Innovation's Missing Link

Book excerpt: Praise for Innovation´s Missing Link "It´s a pleasure for me to recommend this book to you. It delivers on its promise. Its message is clear. Its point of view is always poignant. The future of innovation will be greatly improved if leaders across the country read and adopt the mind-set of this great book." --Tom Kuczmarski, Senior Partner, innovation consultancy, Kuczmarski & Associates; Author of Managing New Products and Innovation; Adjunct Professor, Kellogg School of Management; Cofounder of the Chicago Innovation Awards "...an insightful and actionable guidebook on how to effect innovative change in the minds of the leaders and associates within an organization. I especially enjoyed the emphasis on the people dimension, which is lacking in other similar texts...an easy read." --David Orwick, Director, Product Strategy, H&R Block Tax & Business Services Overview Innovation's Missing Link is not just another book about innovation or about some secret to successful innovation. It is a comprehensive and holistic discussion about the universal process of innovation as well as many insights into human nature and management skills. It goes where no book on innovation has gone before. Its style is narrative and numerous true stories are used to add entertainment value, drive home key points, and add to the experience of the reader. Rather than using endless statistics to create credibility, the author draws on 37 years of practical experience and common sense. Most people can recognize the ring of truth and don't require a lot of supporting data if the premise is reasonably stated. Above all else, this book respects the time constraints that most of us find ourselves battling every day. This is a reader-friendly book, in that it places the burden of communication on the writer. The reader is told the essence and value of the ideas presented before the themes are developed and then the key points are briefly summarized at the end of each chapter. There is never a need to skim ahead searching for important information or the essence of a concept all the fluff has been eliminated and the reader is never left wondering where she is being led. A brief introduction discusses the author's credentials as well as the purpose, premise, and goal of the book. The expected value of the information is individually summarized for Senior Executives, New Products Managers, Marketing Managers, and Students. The universality of the innovation process is briefly discussed. Part 1 of the book focuses on the innovation process. Part 2 summarizes the author's experience with topics related to innovation such as patents, focus groups, and underserved markets. Part 3 summarizes the material presented in Parts 1 and 2. A three chapter Addendum addresses the rising trends of spirit in the workplace and socially conscious capitalism. This section also introduces "The Slinky Principle." New and provocative ideas are blended with time-tested processes throughout the book. The primary objective is to identify what works and processes that improve efficiency and results. Respect for human nature is a constant theme. Diversity and individuality are seen as essential to success. Some Highlights and Features 40 Thoughts on Innovation A quick guide to important themes developed in the book with page numbers referenced. Actions Ideas Suggested exercises for readers intended to maximize results. Chapter Overview Each chapter starts with a brief statement of the intent and theme to be developed. Chapter Conclusion Each chapter ends with a brief summary and review of important issues. True-Life Stories Used throughout the book to illustrate importa