Even the most successful companies can misstep in their innovation efforts. Despite access to vast resources, brands like Google, Coca-Cola, and Boeing have stumbled into traps so common we might call them the "Eleven Deadly Sins" of innovation. Resarch shows these repeating pitfalls come not from a lack of creativity, but from poor judgment, misaligned strategies, and unchecked assumptions.

Still using SWOT? Today’s strategies need more than just a simple look at what’s happening inside and outside a business. The world is connected and constantly changing. We need tools that look at what makes a company strong, how it can adapt to change, and how people’s decisions shape success. We also think about how laws, cultures, and global trends affect a company’s edge over competitors.

What's under the hood of an Innovation Engine? To sustain innovation, companies must master three capabilities—Discovery, Incubation, and Acceleration (DNA). Discovery involves identifying customer needs for quick, incremental improvements. Incubation de-risks ideas by testing key assumptions, while Acceleration scales validated innovations to market. This process must be managed across three time horizons: immediate (Horizon 1), near-term (Horizon 2), and long-term (Horizon 3). Effective portfolio management and stakeholder governance are essential for sustaining a dynamic innovation system that continuously delivers value.