Six White Hot Innovation Resources
Over the past few weeks Missy Stanisz and myself have spent some serious time exploring the basics of innovation with our readers (find our archived articles here). We’ve covered the importance of innovation, its benefits, the initial struggles and some effective ways to inject your marketing strategies with blasts of fresh, innovative air. If these articles have somehow managed to convince you to improve your company from the inside out, you’re going to need tools. This post will to arm you with six white hot resources that will get your company prepped for battle in no time (a hundred thanks to Loren Verville for helping compile this list).
1. Ted.com
Launched in 2007, Ted.com has fairly lofty goals. It aims to gather the thoughts and works of innovators, speakers and performers from around the globe in one location. Offering free video discussions and presentations in a way that is potentially the best use of video on the web, Ted.com attempts to inspire our creative sides while also triggering analytical discussion. Be prepared to spend hours here.
2. Blue Ocean Strategy
This book’s philosophy claims that there are two types of markets that exist: Red and Blue. Red markets are the ones that are known and make up today’s business landscape. Blue Markets are the uncharted territories of new services and untargeted audiences. The Blue Ocean Strategy attempts to teach the reader to create new markets and leave the competition in the dust.
3. Tom Kelley
The general manager of IDEO, Tom Kelley has authored several books on innovation. His thoughts on the different types of innovation personas are totally worth checking out.
4. InnovationWatch.com
Innovation Watch scours the globe for emerging trends and technology. If something has the potential to change the world, you can bet Innovation Watch will hear about it months before it hits the mainstream. I highly suggest you bookmark this site and visit it daily for maximum impact.
5. Nancy Tennant Snyder
In her book Unleashing Innovation: How Whirlpool Transformed an Industry Nancy Tennant Snyder details Whirlpool’s transformation from a simple appliance company to an innovation juggernaut. From customer service to the technical nuts and bolts of washer and dryer manufacturing, Nancy speaks to the importance of shining light into every potential innovation corner of your organization.
6. Clayton Christensen
Our final resource today goes to Clayton Christensen and his practical advice for innovation strategies. His thoughts are from a more academic point of view, so expect to go deep quickly when reading his work. Check out any of his books for incredible depth of knowledge and be prepared to be blown away by his theory of disruptive innovation. If his writings are too cerebral for your tastes, you can always turn Freakazoid on while you read.
If you’re just getting started, look at this list as a great onramp to the innovation highway. You’ll know what you’re looking for when you find it. And please, feel free to report back to this post and share what you’ve learned with the rest of us. See you next time!
