuals and organizations. This is an indispensable road map for leaders who want to cultivate a winning culture of innovation or organizations who want to re-invent themselves to scale the next height."

Arkadi Kuhlmann, President & CEO, ING DIRECT USA

"Innovative Intelligence is a breakthrough book that redefines what innovation really means. The authors present a compelling view, grounded in psychosocial and organizational theory, rather than trendy quick fixes. Their approach to constructing, shaping, and sustaining a culture of innovation within an organization is rigorous, but practical and systematic. It requires rejecting conventional wisdom and shedding narrow perspectives for the promise of previously unforeseen and implementable solutions to the challenge of innovation."

Dr. Catherine Zahn, President & CEO, Centre for Addiction and Mental Health (CAMH)

"The time is right for a book of this scope. The authors address the challenges created for organizations today by the complexity of change. They offer a step by step, practical systems approach to innovation. They wisely consider the individual, the teams they work in, the culture and the organization environment that's needed to support them, as well as the leadership required to take on these complex challenges. A very useful book for leaders who want to increase the level of innovation in their organization."

Stanley S. Gryskiewicz, Ph.D., Founder and Board Chair, Association for Managers of Innovation, Author ofPositive Turbulence

"Innovative Intelligence is an important and significant book. It asks a simple question which has a profound impact on any organization. The question is 'how can we make individuals and organizations systematically and sustainably innovative?' The practical and disciplined approach to 'asking the right questions,' finding innovative answers, and helping groups build structures for sustainable innovation is nothing short of brilliant. Innovative Intelligence is a must-read for all leaders."

Paul Alofs, President & CEO of The Princess Margaret Hospital Foundation

"Innovative Intelligence provides a detailed yet very practical guide for growing and embedding innovation in your organization today and in the future. It is a must-read for the forward-thinking leader."

Corey Seitz, Vice President, Global Talent Management, Johnson & Johnson

Table of contents

  1. Cover Page
  2. Title page
  3. Copyright
  4. Dedication
  5. Table of Contents
  6. Acknowledgments
  7. Preface
    1. A DESCRIPTION OF THE BOOK INNOVATIVE INTELLIGENCE
    2. WHO SHOULD READ THIS BOOK
    3. HOW TO READ THIS BOOK
  8. PART ONE: CLOSING THE INNOVATION GAP
    1. CHAPTER ONE: THE INNOVATION GAP
      1. THE INNOVATION CHALLENGE
      2. WHAT IS INNOVATION?
      3. INNOVATIVE THINKING MAKES INNOVATION HAPPEN
      4. THE EVIDENCE IS IN—WE ARE UNDERACHIEVING
      5. TRY IT ANOTHER WAY
      6. CONCLUSION
    2. CHAPTER TWO: LEADING THROUGH COMPLEXITY
      1. WHY COMPLEX ISSUES ARE SO CHALLENGING
      2. COMPLICATED VS. COMPLEX ISSUES
      3. COMMON MISTAKES
      4. CONCLUSION
    3. CHAPTER THREE: ACCESSING INNOVATIVE INTELLIGENCE
      1. INTELLIGENCE: WHO KNOWS?
      2. LEADERS REQUIRE THREE INTELLIGENCES
      3. LEADERS NEED TO THINK ABOUT THINKING
      4. CONCLUSION
    4. CHAPTER FOUR: ECLIPSE OF INNOVATIVE INTELLIGENCE
      1. ECLIPSE #1: THE SCHOOL SYSTEM MADE ME DO IT
      2. ECLIPSE #2: THE ANALYTICAL INTELLIGENCE PARADOX
      3. ECLIPSE #3: IMPACT OF HIGH NEGATIVE STRESS
      4. CONCLUSION
  9. PART TWO: INNOVATIVE THINKING
    1. CHAPTER FIVE: INNOVATIVE THINKING: AN OVERVIEW
      1. CHARACTERISTICS OF AN EFFECTIVE INNOVATIVE THINKING MODEL
      2. KEY SUCCESS FACTORS FOR INNOVATIVE THINKING
      3. CONCLUSION
    2. CHAPTER SIX: STEP 1: FRAMEWORK
      1. UNDERSTANDING FRAMEWORK
      2. THE CONTEXT
      3. THE “HOW TO … ?” QUESTION
      4. THE BOUNDARIES
      5. THE TYPE OF SOLUTION
      6. THE OWNER OR DECISION MAKER
      7. THE PROJECT CHARTER
      8. LEVERAGING THE THREE INTELLIGENCES IN THE FRAMEWORK STEP
      9. THE LEADER'S ROLES IN STEP 1: FRAMEWORK
      10. CONCLUSION
    3. CHAPTER SEVEN: STEP 2: ISSUE REDEFINITION
      1. THE FIVE AREAS OF FOCUS IN ISSUE REDEFINITION
      2. LEVERAGING THE THREE INTELLIGENCES IN THE ISSUE REDEFINITION STEP
      3. THE LEADER'S ROLE IN STEP 2: ISSUE REDEFINITION
      4. CONCLUSION
    4. CHAPTER EIGHT: STEP 3: IDEA GENERATION
      1. IDEA GENERATION IS A RIGOROUS PROCESS
      2. STAGE 1: PREPARE THOROUGHLY
      3. STAGE 2: INTRODUCE THE PROCESS
      4. STAGE 3: GENERATE MANY IDEAS THROUGH DIVERGENCE
      5. STAGE 4: DISCOVER MEANINGFUL SOLUTIONS THROUGH CONVERGENCE
      6. WORKING ALONE ON IDEA GENERATION
      7. LEVERAGING THE THREE INTELLIGENCES IN THE IDEA GENERATION STEP
      8. THE LEADER'S ROLE IN STEP 3: IDEA GENERATION
      9. CONCLUSION
    5. CHAPTER NINE: STEP 4: IMPLEMENTATION PLANNING
      1. STAGE 1: CONFIRM THE PREFERRED IDEA
      2. STAGE 2: ENGAGE IN RISK ANALYSIS AND DEVELOP MITIGATING STRATEGIES
      3. STAGE 3: PRESENT THE INNOVATIVE SOLUTION FOR APPROVAL
      4. STAGE 4: ENSURE AN EFFECTIVE HANDOFF TO THE TEAM THAT FOCUSES ON CHANGE IMPLEMENTATION
      5. LEVERAGING THE THREE INTELLIGENCES IN THE IMPLEMENTATION PLANNING STEP
      6. THE LEADER'S ROLE IN STEP 4: IMPLEMENTATION PLANNING
      7. CONCLUSION
  10. PART THREE: MAKING INNOVATION HAPPEN
    1. CHAPTER TEN: MAKING INNOVATION HAPPEN: AN OVERVIEW
      1. FOUR ESSENTIAL ORGANIZATIONAL ENABLERS TO MAKE INNOVATION HAPPEN
      2. SUSTAINING INNOVATION
      3. CONCLUSION
    2. CHAPTER ELEVEN: LEADING INNOVATION
      1. LEADING SELF
      2. LEADING INNOVATION TEAMS
      3. LEADING INTACT WORK UNITS
      4. LEADING ENTERPRISES FOR INNOVATION
      5. CONCLUSION
    3. CHAPTER TWELVE: CULTURE OF INNOVATION
      1. WHAT IS CULTURE?
      2. HOW A CULTURE CAN SUPPRESS INNOVATION
      3. WHAT IS A CULTURE OF INNOVATION?
      4. HOW AN EXISTING CULTURE CAN BE TRANSFORMED INTO A CULTURE OF INNOVATION
      5. HOW TO DEVELOP A LEADERSHIP CULTURE OF INNOVATION
      6. CONCLUSION
    4. CHAPTER THIRTEEN: ORGANIZATIONAL PRACTICES FOR INNOVATION
      1. EXECUTIVE-LEVEL ORGANIZATIONAL PRACTICES
      2. ORGANIZATIONAL PRACTICES IN CORE FUNCTIONAL AREAS
      3. ORGANIZATIONAL PRACTICES IN SUPPORT FUNCTIONAL AREAS
      4. INNOVATION-SPECIFIC ORGANIZATIONATIONAL PRACTICES
      5. CONCLUSION
    5. CHAPTER FOURTEEN: THE INNOVATION PLAN
      1. GUIDING PRINCIPLES FOR AN INNOVATION PLAN
      2. KEY ELEMENTS OF AN EFFECTIVE INNOVATION PLAN
      3. HOW TO DEVELOP THE INNOVATION PLAN AND WHO SHOULD LEAD IT
      4. WHEN SHOULD AN INNOVATION PLAN BE DEVELOPED?
      5. PULLING IT ALL TOGETHER
  11. Index
  12. About the Authors
    1. Claude Legrand, President of Ideaction Inc.

Product information

  • Title: Innovative Intelligence: The Art and Practice of Leading Sustainable Innovation in Your Organization
  • Author(s): David S. Weiss, Claude Legrand
  • Release date: March 2011
  • Publisher(s): Wiley
  • ISBN: 9780470677674