Thought piece: 6 "pads" of secret insights to leapfrog into innovation

This is an Expansion to my upcoming book, launching soon! And on this - I'll have a little surprise for the Lighthouse community. Stay tuned!

— Matt

Hey there, Thank you so much for the very warm reception of the first expansion, The LEAP Guide Expansion I: On Love I shared last week. In that piece, we explored how personal growth and love, often overlooked in the corporate world, can break through resistance to change and drive innovation culture at giants like TPC, JPMorgan, Patagonia, Google and more.

Encouraged by this response, today I’m excited to share the 2nd Expansion in this series. This one is packed with insights every Innovation Champion needs to keep pushing boundaries and driving progress. All wrapped into the story of Ribbit, which I will reveal even more in coming weeks and months…

Today, too, I’m looking forward to hearing what you think!

In the murky depths of the Boomerakis Swamp, on the planet Statuquo Prime, far from the bustling corporate galaxies, lived a small, unremarkable frog named Ribbit. Ribbit had always felt different from the other frogs, dreaming of something more than just catching flies and croaking in the night.

One fateful day, as Ribbit sat on his favorite lily pad, a strange shimmer appeared in the air. It coalesced into a holographic entity — a wise, ancient being known as the Innovation Oracle.

“Ribbit,” the Oracle’s voice resonated, “you have been chosen. Our planet’s businesses are stagnating, trapped in old ways. They need a champion to awaken them to the power of innovation.”

Confused but intrigued, Ribbit asked, “But why me? I’m just a small frog in a big swamp.”

The Oracle smiled. “Size matters not. What matters is the will to leap into the unknown. Are you ready to become the Innovation Champion your world needs?”

Ribbit hesitated, then nodded firmly. “I am.”

“Then listen closely,” the Oracle said, “for I will share with you the wisdom of what prophecies heralded ever since the Age of Information began. The Innovation Supercycle.”

“A true Innovation Cycle isn’t easy. It requires the entire swamp to stir. But you have the power. The LEAP will enable you. Just take it in. One by one. Pause when needed. I know it: You are the one.”

As the Oracle spoke, the swamp around them transformed into a cosmic university campus, each lily pad becoming a floating platform of knowledge. Hopping/leaping from one to another, they were uncovering the long-guarded secrets of successful innovation. Before Ribbit knew it, he had mastered the knowledge he could never dream of. A key to a prosperous future now laid in his little, sticky, green hands. Shall we open the door?

Pad-1: Leadership

“First, understand the fundamentals of innovation leadership,” the Oracle began.

Be the Champion. Innovation needs a committed, active, and persistent driver. It’s not just a role; it’s a mission.

Champion until you hear it back. Repeat your message until it becomes part of the organizational DNA. Culture is built through consistency.

Recognize the power of cycles. Reliable innovation requires rituals and repeated processes. One-off efforts rarely stick.

Develop a strategic approach. Align innovation with business goals. Secure quick wins to build support and investment.

Resource wisely. No strategy works without proper backing. Continuously adjust and secure buy-in for resources.

Embrace rigor. In the Age of AI, meticulous process and documentation are more crucial than ever.

Champion Purpose. Unify your team under a compelling vision, mission, and set of values. Craft a Big Hairy Audacious Goal (BHAG) or Massive Transformative Purpose (MTP).

Ribbit absorbed these fundamental truths, feeling a new strength growing within him. But the Oracle wasn’t finished. Ribbit reviewed the points above one more time, before hopping on.

Pad-2: Alignment

“Now, learn how to align for innovation,” the Oracle continued.

Ensure shared understanding. Make sure everyone interprets key concepts and processes the same way. Alignment is key.

Harmonize incentives. Campaign for rewards that enable innovation across your organization.

Define innovation clearly. See it as “the ability to see what is and to improve it.” Ensure everyone’s on the same page.

Clarify what innovation isn’t. It’s not invention, transformation, or betterment. It’s seeing and improving what exists.

Develop a Searcher Function. Continuously discover new opportunities. This is the “see” in “see and improve.”

Drive improvement. Once opportunities are identified, relentlessly work to implement the best ones.

Create a cycle of innovation. See, improve, learn, and repeat. Implement frameworks for continuous innovation.

The frog’s mind expanded with each new concept, seeing connections he’d never noticed before. His little green body was shivering with newly found excitement and power. The Oracle continued, its voice growing more urgent.

Pad-3: Structure

“Understand the types of innovation and team structure,” Oracle intoned.

Understand the 4 types of innovation. Routine, Disruptive, Architectural, and Radical. Each has its place and purpose.

Balance your innovation portfolio. Distribute resources across all four types to mitigate risk and maximize success.

Champion from the top. Remember, the bottleneck is always at the top of the bottle. Leaders, watch your blind spots.

Leverage small teams for big impact. Foster entrepreneurial spirit through autonomous units with clear responsibilities.

Choose strong innovation champions. Look for intelligence, energy, integrity, and intrinsic motivation. Prefer searchers over planners.

Foster active partnerships. Integrate external partners with your internal team to combine fresh thinking with operational familiarity.

Drive lower-level mindset shifts. Recognize that culture transformation requires changes in individual mindsets over time.

Ribbit began to understand the complexity of the task ahead, but with each pad they hopped on, he felt more prepared to face it and more empowered to take the lead. The Oracle’s next words made him feel even more empowered.

Pad-4: Culture

“Now, learn to cultivate an innovation-friendly environment,” announced the Oracle.

Democratize innovation. Move beyond just an R&D lab. Everyone in the organization can and should innovate.

Champion learning by doing. Encourage experimentation and learning from both successes and failures.

Promote personal growth through innovation. Frame innovation as a “hero’s journey” of personal development.

Fight for freedom to explore. Give your people the space and resources to pursue new ideas.

Embrace failure as a learning tool. View setbacks as necessary steps in the innovation process.

Embody customer empathy. Experience your products and services from the customer’s perspective.

Harness diversity. Utilize varied perspectives and strengths to boost innovation potential.

The swamp around them seemed to pulse with potential, water becoming clearer and shimmering in rays of light, every creature and plant suddenly a possible source of innovation. Ribbit’s heart raced as the Oracle continued opening before him the treasure cast of Innovation Supercycle.

Pad-5: Communication

“You’re advancing fast my dear Ribbit, it is time to master motivation and communication in innovation,” Oracle advised. And since, as we know it, when an Oracle advises something, choosing not to follow it has never really been an option…

P.S. Keep an eye out for more on "The LEAP Guide" – it's coming soon and will change how we approach and drive innovation!

Much love
Matt