Ep. 124: How can companies stay innovative? | Alex Goryachev

In business, and in life, you can't expect to get ahead while standing still. The approaches that worked yesterday may not work tomorrow, and there is a neverending stream of new ideas, frameworks, technologies, and approaches to solving problems.

The solution is obvious: simply have as many good, new ideas as possible.

The challenge is just as obvious: this is really difficult to do.

We use the term 'innovation' to refer to the process of arriving at the new insights that will drive profits and growth tomorrow.

But what is innovation? How does it work? How can companies use it to stay ahead of the curve?

Alex Goryachev is the former managing director of Cisco’s global Co-Innovation Center, where he spearheaded programs and initiatives to accelerate innovation. He is a Silicon Valley veteran who is a sought-after speaker on innovation and is often referred to as the ‘innovation therapist’.

We sat down with him in this interview to talk about how he defines innovation, and the techniques he uses to help businesses create a culture where breakthroughs are possible...and encouraged.