Really terrific. I think, or hope, that’s there’s one more piece here, and that would be the link between the innovation that absolutely was the core of every successful new company’s success and the understanding that the original innovative impulse (and success) must be nurtured as the driver of innovation forever. When the 2nd generation of management becomes a caretaker instead of innovation driver, the org will certainly whither. That would be Ford after Ford, Apple in the years Jobs was gone, and so on.

Identity, which is based so profoundly on the initial innovation and innovators, is the eternal key to authentic innovation.

Stirring insights, guys, which applies macro and micro.  E.g. brings me back to the notion that the ‘deep inside’ fullest sense of who we are as humans—I think of that as ‘soul’—is the eternal spring, the source of rejuvenation.  Just a question of using our personal ‘souls’ to direct us to the organizations aligned to nourish it. For isn’t that the purpose of organizations, anyway? to nourish humanity?  And there’s the virtuous circle of continual renewal and innovation.  As I think Larry’s saying, it helps to know your authentic identity, or personal ‘soul,’ as a starting point, whether you’re a company—or a humanoid.

Larry,
I recently received your blog about Innovation - and What’s Old is New Again.  I am in the Cosmetic and Fragrance Industry and was delighted to read it, because Innovation is the CORE of what needs to be done in our industry and so often we do refer to the past for inspiration!

I have just returned from a trip to Morocco and was fascinated by the multi-sensory aspects of the product offerings - the sights, sounds, aromas and colors of the foods, scents, textiles which were all amazing. I was so inspired I wrote an article entitled ‘Everything Old Is New Again’ which will be published in the Spring edition of GLOW a magazine for Beauty, Health and Wellness. Very interested to learn more about your thoughts.