Innovate or die ...

This is Mabel. She is a disruptive innovator. and, as it happens, occasionally a destructive one.

Be more Mabel

"What possible interest is this to me?" you might ask. Well. it turns out that Mabel is a disruptive innovator. Like many innovations hers cause pain and negative emotions on first sight (not disimmilar to every new BMW design langauge or most rebranding exercises - Jaguar for example). Mabel wasn't happy with the status quo of socks having only one hole - oh no - spurred on, no doubt, by the sight of footballers sporting holes in their socks to relieve pressure on their oversized calves, Mabel decided to innovate. You can imagine the resulting high toe-ventilation resulting from the redesign of some new walking socks.

Now who is to say that this won't work? Mabel is certainly keen to iterate her new design concepts on the next pair of available socks.

There is a lesson in this light hearted tale. Thinking differently, innovating, disrupting the current model, trying stuff...... is part of not just developing, but also staying relevent. In business we need to endlessly change the way we think; remorslessly chasing the next product innovation, the next idea, the next service added value, the next competitive advantage.

It’s an age old and commonly used warning, “don’t rest on your laurels”. This speaks to the dangers of complacency, possibly arrogance, risk-aversion or simply an unwillingness to change your mindset. Once there, an easy place to be comfortable. A difficult place from where to escape.

If nothing at all around you ever changes, sit back relax.  You have no need to worry about failing to innovate. However, in the real world, as your markets, your customers, your competitors, technology, social norms etc are dynamic then you risk being left behind whilst everyone decided to innovate.

How many of us, when embarking upon this quest, think within the box. We seek only to iterate. What would have happened if Kodak had adopted digital imaging rather than simply sought to make better light sensitive coating on photographic film? or if Blockbuster had sought to embrace digital streaming rather than to limit its thoughts to incrementally improving the walk-in physical rental process of VHS videos and video games? or if Nokia had been the first mover in touch screen mobile devices, or if Toys R Us had embraced on-line sales ...... the list goes on. You get the point. Innovate or die are two extreme but valid options in the long term.

Innovation is critical but not only within the box. Think big. Strategise from the outside looking in; not just within your comfort zone. That's why today there is Netflix not Blockbuster, Apple or Samsung not Nokia, Sony not Kodak and Amazon not Toys R Us. The world is full of tales of dinosaurs who can't move quickly enough or who simply refused to believe that they needed to.

Conversley there continue to inspiring examples of whole new models that change the landscape that dinosaurs once roamed. Think 3D printing, Amazon, Apple, Tesla, AI, digital streaming. None of these were borne from existing thinking or iterating the current.

So the next time you critically look at your strategy or your innovation, you need to ask yourself...If you don't destroy your own business... then who will?"

Be more Mabel.