the innovation animals - 26 short stories to nurture your inner-innovator

The Innovation Animals

26 Short Stories to Nurture Your Inner-Innovator

The Innovation Animals 26 Short Stories to Nurture Your Inner-Innovator

This slide set contains excerpts, watercolors and haikus from the book The Innovation Animals More freebies available at http://jeffzias.com Full book available at Amazon

APE Autonomy, Purpose, and Excellence

Freedom will direct�a course so bold and vibrant,�

the world stares in awe.

The APE story features the research lab that used a “Friday Night Experiments” paradigm to allow the researchers to cut loose, with full autonomy, and try whatever they liked. The result … was a Nobel Prize in Physics. Read more …

BULL Businesses Under-utilizing Lateral Leadership

Stomping and spinning;�horns whipping with abandon, �

foolish waste abounds.

The BULL story covers the horrible ordeal United Airlines inflicted upon one if its customers. If only the customer service agents had any authority, freedom, or even accountability!

CAT Commonly-avoided Terrain

Skewing status quo, pushing previous visions

beyond former fears

The CAT story is about a set of entrepreneurs unafraid to go where others refused to venture. The avoided terrain is often fertile ground for success.

DOG Designing Offers Growth

Experiments start; Broad ideas, narrow focus,

Deep, deep empathy.

The DOG story is about a large corporation, Intuit, that put customer empathy first to discover a new way to help more than a million people.

ELK Excellent Leader’s Kryptonite

The leader succumbs to bleak, destructive darkness,

and teams fail to thrive.

The ELK story explores 5 key characteristics of horrible leaders. Be sure to do the opposite of what they do!

FROGS Frequent Re-examination of Objectives Guarantees Success

Capture my eye you? distraction! turn and leave now.

priorities win.

The FROGS story covers the “Eat that Frog” model for prioritization and time management. To be an amazing innovator, manage your time well using the “eat that frog” method.

GIRAFFE Greatness Involving Radical Autonomy Featuring Friendly Empathy

The depth of delight holds savannah’s torrid impact

as hearts warm and meld..

The GIRAFFE story is about the inventive, kind, and emotional way the Four Seasons Resort treated a young customer. A perfect example of customer delight!

HiPPO Highest-paid Person’s Opinion

Opinions, not fact line the express lane, passion

morphing to regret.

The HIPPO concept is well-known in the industry. Our story reveals a familiar case, the highest paid person insists on a decision and strategy, even in the face of contrary evidence. This story helps you develop a few “hippo taming” skills.

IBIS Invention by Insight and Surprise

Insights pull you up, soaring higher than ever,

broad vision so clear.

The IBIS story is about Alexander Fleming’s discovery of penicillin. See how you might adopt his best practices.

JAGUAR Jamming Almost Guarantees Ultimately Awesome Results

Time, place and focus, now so clear, as jamming is work, play, truth and life.

The JAGUAR is about the use of Innovation Jams, and how they emerged at Intuit. Want to drive rampant innovation? Then run a bunch of jams!

KITE Kill-shot Introspection Transforms Execution

Time freezes moments of vicious devastation,

insight emerging.

The KITE may be the most emotional story in the book. An American special forces officer deployed in Iraq witnesses an atrocity beyond imagination – and his perspective is changed forever.

LION Life-giving Individualization Obstructs Naysayers

One person’s true key unlocks magical doors to

joy, awe, and respect.

The LION story is about Richie Parker, a young man who, born with no arms, uses his particular strengths to maintain an amazing career for himself. Everyone can learn from Richie Parker.

MOOSE Market Orientation Obviates Special Empathy

  Deep in the kind heart�

is love and boundless insight,�while dead hearts stay blind.

The MOOSE is a fable that describes the evils of a powerpoint culture. Those who hate long meetings, dull slides, and bland market data full of vanity metrics will love the Moose.

NENE Nimble Energetic Nonpareil Employees

Customer pain waits. the passion to solve trumps all;

genius awakens.

The NENE gives a well-deserved nod to the 3M corporation. The story of their 20th century discoveries coming from passionate innovators - who were given time and freedom to experiment - is a lesson for all modern companies.

OWL Off-time’s Well-known Liberty  

As breaks deliver�beyond all expectations,�

magic emanates.

The OWL is a story of battery-recharging, creativity, and the power of Unstructured Time. As an example, famous designer Stefan Sagmeister believes in sabbaticals, and uses them to generate energy and inspiration.

PIG Perseverance Inspires Growth  

The uphill struggle,�always there to separate�

success from failure.

The PIG tells the story of AirBnB. Follow Brian Chesky’s wild ride and pick up new keys to achieving world-class perseverance.

QUILLPIG

Quiet Understanding and Introspection Lead to Leverageable Passion In a Group

Finding the purpose,�matching with applied passion,�

transforming lives now!

The QUILLPIG is about finding connections to your life’s purpose in unexpected places. Could you ever be excited about selling toilet paper? See how one P&G executive discovered the key.

RAT

Radically Autonomous Team  

To each his own strengths,�pushing bars high from below,�

with true conviction

The RAT is all about the radical, yet smart, corporate culture that Valve Software has built. Consider following their model to revitalize your business.

SEAL Seeking Empathy Amplifies Leadership  

Looking beneath the�surface for new perspectives,�

unlocking results.

The SEAL identifies the role of empathy in leadership. What happens when leaders are fully attuned to their employees? Simply put, great things happen.

TIGER Total Immersion Generates Exceptional Results  

Deep, deep commitment,�dedication beyond norms,�

garnering success.

The TIGER follows Jony Ive through the design of the iPhone. Have you ever wondered what type of mindset it takes to achieve so much?

URIAL Under-Represented Individual as Lead User

Solving for the one�true target; a life we will�

together transform.

The URIAL covers the “lead user” concept. Are your products having trouble growing and reaching a broader and broader customer base? Perhaps you‘ve skipped connecting with lead users …quite a mistake!

VIPER

Very Important Prioritized Experiments Rule

One thousand attempts�to solve, each wrong, failing quickly;�

now we see the way.

The VIPER story uses innovators like Thomas Edison, Steve Jobs, Eric Reis and Steve Blank as exemplars for prioritized experimentation. As these innovators did, definitely go the way of the Viper.

WHALE Wise Hypotheses Actualize Liberating Experimentation  

Below then above,�the whale’s bold strength, matches with�

clear intelligence.

The WHALE captures a life lesson of Paypal co-founder Max Levchin’s. How will you use a light, speedy and scientific model to efficiently find product-market fit and create amazing new businesses?

XEME

Xerox’s Management Education  

Genius so dormant;�too timid and stilted to�

create the future.

The XEME effectively ‘squawks’ the story of Xerox. How can one company with brilliant employees both invent and give away the future? Xerox found a way. Use the Xerox anti-pattern to make sure you never give away billion dollar product lines.

YAK

Year-over-year Appreciation, Kindness  

Standing on shoulders,�great, strong, committed, loving,�

as we now succeed.

In the YAK story, fighter pilot Charlie Plumb recalls one of his brushes with death, and connects his fortune to one unsung hero. Charlie Plumb models appreciation and kindness – let’s all follow his lead.

ZEBRA Zigzag Exploration Brings Resulting Awesomeness  

Behold paths unknown.�such lines defy straightness to�

enable greatness. By the time your read the ZEBRA, you’ve noticed my point of view on the value of experimentation! Rapid experimentation examples from Apple, Eric Ries, Pfizer, Twitter and Google cap off the Zebra’s tale.

The Innovation Animals If you enjoyed this slide set please check out the book and visit our friend’s sites:

•  The Innovation Animals (Kindle version) •  Intuit Labs •  EricRies at The Lean Startup •  SteveBlank.com •  DanPink.com

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