The founder of Planet Labs questioned the necessity of extra zeros in the cost of sending objects to space, leading to the creation of the company with a focus on rapid prototyping and iteration. They aim to reduce the traditional cost and time barriers by continuously trying and incorporating feedback quickly to improve their satellite technology. This approach contrasts with the slower, meticulous planning process of NASA, highlighting the company's focus on speed and agility in space innovation.
When we think of geeks, we tend to think of the people who built the tech we use – from our smartphones to search engines to AI.
But if we just focus on the tech, we’re missing out on a lot. We’re overlooking how these same geeks reinvented corporate culture using a repeatable set of norms that ensure sustainable innovation.
Andrew McAfee is a principal research scientist at the MIT Sloan School of Management and cofounder and codirector of the MIT Initiative on the Digital Economy. He’s been studying innovative companies for decades, and he’s taken what he’s learned and written about it in his latest book, The Geek Way: The Radical Mindset that Drives Extraordinary Results.
I’m convinced what Andrew’s learned about the geek way – and its four key norms – is a roadmap for where today’s – and tomorrow’s - companies are headed.
Episode Links
The Geek Way
New Book Explains the ‘Geek Way’ to Manage a Company
Forward Thinking on How Geeks are Changing the World
Interview with Roger Martin
The Team
Learn more about host, Gayle Allen, and producer, Rob Mancabelli, here.
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