The Hardest, Longest Race by Eric Moskowitz

THE HARDEST, LONGEST RACE by Eric Moskowitz takes place in 1909 and describes “Henry Ford and the Cross-Country Contest That Changed America.” Through daily accounts of the Ocean-to-Ocean Automobile Endurance Contest, Moskowitz transports readers back to time when automobile was a novelty and paved roads and signage did not exist widely. It was amazing to imagine having to traverse the continental US (a daunting three week and 4,106-mile trek from New York to Seattle) while needing local human guides because maps and directions were so incomplete. Ford entered two cars in the race and had an obvious advantage (how was that fair?) due to his nationwide network of dealers and his company further flaunts the rules, resulting in a scandal. The other three contestants were the Shawmut Roundabout, Acme, and Itala, names we no longer associate with automobiles. At that time, there were roughly 250 companies vying for car sales to early adopters. For perspective, about one in 500 Americans owned a car; in 1909, over 18,000 Model Ts had been registered and the $850 cost (compared to $4000 for some luxury brands) was equivalent to about $30,000 today. Moskowitz, a former columnist at The Boston Globe, does his best to intersperse personal details about the drivers and navigators in this story, using primary sources like their letters and contemporary newspaper accounts (an extensive list is acknowledged in Notes). Still, I found it helpful to read THE HARDEST, LONGEST RACE in parts as it is difficult to maintain excitement and interest in a literal “slog” (oh, the mud!) from point A to point B. There were many, many people involved, and Moskowitz includes an Epilogue to explain what happened to them. A helpful Index is also provided.

Genius at Scale by Hill, Tedards, and Wild

GENIUS AT SCALE by Linda A. Hill, Emily Tedards, and Jason Wild is an in-depth, thoughtful look at “How Great Leaders Drive Innovation.” The authors’ credentials are impressive: Hill is the Wallace Brett Donham Professor of Business Administration at Harvard Business School (HBS); Tedards is a graduate researcher in organizational behavior at HBS; and Wild is he former Global Vice President of CEO Co-Innovation and Customer Engagement at Microsoft. Together, they essentially use case studies and real-world examples to talk about Architects, Bridgers, and Catalysts effecting change in their organizations. Some of the companies and groups mentioned are P&G, Pfizer, Mastercard, Delta Airlines, as well as food organizations in Africa and Italy and the Sampark Foundation which promoted educational advancements in India.  

GENIUS AT SCALE is very accessible, with differently sized helpful headers, a conversational tone, and a focus on individuals and their stories. Much of this necessitates a new way of thinking, like Mastercard’s emphasis on a Framework to Grow, Diversify and Build in the “World Beyond Cash” or P&G’s increasing recognition that “the product economy was shifting to an experience economy.” The authors note that “as much as leaders would like to plan their way to innovation, their job as architects is to help their teams and organizations act their way instead,” referencing a vivid descriptor from previous research: “it's like shifting from leading an orchestra to a jazz ensemble: while their sheet music provides some guardrails, the musicians have to improvise, listen, and adapt to each other as they perform.” Another chapter looks at the establishment of the Cleveland Clinic in Abu Dhabi, stressing the importance of continuous learning and adapting to local practices, needing “to create an environment where all caregivers could be ‘contemplative and creative rather than reactive problem solvers’.” While reading, I found many insightful comments like when the Sampark leadership opined “If you launch a decision as an initiative, people wait for it to fail. If you launch it as an experiment -- indicating that you will reverse it if it doesn't go right -- people participate in shaping it. They own it.” The authors and those they studied repeatedly point out how critical it is to have a “foundation of shared purposes and values -- a sense of community." GENIUS AT SCALE is clearly extensively researched with notes comprising at least ten percent of the book; there's also a helpful index and the online bibliography contains a list of over 700 books and articles.  Highly recommended.

Massively Better Healthcare by Halle Tecco

MASSIVELY BETTER HEALTHCARE by Halle Tecco is self-described as “The Innovator's Guide to Tackling Healthcare's Biggest Challenges.” Tecco, the founder of the venture fund Rock Health and an adjunct professor at Columbia Business School, has been a healthcare innovator herself, supporting and investing in numerous digital health companies. Her text is well-written and accessible and delivered in a logical manner. She begins with a section that describes US Healthcare, its costs and availability relative to other countries around the world, as well as describing the numerous stakeholders. This provides a strong basis for subsequent sections which deal with pathways to innovation and a checklist for evaluating new opportunities, and the four big lessons (“Work from the inside out, not the outside in; Align the margin and the mission; Be a good steward of health data; and Invest in evidence”) that she has learned from others in the field. Throughout, Tecco provides facts (“If the US healthcare system were a country, it would be the fourth-largest economy in the world.”), her own experiences (pricing for a prescription dermatological cream that went from $275 to $25 thanks to a pharmacist’s intervention), and tons of case studies (see graphic here).  Although MASSIVELY BETTER HEALTHCARE focuses on a particular sector, much of her framework could apply to innovators in other businesses.

Epic Disruptions by Scott D. Anthony

EPIC DISRUPTIONS by Scott D. Anthony (Eat, Sleep, Innovate) highlights “11 Innovations That Shaped Our Modern World” and I think it would have been fascinating to be in the discussions of which 11 to choose. Anthony, a Clinical Professor of Strategy at the Tuck School of Business at Dartmouth, studies the adaptive challenges of disruptive change while clearly recognizing the contributions of his mentor, Clay Christensen. In his latest book, Anthony looks at technologies like the printing press, the Model T, and Apple iPhone. He argues that “Disruption is an engine of progress. By making the complicated simple and the expensive affordable, it transforms how we work, play, live, and communicate.” A few examples he chose may not come readily to mind: Julia Child, disposable diapers, steel minimills; but he uses his case studies to answer basic questions (Who does it? Is it random? Is it accelerating? Is it a universal good?).  I liked his graphs and many corporate examples (e.g., Eastman Kodak, Sears, and McDonald’s) to further support his points (e.g., “innovation magic happens at intersections”). The conclusion section is especially thought-provoking as he looks briefly at newer technologies (additive technology, artificial intelligence, robotics) whose story is not yet complete. There, Anthony again weaves facts and examples while asking probing questions. Approximately fifteen percent of the text is devoted to Notes and a detailed Index. For stories of some innovations particular to Texas, see the recent Texas Monthly feature that appeared on PBS.

Unit X by Raj M. Shah and Christopher Kirchhoff

UNIT X by Raj M. Shah and Christopher Kirchhoff explores “How the Pentagon and Silicon Valley Are Transforming the Future of War.” In the past, it was the Pentagon which often funded private experimentation with technologies like nuclear power, lasers, and even early versions of the internet. But in the early twenty-first century, military technology was far behind available options (think GPS, drone application, facial recognition, etc.).  Acknowledgement of this situation led to the establishment of Defense Innovation Unit Experimental, DIUx, formed in 2015 and headquartered in Mountain View, California. Shah and Kirchhoff were two of the founders and hence provide an inside look at Unit X’s evolution. They chronicle the initial resistance from DoD as officials sought to protect relationships with traditional suppliers and appropriations from Congress. And then there was resistance within Silicon Valley, as when three thousand Google employees signed a letter arguing that the company “should not be in the business of war.” Readers will be fascinated by stories involving companies like Palantir, Anduril, Shield AI, Joby Aviation and venture capitalists as well as the authors’ insightful analysis of the culture clash between the military, clearly risk-adverse and bureaucratic, and tech innovators. The authors poignantly conclude: “the ultimate goal is not to win wars but to deter them. … Advocates of innovation must keep pressing despite the seemingly Sisyphean task of reform. Leadership must back them to the hilt.” An extensive Bibliography (about 15% of the book) and a helpful Index are included. Recent analyses of military tech “disruptors” and future trends are available online from sources such as RAND, McKinsey and Brookings.  UNIT X was longlisted for the Financial Times Best Book of the Year and reviewed further in publications like The Wall Street Journal and briefly in Foreign Affairs.

The Bonfire Moment by Gonzalez and Yellin

THE BONFIRE MOMENT by Martin Gonzalez and Josh Yellin is subtitled “Bring Your Team Together to Solve the Hardest Issues Startups Face.” Experts in this area, Gonzalez is the creator of Google’s Effective Founders Project, a global research program, and Yellin co-founded Google's first Startup Accelerator. Together they argue that “ignoring people issues in favor of technical, financial, and strategic issues is a fatal trap. Those deceptively minor, hard-to-quantify team challenges or undermine your success if not confronted with resolve.” Gonzalez and Yellen have crafted a text with two main sections; the first describes why teams are harder than tech and the second looks at what to do about it. Their discussion is filled with numerous examples, particularly in the tech industry (Google, Shockley Semiconductor, General Magic, etc.). 

Based on their one day intense workshop that was the highest rated experience of Google Accelerator, THE BONFIRE MOMENT is a useful guide for managers and investors, and they intend to offer online support and materials. Those are “coming soon” although the book itself has several Appendices (describing the Effective Founders Project, a playbook in advance of the workshop, assessment tools, and a user guide) included. It will be interesting to watch these ideas develop further; there is much to ponder and learn from here. 

Humphrey and Me plus The Woman at the Wheel

Back to historical fiction with reviews of two recent works: 

HUMPHREY AND ME by Stuart H. Brody is a work of historical fiction that covers almost two decades beginning in the early 1960s. There are two narrators: Ray Elias, initially a bit of a nerdy a high school student who gets involved in politics, and Hubert Humphrey – first as Senator, then as VP and presidential candidate and finally as a Senator again.  As any student of American history knows this was an exciting, turbulent time in American history and Humphrey was a key character involved with civil rights and progressive politics. What troubled me was the book’s depiction of him as talking about war protestors as “Hitler-loving youth” – I could not find that quote in any of the databases or online sources I checked. Yes, this is a work of fiction, but it is important to accurately portray a person of Humphrey’s stature. Brody, who is a professional speaker on ethics, did not cite his sources in the preview that I saw, leading to further questions about his descriptions of Humphrey’s musings and state of mind. Important events, like Kent State, were not even mentioned (although Humphrey had spoken on campus). And, while the story may be semi-autobiographical, Ray was very self-centered and not that well developed. The work that Humphrey did to improve quality of life for Minnesotans and Americans is inspiring (and we could all do with some inspirational leadership from politicians these days); reading a biography (even one intended for young people) would be my recommendation instead of this novel.

THE WOMAN AT THE WHEEL by Penny Haw (The Invincible Miss Cust) offers insight on a fascinating, but little-known historical figure: Bertha Benz, business partner and wife of automobile inventor Carl Benz. Haw describes Bertha’s childhood, courtship with Benz, and her subsequent contributions to his work. Unfortunately, the text seems rather repetitive. In part, that is justified because the pair were met by substantial skepticism and business set backs as they strove to develop their “motorwagen.” It must have required great faith and fortitude to persist in developing that first automobile and Haw stresses that. As she explains, “Bertha wanted to live a life of innovation and purpose in an era when women were expected to be grateful to do nothing more than keep house and raise children.” Together, Bertha and Carl eventually launched a company which employed hundreds of people and was the world’s leading automotive manufacturer. He praised her in his autobiography: “brave and courageous, she hoisted new sails of hope and support at a time when no one else believed in the dream.” Haw includes a Bibliography, Reading Group Guide, and a Conversation with the Author which centers on this extraordinary woman.  

The Truth About Crypto by Ric Edelman

There has been quite a bit of news lately about cryptocurrencies and bitcoin. If that topic interests you, have a look at a newer book titled THE TRUTH ABOUT CRYPTO by Ric Edelman. His text is subtitled “A Practical, Easy-to-Understand Guide to Bitcoin, Blockchain, NFTs, and Other Digital Assets” and has garnered positive reviews. Edelman, a longtime financial advisor and educator, begins with a glossary of sorts so that readers are able to use the proper vocabulary. There, he describes blockchain technology as “the most profound innovation in commerce since the invention of the internet” and notes how relatively “few people,” including financial professionals, realize that. He splits the text into 5 parts: Understanding the Technology; Understanding Bitcoin and Other Digital Assets; Investing in Digital Assets; Regulation, Taxation, and Compliance; and Getting Started. I think many readers, our students included, will jump to that last part which looks at answers to “Ten Common Concerns.” But there’s so much (e.g., hot wallets and cold wallets; base layer protocols; or defining money) to explore in previous chapters, too. Edelman sprinkles in interesting facts (e.g., AMC Theaters reports that 14% of its moviegoers pay for online tickets with digital assets) and provides a comprehensive list of the (roughly three dozen) “Helpful Lists You’ll Find Inside.” THE TRUTH ABOUT CRYPTO is an initial informative look at a new, complex, and potentially transformative technology. 

Stage (Not Age) by Susan Wilner Golden

STAGE (NOT AGE) by Susan Wilner Golden deals with “How to Understand and Serve People Over 60--the Fastest Growing, Most Dynamic Market in the World.” Golden, who advises and lectures on longevity at Stanford argues that “the tectonic demographic shift must be met with a similarly immense mindset shift.” She spends the first part of the book exploring language (e.g., lifespan generally refers to a numerical age vs. healthspan which she characterizes as a ‘stage’ concept) along with marketing segmentation. Golden’s publisher describes STAGE (NOT AGE) as “the concise guide to helping companies understand that people over sixty are a deeply diverse population.” And in the second part of the book, Golden reviews companies which have successful longevity strategies; she also looks at different types of customers, plus distribution issues, entrepreneurship, and innovation. Golden helpfully begins each of her eight chapters with a summary of its big idea and ends each with a list of key takeaways. In addition, she devotes roughly ten percent to the book to a valuable list of resources, further reading, and notes. Another relevant text is The Longevity Economy by Joseph F. Coughlin, the founder and director of the MIT AgeLab; I recently heard him speak. In fact, it is projected that in fifteen years there will be more Americans over 65 than under 18 – offering fascinating questions on how organizations – public and private – can best plan to meet the likely challenges and leverage this growing opportunity. Students, too, will find much to reflect upon.

How Innovation Works and Eat, Sleep, Innovate

HOW INNOVATION WORKS is written by Matt Ridley, a member of the House of Lords and an award-winning author (The Evolution of Everything). His new text actually speaks to the flywheel concept that Dumaine raised in Bezonomics when Ridley points out that “innovation is potentially infinite because even if it runs out of new things to do, it can always find ways to do the same things more quickly or for less energy.” Ridley provides an engaging read by illustrating innovation (“turning ideas into practical, reliable and affordable reality”) across history and a range of fields (Energy, Public Health, Transport, Food, and so forth).  He then explores patterns in those stories and argues that innovation “Flourishes in Freedom” while devoting a chapter each to innovation’s Essentials, Economics, and Failures, and finally concluding with sections on Resistance to Innovation and Innovation Famine. This is a very readable text and is full of facts, often amusing stories, and relatable explanations, such as “the genius of the Wright brothers was precisely that they realized they were in an incremental, iterative process and did not expect to build a flying machine at the first attempt.” Teachers will appreciate that Ridley emphasizes the value of traits like trial and error and collaboration. Students with interest in the STEM fields will especially enjoy HOW INNOVATION WORKS which received a starred review from Kirkus.

 

EAT, SLEEP, INNOVATE, by Scott D. Anthony, Paul Cobban, Natalie Painchaud and Andy Parker, is forthcoming this Fall from Harvard Business Review Press. Cobban is based in Singapore working for DBS Bank and the other three authors are executives with the growth-strategy consulting firm Innosight. They collaborated to explore “How to Make Creativity an Everyday Habit Inside Your Organization” and the text has a slightly playful, irreverent tone, perhaps meant to reinforce the idea of creative freedom, which is fun at first.  I loved the footnote that includes: “And hello, footnote reader. We are glad to have you with us.” It does wear after a bit, though, as they actually recognize when another footnote says, “we’re going to stop doing this soon.” Overall, there are plenty of serious suggestions to help businesses. In Part I (over four chapters with three companion case studies), they lay out a series of definitions, discuss why organizations struggle with innovation, and then introduce and explain the idea of BEANS (behavior enablers, artifacts, and nudges).  Part II, filled with “tips, tricks and tools” focuses on the more practical application. In an appendix, they also provide a “Culture of Innovation Bookshelf” with titles they consider most influential. While a bit jargon-y, it is a luxury to stretch one’s brain and spend time with this text. It is certainly relevant; as the authors point out, “uncertainly increases the need for innovation.” Visit their website plus pick up EAT, SLEEP, INNOVATE if you are looking for ideas about how to make innovation more of a “habit of mind” and daily focus.