Categories: Articles

What Innovation Looks Like

Everyone thinks that they are being innovative.

The truth is that innovation is really hard. And, by “innovation” I mean real innovation. Not a better mousetrap, but something that the market did not know that it needed, that then becomes adopted (and paid for) in a way in which we could have never imagined our lives without it. It’s a tall order. So, when it comes to innovation, the thought should be less about what companies are producing innovative products and services, but who – really – is doing the next generation of ideation and exploration.

It’s all about Elon Musk.

The founder, CEO and CTO of SpaceX, co-founder, CEO and product architect of Tesla, co-founder and chairman of SolarCity, co-chairman of OpenAI and – what many may not even remember – the co-founder of PayPal, is thinking on a whole other level. This is someone who is on a mission to change the world (much more than simply trying to put a dent in it). I once saw Musk being interviewed at a TED event, and remember how much I was marked by his comments and desire to make humans the first “multi planetary” species. Even typing those words gives me goosebumps. The other week, Musk was invited to be interviewed at the famed Code Conference by Recode‘s Kara Swisher and The Verge‘s Walt Mossberg. The topics covered included everything from one-way tickets to Mars (by 2018!), autonomous driving, artificial intelligence and more. Do you believe that your company (and your leadership) are truly innovative? Watch this…

The true face of innovation: Elon Musk – Code Conference 2016 – Full Interview.

Mitch Joel

Mitch Joel lives at the intersection of technology, business transformation and consumer culture. He is the Executive Director of Next Era Institute, a strategic intelligence platform helping leaders understand the forces reshaping business, technology, culture and society. The Institute identifies which shifts matter, explores their wider significance and translates them into strategic direction and momentum. Mitch is also a globally recognized keynote speaker. He has delivered thousands of presentations across both B2B and B2C industries to organizations including Google, Walmart, LEGO, Shopify, Microsoft, Procter & Gamble and Unilever. Strategy Magazine has called him “one of North America’s leading visionaries.” Mitch built his career by working directly inside the waves of change that reshaped modern business. He founded and built a digital marketing agency that worked with some of the world’s largest brands and was later acquired by WPP, where he served as President of a firm operating in 25 countries with almost 3,000 employees. Mitch is the bestselling author of Six Pixels of Separation and CTRL ALT Delete, and the host of Thinking With Mitch Joel, one of the longest-running business podcasts in the world. His writing and commentary appear in outlets including Harvard Business Review, Fast Company and Inc. Magazine. He is a member of Dr. Marshall Goldsmith’s 100 Coaches and was named to the Thinkers50 Radar. Mitch also hosts Groove – The No Treble Podcast, documenting the oral history of electric bass players. Mitch is also Co-Founder of ThinkersOne, a platform that enables companies to bring personalized thought leadership from world-class experts into meetings, events and off-sites in focused 15-minute bursts.