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conception and development of a product. Most importantly the commer-
cial demonstrated how the product adds value and has an impact in another
country thousands of miles away. This is a great example of the culmination
of various innovation activities to produce an innovation. The characteris-
tics of leaders and innovators overlap in many respects as innovators can be
described as “idea or thought leaders.” To take a leadership role in moving
an idea from conception to product is clearly a leadership activity. The dis-
cussion of characteristics for leaders and innovators should be considered as
relevant to the development as an individual leader and the development of
ideas that contribute to innovation.
CHARACTERISTICS OF INNOVATORS
Innovators' Core Skills
Associating
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Questioning
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Observing
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Experimenting
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Networking
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Source: Dyer, Gregersen, and Christensen (2011)
The “Nature vs Nurture” argument can be invoked as we seek to under-
stand the essence of innovation and what it takes to become an innovator.
An understanding of the basis of innovation is also important as we desire to
inspire the characteristics that lead to innovative behavior in individuals, the
workforce, and organizations. When considering what the individual innovator
looks like and what the innate characteristics that produce a mind that engages
in innovation are, a number of common characteristics surface. According to
research conducted by Jeffrey Dyer, Hal Gregersen and C. Christensen [1]
which included a six-year study surveying 3,000 creative executives and con-
ducting an additional 500 individual interviews, they found five “discovery
skills” that distinguish these individuals as successful innovators. These “dis-
covery skills” of innovators are outlined in their topic, The Innovator's DNA
[1] , and all innovators evaluated possess these skills. Only one skill, associat-
ing, which is the making of connections across seemingly unrelated fields,
problems, or ideas - is a cognitive skill. The other four - questioning, observ-
ing, networking, and experimenting - are behavioral skills. Thus, with a basic
level of cognitive functioning and effort, essentially anyone can become an
innovator.
Associating Most successful innovators tend to be very good at seeing con-
nections between seemingly disparate ideas. For example, you might be at a
soccer game and notice that one of the moms has come up with a way to make
sure her kids have cold water - some kind of chiller. To take that idea and
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