Review of Denning and Dunham's, The Innovator's Way

I promised readers that I would read and review two books that seemed quite interesting to me and seemed to offer something new on the subject of leading, creative leading and change.

Here is the first: a review of Denning and Dunham, The Innovator's Way.  This review is also available on Amazon.com at

 http://www.amazon.com/Innovators-Way-Essential-Successful-Innovation/product-reviews/0262014548/ref=dp_top_cm_cr_acr_txt?ie=UTF8&showViewpoints=1

How Many Lifetimes?

I really like the essential orientation that Denning and Dunham bring to the subject of innovation. First, they define innovation in terms of a practice being adopted by a community. Immediately that puts their vision above and beyond the run of the mill notion of new gadgets competing for attention. Second, they orient their "advice" around practices: personal disciplines that are devoted to strengthening insight, questioning and gaining clarity. When a business book suggests journaling and meditation as frequently as do Denning and Dunham, something really good has to be going on. And finally there is the wide range of human activities that have to be brought to bear in order to establish an innovation -- I refer to the eight practices that constitute the core of the book. Finally I was moved by the idea that innovation transpires through conversations. As a professional mentor, I share that faith in the power of this great gift. That said, each of these potentials were diminished for me. I have to admit that I am no lover of business books -- having written a few myself. My problems with this one revolve around the idea that the book is about practices, but in no way does any person have enough of a lifetime to start, cultivate, benefit from and become a "master" of more than one or two of these practices, no less all the practices cited in the litany of the eight measures D&D prescribe. So, the book seems to be written for other consultants, to provide them with a check list of things they can look for in order to gain billable work in an organization, and not to consider either individual practice or community dynamics of adoption of innovations. And this shortcoming becomes a glaring failure to me for the missed opportunity. In my own study of the "breakout creatives process" I have seen how four completely different mindsets, lifeways and practices are involved in generating change. The eight practices cited here bear the stamp of each of these figures. Sensing and Envisioning bear elements of the mystic; Offering touches on the artist; Adopting and Sustaining have prophetic qualities; Executing, leading and embodying are qualities we speak of when mentoring leaders. My point is -- absolutely no one can take on all of those roles and adopt the practices required to master them. The opportunity missed here, in my mind, is a discussion of how each of these roles contributes to innovation and how conversations between and among the figures, at different stages of the process enrich, stabilize and generate affirming energy in the process. Instead we get explanations of innumerable terms and checklists -- typical consulting fare. Finally, I was disappointed that the authors who are obviously well read and support the intellectual enterprise did not make this kind of practice essential in any of their phases. Even a 'master" in their mind knows and learns about an area; but doing the hard work of study, of knowing the history and biographies of key figures in their fields, of studying texts that advance thought, the process of questioning and enhancing the ability for form new categories and new lines of conversation was never broached. Is intellectual pursuit too hot a topic to broach in a business book?  I do recommend this book as a way to stimulate new thinking about innovation and how individual practice contributes to it. It is also useful for consultants who want to give advice that helps hard-driving business people, devoted to the bottom line a reason and practices for taking a different look at the business life.   But if you are looking to gain insight into how to become a person that makes a significant contribution to the process of innovation by cultivating life practices, this isn't going to cut it.