Photo above: Jack Dorsey by Art Streiber
Richard Coad [MDB CCO]
The word "innovation" has become the "word de jour." Corporate CEOs say there isn't enough of it. Visionaries say that our country will be hopelessly behind without it. Hundreds of books and articles have been written about it.
Of course, since it seems to be the current bandwagon, bureaucrats are calling for it, even though they don't know how to get it, teach it, find it, and fundamentally fear it.
The great science fiction writer Frank Herbert, author of the Dune series, had an interesting observation about this.
He said, “Bureaucracy destroys initiative. There is little that bureaucrats hate more than innovation, especially innovation that produces better results than the old routines. Improvements always make those at the top of the heap look inept. Who enjoys appearing inept?”
Perhaps one way to better understand innovation is to look at a truly great innovator.
Jack Dorsey is one of the biggest innovators of our time. He has a low profile which probably has something to do with his personality. He describes himself as extraordinarily reserved and shy. Ironically, he's the man who created Twitter. Some people say he's more of a nerd than Steve Jobs because he's a programmer. Many believe he's the intellectual successor to Jobs.