Innovation Ninja Style

For 30 years, Gary Shapiro – the leader of the Consumer Electronics Association  which hosts the annual International CES show – has worked closely with innovative businesses like Apple, Google, and Microsoft.  He has also worked with an amazing number of small technology firms  attempting to succeed big time.

His book, Ninja Innovation: The Ten Killer Strategies of the World’s Most Successful Businesses,  just released in January, is listed:

• Number 2 on the Wall Street Journal hardcover business list
• Number 3 on the Washington Post hardcover nonfiction list
• Number 6 on the Wall Street Journal hardcover nonfiction list
• Number 3 on the New York Times Best Sellers Hardcover Advice, How-To and Miscellaneous list

Ursula Burns,  the Chairman and CEO of Xerox wrote, “Gary Shapiro’s ‘ninja’ approach to business success is exactly what the American spirit is all about-impatient, bold, and agile. It’s what propels the most innovative companies, keeping us around for the long haul, as we continue to transform and make meaningful progress in the world.”

The Ninja was a smart, extremely skilled, fast, responsive, and creative warrior. They overcame overwhelming odds to defeat foes who were bigger and better-equipped.

To do well in business today, a firm or an individual must respond to situations like a Ninja.

How are successful businesses like black-clad Japanese assassins? The ninja is a clever, out-of-the-box, fast-moving, fast-responsive warrior. And to succeed in business today, a business or someone who works in it has to respond to the situation with the tools at hand, be flexible, clever and overcome bigger forces. What are “ninja” companies looking for in their employees? I’ve gotten to know a lot of CEOs, and they’re very similar. They don’t want yes-men. They want someone who’s going to challenge the status quo, who’s going to come up with a solution.

It is important to understand strategy development and execution best practices and innovations.

Highlights by David Willden