Innovation Genome

The Innovation Genome is a way of thinking about and strategizing growth within your organization and yourself. It identifies four different methods of innovation—Create, Control, Collaborate, and Compete—each with their own pros and cons. Every organization and person has a dominant logic that determines the way they see the world and how they approach innovation. The Innovation Genome helps you identify your dominant logic and understand your strengths and weaknesses. Each of the four quadrants represents a different dominant logic. The goal is to incorporate other modes of seeing into your own, to find people who fill in your blind spots and complement your own strengths and weaknesses. Individually, the four quadrants are wildly different approaches to innovation. It is important to make them work together and, as a whole, create an organic system of growth.

The Create profile represents organizations and people who pursue radical breaks from the past and breakthrough ideas. Their motto is DO NEW THINGS. They are artists and visionaries who value experimentation and speculation. They strive to orient their products, services, and ideas to the future. Taken to an extreme, the Create organizations become chaotic.

The Control profile represents organizations and people who want incremental change that is systematic, careful, and practical. They look for efficiency and predictability and tend to implement innovation by elaborating or extending existing products with minor variations. Their motto is DO THINGS RIGHT. Taken to an extreme, the Control profile becomes a bureaucracy.

The Collaborative profile represents organizations and people who believe in something greater than the business itself. They are committed to their community, focusing on shared values and communication. They hope to nurture a group of empowered individuals. Their motto is DO THINGS THAT LAST. Taken to an extreme, the Collaborative profile becomes a party.

The Compete profile represents organizations and people who appreciate the intensity of competition and achievement. They are motivated towards speedy, profitable outcomes and embrace the discipline necessary to achieve them. Their motto is DO THINGS NOW. Taken to an extreme, the Compete profile becomes a sweatshop.