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OPINION
T he origin of the phrase “innovate or die” is often disputed. Though others may have shared similar expressions, Peter Drucker, the well-known management consultant, educator, and author, famously declared it. But regardless of who said it first, the sentiment is now widespread – stay ahead of the pace of change, or you could be out of business. Real innovation is about a shift in perspective to progress forward, not the latest gadget or software. Innovation is about more than technology
Kraig Kern, CPSM
The first thing most people think of when they hear the word innovation is technology. But meaningful innovation comes in many forms. Technology is certainly one way, but also marketing creativity, business processes, workflows, modern office spaces, employee engagement, and even mindfulness should all be part of the innovation conversation. Real innovation doesn’t rely on the latest gadget or software application to progress forward. Instead, innovation is a human-centered perspective and mindset. For example, I am always inspired by the story of how Skunk Works came to be and what it represents in terms of game-changing thinking. If you’ve never heard the story, the Skunk Works, conceived in 1943, became a think tank division of Lockheed Martin, where no idea was off the table, regardless of how eye-rolling or impractical
it seemed. They were given the mission to build America’s first fighter jet. German jets had appeared over Europe, and the U.S. and its allies needed a counterpunch. As with virtually all Skunk Works projects that followed, the mission was ultra- secretive, and the deadline was impossibly tight. The Skunk Works director promised the Pentagon they would have their prototype in 150 days. Their engineers turned one out in 143 days, creating the P-80 Shooting Star, a sleek, lightning-fast fighter that went on to win history’s first jet-versus-jet dogfight over Korea in 1950. Over the years, the Skunk Works division in Palmdale, California, was given a more official moniker, Lockheed Martin’s Advanced Development Programs, and went on to develop some of the most
See KRAIG KERN, page 4
THE ZWEIG LETTER AUGUST 15, 2022, ISSUE 1453
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