Are you changing your thinking?

It’s true: Before you can change the world, you have to change your way of thinking. And that’s always been a problem for those slow to challenge themselves:

• 1980’s Detroit automakers using inspectors… while Toyota used statistical process control
• Old-line sales people using ABC (Always Be Closing)… instead of consultative selling
• Making investment decisions using pay-back period … instead of NPV or IRR

We call these awkward realities: Something that seems to make sense now, but later makes no sense at all. Here’s one that will make future innovators cringe: Accepting a high level of commercial risk, when knowledgeable, interested, objective B2B customers can tell you exactly what they want. Why test market needs by launching products at your customers to see if they buy them… when you can easily understand their needs in the front-end of innovation?