The Ten Faces of Innovation – Tom Kelley, Jonathan Littman | Free Book Summary

The Ten Faces of Innovation – Tom Kelley, Jonathan Littman

The world is changing at an accelerated pace, and today’s great idea may be tomorrow’s anachronism. The learning roles help keep your team from becoming too internally focused, and remind the organization not to be so smug about what you “know”.

Ten Faces Of Innovation: The Premise

Individuals and organizations need to constantly gather new sources of information in order to expand their knowledge and grow, creating a need to incorporate multiple personas.

These personas are driven by the idea that no matter how successful a company currently is, no one can afford to be complacent. 

The Anthropologist

This is the person who ventures into the field to observe how people interact with products, services, and experiences in order to come up with new innovations.

This person is good at reframing a problem in a new way, humanizing the scientific method to apply it to daily life. 

Anthropologists share such distinguishing characteristics as the wisdom to observe with a truly open mind; empathy; intuition; the ability to “see” things that have gone unnoticed; a tendency to keep running lists of innovative concepts worth emulating and problems that need solving.

The Hurdler

The Hurdler is a tireless problem-solver who gets a charge out of tackling something that’s never been done before. When confronted with a challenge, the Hurdler gracefully sidesteps the obstacle while maintaining a quiet, positive determination.

This optimism and perseverance can help big ideas upend the status quo as well as turn setbacks into an organization’s greatest successes—despite doomsday forecasting by shortsighted experts.

The Collaborator

The Collaborator is the rare person who truly values the team over the individual. In the interest of getting things done, the Collaborator coaxes people out of their work silos to form multidisciplinary teams.

The Collaborator dissolves traditional boundaries within organizations and creates opportunities for team members to assume new roles. More of a coach than a boss, the Collaborator instils their team with the confidence and skills needed to complete the shared journey.

The Director

The Director has an acute understanding of the bigger picture, with a firm grasp on the pulse of the organization. Subsequently, the Director is talented at setting the stage, targeting opportunities, bringing out the best in their players, and getting things done.

Through empowerment and inspiration, the person in this role motivates those around them to take centre stage and embrace the unexpected.

The Experience Architect

The Experience Architect is someone relentlessly focused on creating remarkable individual experiences. This person facilitates positive encounters with your organization through products, services, digital interactions, spaces, or events.

Whether an architect or a sushi chef, the Experience Architect maps out how to turn something ordinary into something distinctive—even delightful—every chance they get.

The Set Designer

The Set Designer looks at every day as a chance to liven up their workspace. They promote energetic, inspired cultures by creating work environments that celebrate the individual and stimulate creativity.

To keep up with shifting needs and foster continuous innovation, the Set Designer makes adjustments to a physical space to balance private and collaborative work opportunities. In doing so, this person makes space itself one of an organization’s most versatile and powerful tools.

The Storyteller

The Storyteller captures our imagination with compelling narratives of initiative, hard work, and innovation. This person goes beyond oral tradition to work in whatever medium best fits their skills and message: video, narrative, animation, and even comic strips.

By rooting their stories in authenticity, the Storyteller can spark emotion and action, transmit values and objectives, foster collaboration, create heroes, and lead people and organizations into the future.

The Caregiver

The Caregiver is the foundation of human-powered innovation. Through empathy, they work to understand each individual customer and create a relationship.

Whether a nurse in a hospital, a salesperson in a retail shop, or a teller at an international financial institution, the Caregiver guides the client through the process to provide them with a comfortable, human-centered experience.