The Innovation Playbook: A Revolution in Business Excellence

Praise for The Innovation Playbook

"After reading The Innovation Playbook, I couldn′t waitto start my own Project X and neither will you. Nick Webb boldlydebunks common myths about innovation and he′s not afraid to usechildren, pumpkins, or massages to do it."
Steve Faktor, Vice President, Business Growth andInnovation, American Express

"The Innovation Playbook offers core elements that all ofus can incorporate and learn from to help build success."
Chris Thoen, Director, External Innovation andKnowledge Management, Global Business Development,The Procter &Gamble Company

"This extraordinary book shows you how to tap into your personaland organizational genius for ideas to create new products andservices, market and sell more effectively, and generate greaterprofits than you ever thought possible."
Brian Tracy, Author, The Way to Wealth 1–2

"Unlike so many others who write and theorize about innovation,Nicholas Webb has a proven track record as both a successfulinventor and a well–known innovation strategist."
Robert M. Siminski, Patent Attorney, Harness, Dickey& Pierce, PLC

Foreword.

Acknowledgments.

Introduction.

Still Crazy about Innovation After All These Years.

Becoming an Innovation Superstar.

Plays in The Innovation Playbook.

PART I WHAT S WRONG WITH INNOVATION TODAY.

Chapter 1 The New Economy: Different for Good.

A Better Beer, a Better Burger.

Would You Like Something to Drink?

The Darkest Hour.

Not Your Father′s Economy.

The Great Recession: A Tipping Point.

Beginning of the End, or End of the Beginning?

Failure Is Not an Option.

Chapter Takeaways.

Chapter 2 The Wheels Keep Falling Off.

56 Reasons Why.

Getting to Ten.

Nick′s Pick #1: The Wrong Focus.

Nick′s Pick #2: Lack of Sponsorship.

Nick′s Pick #3: Process Driven to the Hilt.

Nick′s Pick #4: A Risk Centered Process.

Nick′s Pick #5: Customer Be Damned.

Nick′s Pick #6: No Resource Commitment.

Nick′s Pick #7: Bail, Don′t Fail.

Nick′s Pick #8: Not Really Open.

Nick′s Pick #9: Innovation Socialism.

Nick′s Pick #10: Lack of Systemic Innovation.

It′s Not Always about Money.

When Process Takes Over: What′s Wrong with Innovation ManagementSystems?

Chapter Takeaways.

Chapter 3 The Danger of Safety.

Play the Game to Win.

The Fear of Failure.

Keepers of the Magic Lexicon.

IBWA Innovation by Walking Around.

The System and the Solution.

The Attack of the Organizational Antibodies.

Diffusing the Bomb.

Fire in the Belly.

A Short Primer on Smart Risk.

Chapter Takeaways.

Chapter 4 What′s Mything in Innovation Today.

Myth #1: If You Build a Better Mousetrap, Will They Beata Path to your Door?

Myth #2: But I AM Connected to My Customers.

Myth #3: Open is the Answer.

Myth #4: The Product is the Technology.

Freudian Slips: Psychoanalyzing Your Company′s Innovation.

Time for Transition.

Chapter Takeaways.

PART II INNOVATING YOUR WAY TO BUSINESS EXCELLENCE.

Chapter 5 Anatomy of an Innovation Superstar.

What Does it Mean To Be anInnovation  Superstar?

Bones of an Innovation Superstar: Customer, Process,Culture.

Dissecting the Anatomy.

Does Fixing the Culture Make You a Superstar?

The Customer Anatomy.

The Process Anatomy.

The Culture Anatomy.

The Right Team.

Chapter Takeaways.

Chapter 6 Creating Net Customer Value.

One More Time: Invention and Innovation.

What is Net Customer Value?

Customer Value in Tiers.

The Innovation Cycle and the Customer Experience.

Finding the Soul of the Customer: Using ExperientialSliders.

The Webb Triangle.

A Darwinistic Approach to Net Customer Value.

Chapter Takeaways.

Chapter 7 Carpet Time.

How to Do Carpet Time.

Carpet Time for Adults.

Making the Most of Carpet Time.

Carpet Time Tools: Innovation Safaris.

Carpet Time Tools: Listening Posts.

Carpet Time Tools: A Few More Bright Ideas.

Carpet Time Tools: Poster Board Sessions.

Adobe Sets an Example.

The Inverted Pyramid Syndrome.

Chapter Takeaways.

Chapter 8 The RealOpen Innovation Framework.

A Prescription, Not a Diet.

Open Innovation.

What Is RealOpen?

What is an Innovation Platform?

Find.

Forward or Forget.

Fast Forward.

Forge.

The Webb Triangle.

Innovation Scenario Tactics.

Chapter Takeaways.

Chapter 9 Creating a (Digital) Innovation Culture.

Focus Upon Others, Not Thyself.

The Innovation Focus Model.

Focus, Leadership, Communication, and Eating Your OwnCooking.

Before and After.

Culture and the Innovation Superstar.

Getting the Team Right.

The Critical Role of Leadership.

Towards a Digital Culture: Digital Innovation.

Chapter Takeaways.

Chapter 10 Dancing with the Innovation Superstars.

Warming Up on the Dance Floor.

Snap–On Tools.

Sierra Nevada Brewing Co.

Hewlett–Packard.

The Nielsen Company.

Now You, Too, Can Be a Superstar.

The RealOpen Service and Software Offering.

Chapter Takeaways.

About the Author.

About The Innovation Playbook Website.

Index.

Successful inventor and author of the bestselling book The Cost of Being Sick, NICHOLAS J. WEBB is the founder and President of Lassen Innovation, a full–service management and innovation consulting firm. As a Certified Management Consultant he provides consulting services to Honeywell and ITW Allergan as well as some of the country′s top universities. Webb and his inventions have appeared on ABC, NBC, and Fox News. Nicholas Webb is also the author of the upcoming book, The Digital Media Innovation Playbook.