Innovation is for everyone. I mean that in two ways. First, no one should think that this is a special talent possessed by only a few lucky individuals. Everyone can learn how to innovate successfully. It’s a science, and not a mad science like alchemy but a good science like chemistry. It takes the right combination of the right elements to innovate successfully, but once those elements are in place the company can replicate the process, over and over. No company can depend on a single great idea for very long. It requires a culture of innovation to win consistently in a rapidly changing market.
At the same time, “innovation is for everyone” means that it belongs to the whole world. Innovation can and must do far more for us than just help a single company become a bit more efficient. Our entire planet needs to think more innovatively if we hope to prevent a catastrophic future.
