683: Create Something Better Than Its Parts, with David Novak

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Jun 3, 2024

David Novak, co-founder of Yum! Brands and leadership expert, shares his insights on innovative leadership. He emphasizes the power of pattern thinking—combining unrelated ideas to create greater value. Curiosity and active learning are key themes; Novak advocates for exploring diverse experiences to uncover unexpected insights. The conversation also touches on successful branding strategies, like the rise of Cool Ranch Doritos, illustrating how creativity and integration from various disciplines can lead to groundbreaking business success.

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ANECDOTE

Cool Ranch Doritos Origin

David Novak, while at Tracy Locke, noticed the rising popularity of ranch dressing in grocery stores.
This led to the creation of Cool Ranch Doritos, a successful new flavor that combined a popular dressing with an established snack.

INSIGHT

Pattern Thinking

Pattern thinking involves combining seemingly unrelated elements to create something new and valuable.
It's a 1+1=3 approach to innovation, as demonstrated by the Cool Ranch Doritos example.

ADVICE

Applying Pattern Thinking

Be curious and observe trends in various fields.
Ask yourself how successful ideas in other areas could be adapted to your own work, like Pizza Hut's Lover's line inspired by California Pizza Kitchen.

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David Novak: How Leaders Learn David Novak is Co-Founder and the retired Chairman and CEO of Yum! Brands, the world’s largest restaurant company. During his tenure as CEO, Yum! Brands became a global powerhouse, growing from $4 billion in market cap to over $32 billion. After retiring in 2016, he became Founder and CEO of David Novak Leadership, dedicated to developing leaders at every stage of life. He is the author of How Leaders Learn: Master the Habits of the World's Most Successful People. One element of powerful leadership is bringing different people and ideas together to create something entirely new. In this conversation, David and I discuss how leaders can use pattern thinking to create new value. Plus, we explore why active learning is so critical for successful leadership. Key Points Pattern thinking is 1+1 = 3. Create something bigger than its parts by pairing things not related to make something new. Be curious about the world by being an active learner. Use books, travel, listening, and hobbies to come across insights you wouldn’t normally see. Active learners seek out patterns proactively in order to create something new. Questions to ask yourself: The last time you came up with an especially creative idea or solution, what was your inspiration? What pattern were you applying and where had you discovered it? How much time do you spend exploring outside your usual work and life experiences? Where are you getting exposure to different disciplines or industries? Think of a challenge you’re facing or a problem you’ve been struggling to solve? Have you looked for patterns or ideas from unusual sources yet? If not, where could you turn next? Resources Mentioned How Leaders Learn: Master the Habits of the World's Most Successful People by David Novak Interview Notes Download my interview notes in PDF format (free membership required). Related Episodes How to Solve the Toughest Problems, with Wendy Smith (episode 612) Better Ways to Lead Brainstorming, with Jeremy Utley (episode 630) Doing Better Than Zero Sum-Thinking, with Renée Mauborgne (episode 641) Discover More Activate your free membership for full access to the entire library of interviews since 2011, searchable by topic. To accelerate your learning, uncover more inside Coaching for Leaders Plus.