Successful innovation is not an event.

Successful innovation is not even a process.

Successful innovation is a mindset.

Here’s what the progression looks like:

1.    “We are widget-makers.”
2.    “We are widget-makers who innovate.”
3.    “We are innovators who happen to make widgets.”

It’s the difference between having “innovation” in the third paragraph of your mission statement hanging in the break room—and having innovation in your corporate DNA.

When innovation is in your corporate DNA, you are essentially bulletproof. You are no longer paralyzed by disruption because:

·     You now see disruption as an opportunity to use your superpower—innovation—as a competitive advantage, and,
·     There’s a very good chance that you and your team are the ones who caused the disruption in the first place (thus causing paralysis in your less innovative competitors).

The day that you switch (really switch) your perspective from “We are widget-makers” to “We are innovators who happen to make widgets” is the day you future-proof your business.

That’s my thinking, at least. What do you think?