How to NOT be Blindsided by Innovation with Jim Harris

Welcome to the What's Next! podcast with Tiffani Bova. Today’s guest is Jim Harris, author of Blindsided: How to Spot the Next Breakthrough that Will Change Your Business Forever. Jim is a principal at Strategic Advantage and has 20 years of experience as a professional speaker and consultant. Jim speaks internationally at more than 40 conferences per year on essential topics such as creativity, innovation, customer relationships, strategic planning, and environmental leadership.  THIS EPISODE IS PERFECT FOR… innovative thinkers. Innovation is coming here. Our professional lives are different than they were five years ago; our personal lives are drastically different they were ten years ago. How you approach change will determine your success. If you don’t want to be blindsided, pay attention to your systems and processes and keep the younger employees involved in strategy. Remember, diversity goes way beyond gender. Choose a team of bright people and create job opportunities. Innovation ultimately means that everything gets lighter, faster, and cheaper, and that’s ok. TODAY’S MAIN MESSAGE…  Change happens and if you want to keep up — whether that’s with social media, viral videos, staying agile, going direct to consumer, etc. — you’re going to have to figure out a way to be current. Think about Tesla’s integrated solutions: they have energy solutions, power walls, and cars. It’s more than filling one need. It’s about finding innovative methods to solve multiple problems via one platform.  WHAT I LOVE MOST… No matter how these conversations start, it comes back to being sure that we’re focusing on the right things. It’s not about thinking and talking; it’s about execution and putting your product in the hands of your customers. A PIECE OF ADVICE… create an ecosystem to bring your idea to fruition. People don’t work in a vacuum; it’s about the power of the whole, especially the employees.   Running time: ­­­35:51   Subscribe on iTunes   Find Tiffani on social: Facebook Twitter LinkedIn   Find Jim on social: Website LinkedIn Twitter