Innovation as going against the grain?
Businessmen take innovation as something which changes the way we live. The Wright Brothers and Chester Carlson definitely did create innovations. But what about something that changes the way some of us live? Apple vs. PC? Blackberry vs. iPhone vs. Android ?
How about football at BYU? Not the path for everyone, but innovative as to the situation of some? ["BYU appears on the verge of setting a fearless, if risky, course against the grain of college athletics."]
Separately, from Jackie Hutter;
Keven McFarthing of Innovation Fixer wrote this post in which he asks open innovation professionals to not just look at their IP lawyer as an “extraneous irritant,” but instead as a member of the team. Kevin also provides these recommendations:
Ideally, make the lawyer a member of the formal team. If that can’t happen, treat them as if they are on the team.
Don’t leave the final decision up to the lawyer. After all, legal risk is only one part of a project, there are risks associated with R&D, manufacturing etc. You should have a senior decision maker who decides what will happen based on ALL the inputs.
When it all works out, say thank you. If it doesn’t work out, treat it as a collective setback for the team, not the individual who put their neck on the line to try to help the innovation succeed.
I agree with all of these, but I would add to the first one that innovation folks need to recognize that their colleagues in the law department–in particularly legal management–may not be accepting of lawyers being closely integrated into a business team due to a perception that they “are getting too close to the business.” Innovation managers should be on the look out for signs that their lawyer might be effectively be getting “beaten up” for going out on a limb for the team. Moreover, innovation professionals need to understand that by asking their IP lawyers to take risk for the sake of the business, the person who is going to suffer most if that risk plays out is the IP lawyer. That is, if the innovation team embraces IP litigation risk and legal cost or litigation ensues, it is the IP lawyer who will experience the most “blowback.” Innovation managers must therefore be willing to provide their IP lawyers with the resources–both by way of budget and staffing–if the innovation decision leads to undesirable legal results.
How about football at BYU? Not the path for everyone, but innovative as to the situation of some? ["BYU appears on the verge of setting a fearless, if risky, course against the grain of college athletics."]
Separately, from Jackie Hutter;
Keven McFarthing of Innovation Fixer wrote this post in which he asks open innovation professionals to not just look at their IP lawyer as an “extraneous irritant,” but instead as a member of the team. Kevin also provides these recommendations:
Ideally, make the lawyer a member of the formal team. If that can’t happen, treat them as if they are on the team.
Don’t leave the final decision up to the lawyer. After all, legal risk is only one part of a project, there are risks associated with R&D, manufacturing etc. You should have a senior decision maker who decides what will happen based on ALL the inputs.
When it all works out, say thank you. If it doesn’t work out, treat it as a collective setback for the team, not the individual who put their neck on the line to try to help the innovation succeed.
I agree with all of these, but I would add to the first one that innovation folks need to recognize that their colleagues in the law department–in particularly legal management–may not be accepting of lawyers being closely integrated into a business team due to a perception that they “are getting too close to the business.” Innovation managers should be on the look out for signs that their lawyer might be effectively be getting “beaten up” for going out on a limb for the team. Moreover, innovation professionals need to understand that by asking their IP lawyers to take risk for the sake of the business, the person who is going to suffer most if that risk plays out is the IP lawyer. That is, if the innovation team embraces IP litigation risk and legal cost or litigation ensues, it is the IP lawyer who will experience the most “blowback.” Innovation managers must therefore be willing to provide their IP lawyers with the resources–both by way of budget and staffing–if the innovation decision leads to undesirable legal results.
posted by Lawrence B. Ebert at 4:00 AM
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