Book review:

Author: Scott Berkun

Insights of the book !• The myth of epiphany• The myth that we know history • The myth of a method• The myth we love new ideas• The myth of the lone inventor• The myth that good ideas are rare• The myth your boss knows more innovation than you• The myth the best idea wins• The myth of problems• The myth innovation is always good

Innovation ?

• Bring in significant positive change • Is it the real innovation?• "We innovate every day !”• Too much use of word has lowered its significance• Reserve the i-word for... Nothing !

The myth of epiphany

• Moment when the last piece of work fits into place• ‘Magic moment’ is remembered • Everyone wants to listen

to ‘epiphany’

The grand myth !• Entertaining more than

truthful• Myth discounts Hard work,

sacrifice, personal risk• 20 years work on gravity is

forgotten• Everyone remembers the end moment

Truth of Epiphany

• Myths are more satisfying than the truth• Tim Bernes:

• Nearly every major innovation of the 20th century took place without claims of epiphany

“Journalist were frustrated when I tell them there was no “Eureka” moment to create WWW.”

What matters?

Ability to see a problem clearly: Do not wait for an apple to fall on your head ! Ability to solve it: Do not wait and think of Eureka moment ! Just start working towards solution !

“It is an achievement to find a great idea, but it is an even greater achievement to successfully use it to improve the world “

The myth that we know history

• History is not a straight line of progress the present isn’t either

• History is told in the manner it is liked to accept• Inspiring lies are often more popular than complex truths

Rosetta stone

• First object found with writing in both hieroglyphics and Greek• Is Rosetta stone a history?• Object that was part of history but it wasn’t a history• What if there was a book which could translate?• What if it would not have ever found ?

Let history be history !

• We are encouraged to believe that other outcomes were impossible

• All histories are based on interpretations and personal views• History should not be related much to present and it would

never determine way for anyone

“History is the lie commonly agreed upon”— Voltaire

Myths of a method

• I will follow ‘Steve Jobs’ recipe !

• No method is perfect !

• What worked for them in their era won’t necessarily work for everyone !

• You can do everything right and still fail

• Many factors beyond your control

Eight challenges of innovators• Finding an idea• Developing a solution• Sponsorship and funding• Reproduction• Reaching potential customers• Beating competitors• Timing• Keeping the lights on.

“It doesn’t matter where do you start as long as you start”

The myth we love ideas • We are a conservative species• Conformity is deep in our biology• Being creative puts your social status at risk• All great ideas were rejected• Galileo's sun-centered solar system

I have an idea !• Imagine its 1874• You invented telephone• Rejected by Western Union• Rejected by 25 more companies

How ideas get acceptance?

• Ideas are rarely rejected on their merits• Problem- your skills for pitching ideas to others• Success- Ability to persuade and convince conservative

people• The bigger the idea, the harder the persuasion challenge

The myth of the lone inventor

• Who invented the electric light?• Thomas Edison • Humphry Davy and Joseph Swan• Who invented automobile?• Henry Ford• Largest library in the world don't know for

certain, how could we?

Why most people were wrong?• Major innovations aren’t decided by historians• Driven by - Markets , Circumstances, Popularity• Edison marketed ‘Electric bulb’

Inventor of Light Marketer of Light

Inventors are alone?

• Steve jobs

• Stories of mad geniuses who worked completely alone are rare• Learning to collaborate matter more than brilliance

Steve Wozniak

The myth that good ideas are rare

• Watch any 6 year old child • We are built for creativity• Conventions of adult life demand conformity• Sacrifice our creative instincts in favor of social status• The challenge- Ideas don’t come with the courage to

invest in them

Judgmental attitude

Killing of idea

The myth your boss knows more innovation than you• Judgmental attitude – Kills ideas• Innovation requires – willingness to defy convention

Boss has – Power

Good political judgment

To rise the power

Idea

Kills the idea

The myth the best idea wins

• Story of mouse- Douglas Engelbart• Rejection by Xerox• Apple• Fairy tales and hero stories follow similar patterns: good

guys win, bad guys lose• Apple is winner !• And xerox?• Xerox is also a winner !• Xerox made a reasonable choice

QWERTY.. Keypad !• Inventor- Christopher Sholes• Why ‘qwerty’?• How he designed?• Wanted design that wouldn't jam his mechanical keys• From typewriter to PC • From PC to mobiles !• Not designed great !

Myth of problems

• Myth says you have to get rid of problem as soon as possible• “If I had 20 days to solve a problem I would take 19 to

define it.” – Einstein • There are many creative ways to think about a problem• Success is determined by how deeply you understand the

problem

The myth innovation is always good

• Innovations have positives as well as negatives • Innovation brings change • It helps few people and hurts others• Automobiles- kills 40k people each year in U.S• Accept both change and tradition

Thank You !Presented by Saurabh Mhase

Universal Business School