The Innovation Show

Today’s episode is essential content for business leaders and policymakers, an investigation of red teaming, the practice of inhabiting the perspective of potential competitors to gain a strategic advantage. The concept is as old as the Devil's Advocate, the eleventh-century Vatican official charged with discrediting candidates for sainthood. Today, red teams are used widely in both the public and the private sector by those seeking to better understand the interests, intentions, and capabilities of institutional rivals. In the right circumstances, red teams can yield impressive results, giving businesses an edge over their competition, poking holes in vital intelligence estimates, and troubleshooting dangerous military missions long before boots are on the ground. But not all red teams are created equal; indeed, some cause more damage than they prevent. Drawing on a fascinating range of case studies, today’s book shows not only how to create and empower red teams, but also what to do with the information they produce. In any truly competitive environment, even the best-laid plans and security procedures will eventually sprout problematic shortcomings and vulnerabilities, which those working in the targeted institution will most likely fail to uncover, or decide not to report, due to the normal institutional pressures and biases that inevitably reemerge. The author of, “Red Team: How to Succeed By Thinking Like the Enemy”, Micah Zenko.

The purpose of today’s book is twofold. First, to overthrow this myth that we are “living a period of change.” The entire history of civilization is all about change—and, more than that, about technological change. This is what defines us as a species, this is what propels us forward. Change is coming faster and faster, that’s for sure—and it will likely accelerate even more. And second, to highlight and explain not only the benefits but also the risks that a tech-driven lifestyle throws at us. The future is already here. We’re living in it. It’s all around us—a present future—and in this book, we’ll take a journey to discover just what that means. It is a pleasure to welcome back the author of “Present Future: Business, Science, and the Deep Tech Revolution” Guy Perelmuter, welcome back to the show. Present future here: http://presentfuturebook.com

Over and over, we see big legacy businesses getting beaten to the punch by energetic little start-ups. It seems like innovation can come only from the bottom up or from the outside in. But our guest today tells us that “big equals slow and stodgy” is a myth. Based on decades of experience working with both the world's leading brands and disruptive start-ups, his book explores the opportunity legacy companies have to create new markets, supercharge growth, and remake their businesses by combining the mindset and tool belt of start-ups with the benefits of incumbency: boatloads of customer data, decades of brand equity, robust distribution channels, enormous financial assets, and more. He goes deeply into why the pace and dynamics of innovation have changed so dramatically in recent years and show how companies can overcome obstacles like “the Eight Deadly Sins of Stasis”. Equally important, he provides a playbook on how to use these insights in your own company, team, or career. This fast-paced, anecdote-rich book rethinks modern innovation. We welcome the author of “From Incremental to Exponential: How Large Companies Can See the Future and Rethink Innovation”, Ismail Amla

The purpose of today’s book is twofold. First, to overthrow this myth that we are “living a period of change.” The entire history of civilization is all about change—and, more than that, about technological change. This is what defines us as a species, this is what propels us forward. Change is coming faster and faster, that’s for sure—and it will likely accelerate even more. And second, to highlight and explain not only the benefits but also the risks that a tech-driven lifestyle throws at us. What is remarkable about the current technological changes we are experiencing is that they are sitting at the intersection of a set of extraordinary advances: faster microprocessors, cheaper digital storage, ubiquitous access to information, efficient algorithms, and an increasingly better understanding of the laws of nature. These ingredients, decades in the making, are some of the key enablers of the Deep Tech Revolution. Deep Tech is where science meets technology, where PhDs and subject matter experts are able to apply their knowledge and transform it from intellectual achievements and academic papers into systems, devices, prototypes, products, and methodologies. Deep tech companies are the ones effectively building the future of the world economy, one technology at a time: robotics, biotech, nanotech, artificial intelligence, self-driving vehicles, energy, aerospace, agritech - the list goes on and on.   The future is already here. We’re living in it. It’s all around us—a present future—and in this book we’ll take a journey to discover just what that means. Find out more about Guy: https://presentfuturebook.com

Over and over, we see big legacy businesses getting beaten to the punch by energetic little start-ups. It seems like innovation can come only from the bottom up or from the outside in. But our guest today tells us that “big equals slow and stodgy” is a myth. Based on decades of experience working with both the world's leading brands and disruptive start-ups, his book explores the opportunity legacy companies have to create new markets, supercharge growth, and remake their businesses by combining the mindset and tool belt of start-ups with the benefits of incumbency: boatloads of customer data, decades of brand equity, robust distribution channels, enormous financial assets, and more. He goes deeply into why the pace and dynamics of innovation have changed so dramatically in recent years and show how companies can overcome obstacles like “the Eight Deadly Sins of Stasis”. Equally important, he provides a playbook on how to use these insights in your own company, team, or career. This fast-paced, anecdote-rich book rethinks modern innovation. We welcome the author of “From Incremental to Exponential: How Large Companies Can See the Future and Rethink Innovation”, Ismail Amla

Today’s book introduces the Exponential Era, the extraordinary times we are living where the convergence of technology platforms that grow at exponential rates is creating unprecedented opportunities for companies that know how to benefit from it, and disastrous results for those that don't.     In the book we learn about: The megatrends shaping the future of business and society The exponential platforms that are creating astonishing opportunities and risks The types of companies that thrive in this environment and those that are being destroyed   We will also learn about a robust methodology called SPX that challenges the current thinking in strategic planning and provides an effective playbook for companies to stay ahead of the exponential curve.   Finally, our guest provides a thoughtful discussion about the impact of the Exponential Era on humanity, and how the rapid changes we are experiencing challenge our current societal structures, economics, and ethics. We welcome the co-author of The Exponential Era: Strategies to Stay Ahead of the Curve in an Era of Chaotic Changes and Disruptive Forces David Espindola More about David: https://davidespindola.com

Toys ‘R’ Us. Kodak. Blockbuster. Why is it that some companies evolve while others get left in the dust? How do they lose their relevance with customers? The scary truth is that the only thing harder than getting to the top is staying there. It may sound counterintuitive, but in many cases, it is the success of a company that eventually leads to its downfall. So what does it take to stay competitive and relevant when what customers went wild for yesterday is the boring, banal, bare minimum they’ll accept today? Through the story of the rise and plateau of a gym franchise recounted as a novel, today’s book shows exactly why most companies reaching the peak of their potential lose their curiosity and crash into irrelevance. From how we develop blind spots about our business to the pitfalls of feeling like an expert, this thought-provoking, engaging tale reveals the smokescreens obscuring imminent threats to long-term viability and walks you through specific ways to boost innovation, uncover customer needs, solve problems, create new value for customers, and increase employee engagement. Most importantly, this book demonstrates why curiosity is your greatest asset, driving constant innovation and improvement and helps you ask the essential questions that will take your business from stagnant to soaring. By continuing to work your curiosity muscle over time, you can help your company thrive and become competitive on more than price alone—ultimately, future-proofing your business. We welcome the author of “The Curiosity Muscle: How Four Simple Questions Can Uncover Powerful Insights and Exponential Growth “ Diana Kander. Find Diana here: https://dianakander.com Find her podcast here: https://dianakander.com/podcast/

When a company is committed to growing through innovation standard accounting documents offer insufficient and, oftentimes irrelevant data. Innovation Accounting is a practical guide for these companies to help them measure and track innovation. Most established organizations have understood the need to innovate and become more digital, however the management tools available to leaders seeking to understand the investments in innovation are lacking. Financial accounting in particular is difficult to use in the context of (digital) innovation. Therefore a new complementary system for measuring and tracking innovation is needed.
The book provides tools, frameworks, templates, and visualizations that can be easily understood and applied. These can all be used by executives looking for a new way of measuring corporate performance in a world where accounting-recognized assets are becoming commodities, by investors seeking better ways of looking at a company's growth potential, and by managers who need to valuate innovation product teams using more than just financial indicators. Today’s book is an essential go-to book for anyone that wants to measure their company's innovation ecosystem. We welcome the co-authors of Innovation Accounting, Esther-Emmely Gons and previous guest and friend of the show, Dan Toma More about Esther here: https://togroundcontrol.com/about/esther-emmely-gons/   More about Dan here: https://weareoutcome.co  

Have you ever felt like you were on a roll? Every thing seems to be going your way. Time slows, and you see clearly. Past the noise and distractions, you’re able to zoom in on the essential. You take the perfect action at the perfect time. You instinctively know what to do, and you have the profound feeling that you are on the right path. This experience is the manifestation of what our guest calls alignment. Alignment is the congruence of who you are, what you feel, and what you love on a deep and fundamental level with what you do, what you say, what you envision, and where you are going. Alignment is not about falling in step or conforming to others’ expectations, but rather it’s about becoming more yourself—and, in so doing, transcending what you thought were the limits of your capabilities. You too, if properly aligned, can reach higher than you ever thought possible, effortlessly and joyfully inspiring others to embrace and follow your vision. You too can generate that sense of clarity and ease, even in the face of challenges and setbacks. You too can create that congruence of who you are, what you think, and what you do. We welcome the author of "Aligned: Connecting Your True Self with the Leader You’re Meant to Be", Hortense Le Gentil. More about Hortense HLGconsulting.org

Today's books tell us how digital platforms are inverting our economy and what that means for our public high schools.  It is a fascinating read for those interested in transformation, bitcoin, education, and universal basic income.  Questions include: - What does the future of work look like as jobs continue to decline? - Why will trends like decentralization and open-source impact education?  - When does human bias impact economic viability and how can anti-bias lead to an anti-fragile democracy and economy? - Will artificial intelligence help or hurt us?     And - Should we worry about "surveillance capitalism?" We welcome Principal Z, the author of Education in the Digital Age: How We Get There, Nadav Zeimer.