The Innovation Paradox: The Success of Failure, the Failure of Success - Softcover

Farson, Richard; Keyes, Ralph

Softcover

ISBN 10: 0743225937 ISBN 13: 9780743225939

Publisher: Free Press, 2003

Synopsis

In The Innovation Paradox, Richard Farson and Ralph Keyes argue that failure has its upside, success its downside. Both are steps toward achievement, and the two extremes are not as distinct as we imagine. In today's business economy, it's not success or failure -- it's success and failure that lead to genuine innovation. History's great innovators, from Thomas Edison and Charles Kettering to Bill Gates and Jack Welch, saw failure as an important stepping-stone -- and with this groundbreaking book, you too can learn how to become more failure tolerant, more risk friendly, and therefore more innovative. Today's most prominent businesspeople agree that The Innovation Paradox has the formula for failure and success down to a science,
Make no mistake: If you're looking to reinvent yourself, your ideas, or your business model, this book is your sure-fire way to start.

About this title

Review

Precious few of us--and that includes Hall of Fame achievers like J. Paul Getty and Bill Gates--ever travel a straight line to the winner's circle. Whoever Makes the Most Mistakes Wins, by Richard Farson and Ralph Keyes, builds on this basic assumption to suggest that some failures may not only be inevitable on our road to success, but might actually help us attain it. In earlier books, Farson ( Management of the Absurd) and Keyes ( Chancing It) wrote separately about risk taking and reexamining assumptions. Here, they jointly proclaim that in the age of Oprah it might truly be counterproductive to accept the traditional meaning of business yin and yang. "Relying on conventional, outmoded ideas about success and failure stands in the way of your ability to innovate, compete and stay ahead of the curve in a changing economy," they write. While slim, their book goes on to make a compelling case for "managing in the postfailure era" by supporting the type of traditionally discouraged behavior that resulted in breakthrough creativity over the years at firms like 3M, Monsanto, and Apple. Since crises, setbacks, and adversity help shape and advance our lives, the authors argue, why can't enlightened managers also turn them into forward movement in the workplace? Contrarian food for thought. --Howard Rothman

About the Author

Richard Farson has led several organizations noted for innovative programs. Farson helped found the Western Behavioral Sciences Institute in 1958 and remains its president. In this capacity he directs its International Leadership Forum, an Internet-based think tank that brings influential leaders together to consider critical policy issues. A University of Chicago Ph.D. in psychology, Farson has been a naval officer, college dean, research director, organizational consultant, and a Fellow of the Harvard Business School's Human Relations Faculty. He is the author of several books, including the critically acclaimed bestseller Management of the Absurd, now published in eleven languages. Farson lives in La Jolla, California.

About this edition

• Publisher: Free Press
• Publication date: 2003
• ISBN 10: 0743225937
• ISBN 13: 9780743225939
• Binding: Paperback
• Number of pages: 144