By Jennifer Ann Goldsberry
Today’s world is becoming evermore uncertain. Financial, informational, and job security may begin to look bleak. What is the solution? Innovation is the solution according to Professors Dryer and Furr. While the title, Innovator’s Method, appears to be written to a narrow audience of entrepreneurs, the book is actually written for leaders and employees in all fields.
An operating manual is used for specific behavioral directions. A car manual, for example, is open while a mechanic is actively tuning a car. It might be covered in oil because it has been used on site. The Innovators Method is a manual for innovators and is not meant to be read in one sitting; the authors motivate the reader to try taking action as they learn about each new principle in the book. Readers are encouraged and inspired to put the manual down and get to work. This “manual” deserves to be read, not just once, but over and over again for years.
Innovators Method is written as if it was dictated in a lecture. Every chapter has its share of engaging stories. There are just as many principles to glean from in between the lines as there are explicitly written. The book focuses on two specific themes:
1. What it means to generate the seeds of innovation
2. How to apply innovative ideas into business strategies.
Chapters one through five detail the five skills found among successful innovators. These skills are observing, questioning, experimenting, networking, and associating. Both leaders and members of a company should pursue these skills. When employees of all departments contribute innovative ideas, there is a broad selection of possible solutions to choose from—the seeds are more easily sown when there are many sowers.
Chapters six through nine go into greater detail about narrowing down solutions. This is where one can find a step-by-step guide for a business model. It is a must-do checklist before launching a new project. These later chapters are the most interactive part of The Innovator’s Method.
The authors promise that the wisdom gleaned from their manual provide “the tools you need to resolve uncertainty.” Whether you are a lowly employee or a leader of a multi-national organization, these principles will help you feel more certain about the future of your job, your business, and even yourself.[