Comments on: Radical Innovation: The Prodigal Mandate

By: Rose Wilm

Rose Wilm — Fri, 18 Nov 2011 12:56:20 +0000

Very useful thank you, It looks like your current visitors might possibly want even more reviews like this maintain the great effort.

By: Robert Martin

Robert Martin — Wed, 22 Jul 2009 17:30:24 +0000

Good observation.

The example I provided could be interpreted as a production example (i.e. new product, rate change, relo, chronic problem area, design change, etc.), but the principles apply to anything.

The trick is to think of everything as production. Right now I’m producing an answer. Service organizations produce service. Leaders produce culture changes, etc.

By: Julia

Julia — Wed, 22 Jul 2009 16:37:20 +0000

Thanks so much for reading, and for your comment! One question:
what do you define as “breakthrough change?” Are you referring to
operational processes primarily? Cultural change? Radical
innovation of products/services?

Great to have this dialogue!

By: Robert Martin

Robert Martin — Wed, 22 Jul 2009 15:54:11 +0000

From my experience, one of the more important risks for breakthrough change concern an organization’s intestinal fortitude to execute.

Even with the best plans, leaders have to realize that implementing is going to break the old system. Breaking the old system will expose waste. Although exposing waste should be viewed as opportunities, many leaders become fearful because they consider them to be unplanned obstacles.

Think of exposing waste as lowering the waterline around the visible tip of an iceburg. Lowering the waterline exposes the rest of the iceburg. Before it was hidden by the water (i.e. waste, dollars, etc.). Breakthrough change exposes the iceburg and makes it easier to see the barrier, but often surprises leaders.

Thus leaders should expect breakage and waste. How they respond to that determines what type of intestinal fortitude they have.