Inside Outside

Corporate Innovation, Mid-Level Managers and the New 20% Ralph Welborn has spent over 25 years providing business and technology advisory services to both private and public sector organizations globally. He has held a variety of leadership positions, including CEO of Imaginatik, the market-leading innovation advisory and platform company; leader of IBM's Strategy & Transformation business in the Middle East and Africa; senior vice president at KPMG Consulting; and a cofounder of an e-commerce company.  In this podcast, Brian Ardinger talks with Ralph about his new book Topple: The End of the Firm-Based Strategy and the Rise of New Models for Explosive Growth. The Topple Rate refers to how major companies are failing, and how that is fall is accelerating. Companies are attempting digital transformation efforts, with little success.  Ralph believes we need to avoid running the Red Queen race and learn from the companies having explosive growth. Currently, approx. 20% of a company’s capabilities are driving 70% of value. However, this will not be the new 20% that they will need tomorrow. Companies don’t have to focus on a lot of things to make a big impact. Understand that you should focus your innovation program on the new 20%. We must not look at firm-based strategies anymore. We must engage with emerging business ecosystem to capture new value. Orchestrating capabilities of others.  We must also turn the lens around on the points of friction of our customers. What are the capabilities we need to solve that problem and then, what are the products and services we have that could fit, or what do we need to create? Examine where value is being created and destroyed and where are we going to plant our flag. What are the unique set of capabilities around planting that flag and how are we going to orchestrate our ecosystem to plant the flag. They also discussed why mid-level managers are key to innovation.  To continue the discussion, connect with Ralph at [email protected]. or http://www.capimpact.com. or check out his book Topple on Amazon at: https://amzn.to/2Nx4Ylk If you are interested in more discussion on corporate innovation, check out Brian Ardinger’s discussion with Janice Fraser with Bionic at https://insideoutside.io/podcast/ep-84-janice-fraser-w-bionic-solution/ This episode is sponsored by GLIDR. GLIDR software helps you validate that you're going to market with products and business models that drive real value. Check them out at https://www.glidr.io/iopodcast GET THE LATEST RESOURCES Get the latest episodes of the Inside Outside Innovation podcast, in addition to thought leadership in the form of blogs, innovation resources, videos, and invitations to exclusive events. SUBSCRIBE HERE For information regarding your data privacy, visit acast.com/privacy

Peter Gardner worked for 20 years as a venture capitalist with Allegis Capital before switching to consulting and eventually launching Startgrid. Peter and Startgrid’s mission is to use software to intensify the density of resources in ecosystems outside of Silicon Valley so that innovation can continue to happen no matter where. 

Shaina Stigler is chief empathy officer at the startup, Betwixt, that’s focused on enhancing communication and trust between coworkers. She shared some insight they’ve gained on how to jumpstart and measure this growth as well as how improvisation is integral to startups. For information regarding your data privacy, visit acast.com/privacy

Greg Larkin is the author of "This Might Get Me Fired: A Manual for Surviving in the Corporate Entrepreneurial Underground." He talked with Brian about the impetus for his book as well as practical tactics and bits of advice for people forging ahead in new innovation waters. For information regarding your data privacy, visit acast.com/privacy

Taylor Dawson is a founding member of GE Appliances’ FirstBuild Microfactory. In addition to his conversation with Brian, he spoke at the Inside Outside Innovation Summit in May. He had some great stories to tell about FirstBuild’s origins and the obstacles they’ve conquered the challenges they’re still solving. For information regarding your data privacy, visit acast.com/privacy