Dr. Hal Gregersen, co-author of The Innovator's DNA - Mastering the 5 Skills of Disruptive Innovators, was a guest on my radio show recently. You can listen here.
I published notes from our conversation in three parts:
- Part One here
- Part Two here
- Part Three here
The Innovator's DNA - Mastering the 5 Skills of Disruptive Innovators was the result of an 8-year study to uncover the origins of innovative—and often disruptive— business ideas. They interviewed nearly a hundred inventors of revolutionary products and services, as well as founders and CEOs of game-changing companies built on innovative business ideas. In the process they identified five discovery skills that distinguish innovative entrepreneurs and executives from ordinary managers:
• Associating
• Questioning
• Observing
• Networking
• Experimenting
Dr. Gregersen is obviously a leader. And he leads companies and individuals around the world. It made sense to ask him:
Readers are leaders. Jim Rohn says that. I’m just smart enough to quote him. You’re a leader. What are you reading these days?
And, as expected, his answer was great:
I mentioned one book earlier that I am half-way through. It’s called Your Creative Brain: 7 Steps to Maximize Creativity, Productivity and Innovation in Your Life.
It’s written by Shelley Carson of Harvard Medical School. She is a medical scientist who has basically looked at every part of the brain and gives these incredibly clear explanations as to how they contribute to somebody getting a great new idea.
I find it fascinating and that’s the research I mentioned earlier about how most people find associational thinking exhausting and how can you make it fun and easy. It’s a great book. Very provocative.
Another book is from someone I mentioned earlier. It’s from John Hunt. And it’s called the Art of the Idea. In that, John basically says:
“Look. Ideas will prod and push the world forward.”
And he has some incredible one-liners and phrases in the book that really caused me to turn my head and think differently.
Want More from Dr. Gregersen?
- Visit the book's website
- Follow him on Twitter
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