The Myths of Innovation
By: Scott Berkun
Published: August 30, 2010
Format: Paperback, 256 pages
ISBN-10: 1449389627
ISBN-13: 978-1449389628
Publisher: O'Reilly Media
"It is an achievement to find a great idea, but it is an even greater achievement to successfully use it to change the world", writes creative thinking and innovation writer and educator Scott Berkun, in his challenging and thought provoking book The Myths of Innovation. The author takes the reader on an entertaining journey through time and ideas, exposing both the myths and the realities of the often baffling but always fascinating world of innovation and ideas.
Scott Berkun understands that the past and present of innovation and creative thinking are littered with false stories and legends about the creative process and the resulting discoveries. The author points out that these creation myths of supposed epiphanies, leading to breakthrough concepts, may be useful in spreading the idea to a larger audience. At the same time, however, he warns against using these stories to guide one's thinking about how to build a better world. For Scott Berkun, these creation myths give the false impression that creativity and innovation are easy, and that fresh ideas simply appear out of thin air. Instead, the author dismantles the mythology, and shares the real process behind innovation, and how to really apply the creative process within an organization.
Scott Berkun (photo left) meets the most persistent misconceptions about innovation and idea generation head on, and dispels the often counterproductive views of the creative process. Through a tour of innovation through history, Scott Berkun demonstrates how unfounded myths of epiphanies and how ideas are formed, perpetuated, and held up as examples, despite a complete lack a basis in truth. The author recognizes that there is no such thing as objective history.
For the author, the stories of inventions, innovation, and creativity must be examined more closely. All too often, upon a closer look, the traditional story doesn't hold up as a factual one. While these myths of discovery might seem rooted in the past, Scott Berkun provides evidence that their continuing influence harms the innovative process to this day. As a result, the author shares the principle accepting both change and tradition, and avoid thinking in the absolutes so often presented as the only true innovative path and end point.
For me, the power of the book is how Scott Berkun turns the standard view of innovation upside down, and offers a fresh approach to thinking about idea creation. The author moves methodically, and in a highly entertaining and often humorous manner, through the dismantling of the various myths that have grown up around innovation. Whether deconstructing historical false stories, or disproving widely held myths about the contemporary creative process, the author maintains a logical and methodical approach to his subject matter. Through the unflinching and iconoclastic study of innovation misconceptions, Scott Berkun is able to share some important insights into how innovation really takes place. These lessons can be applied readily to any creative thinking process, in any company, and in any industry.
I highly recommend the engaging and must read book The Myths of Innovation by Scott Berkun, to anyone seeking an open eyed view of what really drives innovation, how there are no real short cuts, and how to jump start innovation in your own company. Instead of perpetuating stories of dubious credibility, you can devote your energy to creating real innovation, and then applying that fresh thinking toward changing the world.
Read the inspirational and very enjoyable book The Myths of Innovation by Scott Berkun, and put to rest the mythology that has grown up around the innovative process in your organization. This book will guide you in the right direction to create some unexpected and game changing breakthroughs in your industry.
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