“The Innovator’s DNA”

Hello everybody,

This time I will present you the interesting findings from a study published by the prestigious “Harvard Business Review” about those practices of innovative entrepreneurs that put them in the right direction to their successful businesses. The study was developed by professors Jeffrey H. Dyer, Hal B. Gregersen and Clayton M. Christensen during a period of six years where they studied the habits of 25 innovative entrepreneurs who had either started innovative companies or invented new products. The aim of the study was to undercover the origins of their creative business strategies, i.e., when and how these subjects came up with their innovative ideas and how they differed from other entrepreneur executives. The group included Michael Dell, Jeff Bezos, Pierre Omidyar, Niklas Zennström and Peter Thiel, among others.

To illustrate their findings, the scientists used the metaphor of the DNA. The ignition system or “backbone” of the structure would be the Creative Intelligence which is the ability to engage both sides of their brains into the creation of new ideas. During the study, they found that there were four patterns of action that would “wind around” that backbone and enable this skill to develop on the innovator’s business ideas, these are questioning, observing, experimenting and networking.

Before engaging on business, the study found that it was common among all the innovators to carry out the following activities:

After having an idea, they would:

1) Talk to at least 10 people,

2) Visit similarly innovative start-ups to observe what they do,

3) Sample “new-to-the-market” products,

4) Show the final prototype to more people,

5) Ask the questions: WHat if I tried this?, why do you do that? all throughout the process of observing and experimenting.

The activities were classified as “skills of discovery ” which allow innovators to “break out the status quo” and consider new possibilities (Questinoning); detect small behavioral details – in the activities of customers, suppliers, and other companies – that suggest new ways of doing things (Observing); try on new experiences and explore the world (Experimenting); and gain radically different perspectives (Networking). All the information gathered by these patterns is then brought together with the help of associative thinking (creative intelligence) to cultivate new insights.

Furthermore, the scientists suggest that all these skills can be practiced and applied to any particular background: Practice questioning by constantly asking “why” and “why not”, also “asking questions that both impose and eliminate constraints will help us see a problem or opportunity from different perspectives”. To practice observation, go and watch how customers experience a product or service in their natural environment, without making judgements about what you see, the ultimate goal will always be understanding. To strengthen experimentation, push yourself for new experiences, attend seminars from different topics outside your area of expertise or read books that purport to identify emerging trends. For networking, contact the most creative people you know and ask them about their creative thinking process or if they could mentor yours. Push it a little further and perhaps, have lunch meetings with new people from diverse functions, industries, countries.

The study concludes by pointing out that there is nothing innate or “genetic predisposition” to be found on innovative subjects that would not be present at any other human being. But certainly what makes these subjects different is their consistent pursue and practice of challenging their capacities and ideas in the search for better understanding of events and constant integration of different approaches to solve particular problems.

See you next time,

Julie.