FISH DON’T TAKE SWIMMING CLASSES
R Gopalakrishnan’s new book is not the biography of a single innovation but of innovations in general
The I-word isn’t a nondescript noun any more in India. Once upon a time innovation was indeed an irrelevant concept. The straight and narrow socialist path was the only non-option available for a discerning Indian talent to reach her destination. This Indian paradigm took inordinately long to change. Today, in the corporate world, executives continue to struggle with the I-word, with management jargon possibly contributing to confusing the wondrous ties between creativity and innovation.
This book is deeply insightful as well as entertaining. R Gopalakrishnan, a rather lonely bright star in the firmament of Indian innovation today, chaired the Tata Group Innovation Forum (TGIF). He earned the credentials to write this book. These excerpted vignettes illustrate his penchant for serious entertainment:
ON WHETHER INNOVATION IS A HUMAN TRAIT
“Would it help to be ‘natural innovators’ if we could think of innovation as being quintessentially human and natural? Fish don’t take swimming classes. They just swim. Flowers are not taught to bloom. But we still need a way to think about the subject.”
HOW IDEAS ARE BORN
“Much drama is associated with how a concept strikes root in the brain. It has been eulogised as being a flash, an epiphany or a sign of genius. The reality, however, is that neurons are active in the brain all the time. For most of time their signals are not in symphony. But once every so often, through what appears to be a random process, there is a coming together of chaotic signals in the brain. This can be thought to be the formation of a concept.”
ARE LEADERS INNATELY INNOVATIVE?
“Leadership in an institution is a formal position. The mere act of achieving an exalted status can cause a leader to give up the growth mindset. Stakeholders and the media love the evergreen idea of an always-successful leader with a blemishfree track record. Why would such a per- son take a risk that can result in failure or bring criticism?”
ON CURIOSITY
“We are not sure why we use the expression ‘Curiosity killed the cat’... In Much Ado About Nothing William Shakespeare wrote, ‘What courage man! What though care killed a cat, thou hast mettle enough in thee to kill care!’ By 1873 the expression morphed into ‘Curiosity killed the cat.’ “Curiosity is the preserve of all forms of genius. It is curiosity that accounts for the progress of mankind. Let us remember Einstein’s self-description : “I have no special talents. I am only passionately curious.”
This book is not the biography of a single innovation but of innovations in general, narrating multiple stories that illustrate their respective challenges at each stage. The author hopes this approach enhances the reader’s ability to relate to the corporate environment she is familiar with. It does. So read, learn and enjoy.