Each week I scour articles, wading through the dogs, and bringing you the best insights to help product managers, developers, and innovators be heroes.

Product Innovation Tips Around the Web

4 conditions leaders must create for organizational innovation – Results of an 18 month study. “When leaders actively made sure that these four conditions were present, innovation thrived. But when they either ignored or dropped even one of the four, the chances of success were significantly diminished.” Read more at Forbes http://www.forbes.com/sites/ronashkenas/2015/04/22/four-conditions-that-leaders-create-for-innovation-to-thrive/

Beehive innovation in a 200 year-old process – good example of opportunities right under our nose. “Cedar and Stuart Anderson, a father and son beekeeper duo from Australia spent 10 years perfecting an invention that radically improves the labor-intensive and high-risk art of harvesting honey. They then launched a crowdfunding campaign for their invention.” Read more from Entrepreneur http://www.entrepreneur.com/article/245083

Social media has changed product launches – 10 tactics product managers need to use. “The new launch landscape levels the playing field for brands of all sizes and industries when reaching consumers–yet the ability for consumers to share their opinions freely on social media can provide huge hurdles for brand messaging. Consumers can quickly activate other like-minded consumers to rev up the online discussion to a level anywhere from highly positive to tanking a brand.” Read more at Harvard Business Review https://hbr.org/2015/04/10-tactics-for-launching-a-product-using-social-media

3 factors for using the right innovation approach for the right problem. “The strategies you use to market a breakthrough new product will not help you re-conceptualize the way you build an old one. So how do you decide which tool to use when it comes to your innovation project?” Read more at Business 2 Community http://www.business2community.com/business-innovation/using-right-innovation-tool-right-innovation-job-01209399

Want to be more creative? 8 actions to increase your curiosity. “While we’re born curious, experts say we can relearn the trait. Here are eight habits of people who’ve retained their sense of curiosity….” Read more at Fast Company http://www.fastcompany.com/3045148/work-smart/8-habits-of-curious-people

Meeting mojo – regaining focus and control after an interrupter tries to hijack it. “Whether it’s a team member who disagrees with your approach, an employee from another department who brings up irrelevant information, or a colleague who wants to use your meeting as a soapbox for his own personal agenda, dealing with interrupters during a meeting is challenging.” Read more at Harvard Business Review https://hbr.org/2015/04/how-to-refocus-a-meeting-after-someone-interrupts

 

Still Important – Product Management Flash from the Past

5 examples of how large organizations foster employee innovation and are changing their culture. “Many companies are now starting to focus on developing various types of cross-organizational innovation programs and in some cases these programs have been going on for years. Here are just a few that I wanted to highlight.” Read more at Forbes http://www.forbes.com/sites/jacobmorgan/2015/04/08/five-uncommon-internal-innovation-examples/