Innovation for the Fatigued: How to Build a Culture of Deep Creativity

How many presentations on innovation have there been recently? Thousands? Millions?

We are experiencing ’innovation fatigue’: we feel cheated by the endless rounds of consultants who come into our organizations, deliver conceptual models that don’t stick with the realities of business and then leave again. Companies and teams are left feeling more deflated than before, and with not one idea that’s impacted the bottom line. Innovation for the Fatigued argues it is worth fighting for the concept and study of innovation in organizations.

Business leaders are always looking over their shoulders for the next Uber moment to overtake them, and they recognize that innovation needs to be a top priority. But how does one innovate? This book is the antidote to the empty promises that pervade the innovation industry. By designing a company culture that nurtures ideas, but also defends against incrementalism and fads, we can rediscover the powerful basics of imagination, empathy, play and courage, which are all instrumental in delivering real impactful innovation. Innovation for the Fatigued will detail where companies have got innovation wrong, whilst celebrating and studying the ones that lead the way. With unique, relatable and varied examples, renowned innovation and creativity professor Alf Rehn provides a practical model for getting innovation back on track, and instilling change at speed with real concern for market demands.

Alf Rehn is a noted thought leader in the fields of innovation and creativity. Having appeared on Thinkers50 Guru Radar in 2016, he is currently professor of innovation, design and management at the University of Southern Denmark. He is a popular international strategic adviser and professional speaker who has delivered close to 1,000 keynotes worldwide, advised Fortune 500 companies and is one of the few Westerners to keynote on innovation in the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea.