Rattle & Pedal: B2B Marketing Podcast REPLAY-Why Professional Services Firms Can’t Innovate with Rita McGrath and Ron Boire
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Jul 10, 2025 
In this insightful conversation, Rita McGrath, a Columbia Business School professor and innovation authority, joins seasoned executive Ron Boire to discuss the barriers to innovation in professional services firms. They highlight the pitfalls of assumption-driven initiatives and stress the importance of agile testing and small teams. The duo shares real-world examples, emphasizing the need for structured innovation processes and alignment with corporate strategy. They also introduce unique tools like Spark Club and Seeda to drive change and manage strategic initiatives effectively.
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Mistaking Assumptions for Facts
- Companies fail in bold innovation because they mistake assumptions for facts and overlook critical learning.
- Big teams and upfront funding are counterproductive in uncertain innovation scenarios; small teams and iterative testing work better.
Balance Optimism with Validation
- Excessive optimism is natural but harmful if unchecked in innovation.
- Temper enthusiasm with disciplined validation of what must be true to succeed.
Professional Services Innovation Stages
- Professional services innovation evolves from unique 'brains' projects to repeatable 'procedure' models.
- Each stage has distinct cost structures, incentives, and challenges for scaling innovation.
