Part 1. Vocabulary
innovator /ˈinəˌvādər/ n
-a person who introduces new methods, ideas, or products
He
was one of the great innovators in technology.
entrepreneurship /ˌäntrəprəˈnərˌSHip/ n
-
the activity of setting up a
business or businesses
The
new business opportunities encouraged entrepreneurship.
devote /dəˈvōt/ v
-
give all or a large part of
one's time or resources
I
wanted to devote more time to my family.
opportunity /ˌäpərˈt(y)o͞onədē/
n
-
a set of circumstances that
makes it possible to do something
You
will have an opportunity to work in New York.
acumen /əˈkyo͞omən,ˈakyəmən/
n
-
the ability to make good
judgments and quick decisions
You
will succeed because you have business acumen.
Part 2. Comprehension Questions
What are the qualities that will you make an innovative employee?
Why is innovativeness considered an important quality?
What are the three questions business leaders are asked?
How can political acumen help business?
How can you become a successful innovator?
Part 3. Article Reading
We tend to think innovators
should fit a certain profile, one that looks suspiciously close to the
innovators we most admire, write about, and study. We’ve seen Jeff Bezos with
his clean-shaven head and shades or Steve Job’s signature black turtleneck and
jeans. Richard Branson upset corporate suit culture with his relaxed, casual
attire. It may seem that a world-class innovator is supposed to challenge the
status quo, care little about what others think of them, and act like a
larger-than-life character.
Six traits emerge. They paint a
picture of an innovator who is surprisingly different than the person you might
expect. In fact, they may look a lot like what you see in the mirror.
1. Innovativeness: They
explore new approaches and solutions rather than following the accepted way of
doing things. According to David Schonthal, clinical professor of innovation
and entrepreneurship at Northwestern University and co-author of the
upcoming book, The Human Element, this is the most important quality. “One’s
ability to spot opportunities and new paths, especially in the face of constraint,
will always be a durable competitive advantage,” he says.
2. Market and competitive
awareness: They keep the pulse on their competitors, customers, and
industry and have the drive to help their company win. World-renowned business
advisor, author, and speaker, Ram Charan, explains “There are three questions
[business leaders] are asked continuously: What is the future opportunity? What
is it [customers] need? And what is it they do not have? After re-evaluating
and discussing, they decide where to devote their energy and where to
take risks.”
3. Proactivity: They take
action on their own before anyone asks or tells them to. These individuals view
challenging events as opportunities rather than obstacles. Successful
intrapreneur, Jean Feiwel of MacMillan Publishing, told me, “It’s not that I
don’t see the problems that could happen, it’s that I see more of the opportunity.”
4. Strategic approach to risk:
It’s no surprise that entrepreneurs are risk seekers. Just like Elon Musk sold
PayPal and invested nearly all of its wealth to launch SpaceX, they’re willing
to risk its capital and reputation on the innovations they believe in. But
internal innovators think differently—they are actually very deliberate about
the risks they take. They excel at analyzing their surroundings and then taking
calculated risks.
5. Political acumen: A
study of 100 “serial innovators” found that the key trait that separated
successful internal innovators from frustrated ones was that they view the political challenge as an exciting part of the problem-solving process. “Create
something customers like and sell the idea. You don’t need to add extra hurdles
of people that are actively rooting for you to fail because you carry yourself
around like Elon Musk… It’s more important to be collaborative; build bridges
and that increases the likelihood of success.”
6. Motivation: Even the greatest internal innovators
will face significant barriers along the path of innovation. Sometimes these
barriers are so discouraging that people simply give up. Others keep going,
finding a way around each obstacle. Successful innovators draw upon their
passion, purpose, and drive to pursue their ideas. “The play that you feel in
your work, the purpose you find in it, and the potential you see for outcomes
like career advancement.” [By Kaihan Krippendorff]
Source: Full Article: https://www.fastcompany.com/