Seven Principles for Breakthrough Innovation

Perhaps all of us, at one time or another, have asked the question, “How did they do that?” It may have been at the end of a magician’s “illusion”, after a fantastic athletic feat, or at the conclusion of a perfect performance of a difficult song. We often experience the fantastic as an observer. In doing so, we marvel at the feat of an athlete, the skill of the performer, the genius of the artist, or the ideas of the inventor. However, there are also moments in our lives when we are part of the fantastic; we win the game when all odds were stacked against our team, we complete the impossible project on time and within budget, we survive a scare when we were sure that the worst would happen, or we walk through a crisis when all seemed lost. In some respects, these moments, good and bad, are the “times of our lives”. It is also a time when you are connected to a group of people and a task in a way that is “beyond normal”. There is a loyalty, a code of conduct, and sense of purpose that is beyond the normal rules of work or societal etiquette. It is a feeling of unique and important identity as you take on a quest. You are willing to give all you can to support those who are with you and to see the journey to its triumphant conclusion. It is also very likely that you leaned heavily on rationality, data, and careful analysis as you faced the challenge. There was more thought, more collection of data, and a sense that you had to address the right question. It was a time to be disciplined not careless. Whether you knew it or not, you experienced the duality of breakthrough innovation. A connectedness to your social community, a drive to deal in fact rather than speculation, and a purpose that was something more than yourself…