Individual Feedback Report Esayas Gebremedhin

Table of Contents

A Brief History of The Innovators DNA How to Use this Report Overall Discovery and Delivery Driven Leadership Scores Discovery-Driven Leadership Results Delivery-Driven Leadership Results Discovery-Delivery Driven Leadership Matrix Discovery & Delivery Driven Leadership Skill Strengths Chart Highest Ranked Items Lowest Ranked Items Individual Item Scores Discovery & Delivery Driven Leadership Results Summary Ideas for Improving Discovery-Driven Leadership Skills

2 3 4 5 7 8 9 10 11 12 19 20

A Brief History of The Innovators DNA

The Innovators DNA emerged from a global research project conducted by Jeff Dyer (BYU and Wharton), Hal Gregersen (Insead), and Clayton Christensen (Harvard). They were searching for answers to the question Where do disruptive or revolutionary business strategies come from? Ultimately, in-depth case studies of the worlds 25 most innovative companies and interviews with their entrepreneur founders (or current CEOs) uncovered several key discovery skills that set apart individuals who created radically new business models from the delivery skills of those who helped brilliantly execute them. The power of these discovery and delivery skills to deliver innovative results was extended in a survey of over 2000 high performing executives and 190 entrepreneurs from executive development programs at INSEAD and Wharton. These surveys revealed that the discovery skills forming The Innovators DNA not only increased the likelihood of starting revolutionary new businesses, but also fostered the creation of new business products, services and processes. The delivery skills were also critical in helping execute these innovative ideas. This personalized feedback report is built from a solid research foundation and is based on the self-assessments of your discovery and delivery skills. An accurate self assessment will provide an important launching place for understanding your relative strengths in terms of discovery and delivery skills and how you might improve them to produce greater innovative results.

How to Use This Report

This report is designed to help you identify what you can personally do to strengthen your discovery-and delivery-driven leadership skills by identifying your current areas of strength and potential areas of improvement. Initially, you will receive your overall scores for discovery and delivery-driven leadership. These scores are the average of all discovery and delivery survey items shown on a 1-7 scale (where 1=strongly disagree and 7=strongly agree). These overall scores give you an initial idea of whether you are more discovery-driven, delivery-driven, or balanced in terms of your personal orientation. It is important to emphasize that these discovery and delivery skills focus on what you do, not on what you get done through others. Next you will see the specific scores for each of the Discovery-Driven Leadership skills (Questioning, Idea Networking, Observing, Experimenting, and Associational Thinking) as well your Delivery-Driven Leadership skills (Analyzing, Organizing, Implementing, and Self Disciplined). The report then shows your location on the Discovery-Delivery Leadership Matrix which provides another viewpoint on your discovery versus delivery orientation. Based on the survey assessment of over 2,000 high performing executives in Insead and Whartons executive education programs, your scores are compared to theirs on a percentile basis. The result provides an even sharper sense of whether you are more discovery-driven, delivery-driven, or balanced in terms of your personal leadership actions. Similar to the Discovery-Delivery Leadership Matrix, the Individual Discovery and Delivery Skill Scores Graph is based on percentile rankings compared to the survey assessment of other high performing managers and entrepreneurs. This graph shows your percentile ranking on each of the discovery and delivery skills. To help you further identify your strengths and weaknesses in terms of discovery and delivery leadership skills, the Highest Ranked Items and Lowest Ranked Items provides specific information about survey questions where you scored the highest and lowest. This information can prove valuable in deciding where to emphasize your future leadership development. Finally, the individual scores section of the report gives you detailed information about your responses to each survey question as well as a reference point of the average score for all others who have completed the survey.

Overall Scores
Discovery-driven Leadership
6.5

Discovery-Driven Leadership refers to the set of skills that contribute to one's ability to generate novel insights that result in new products, business models, and delivery methods that are substantially different from existing products, business models, and delivery methods. The discovery skills include five main dimensions: Questioning, Exploring, Observing, Idea Networking, and Associational Thinking. Detailed definitions of each of the discovery skills, as well as the specific survey items used to measure them, are provided in Section II.

Delivery-driven Leadership
4.3

Delivery-Driven Leadership refers to the equally important set of skills that contribute to one's ability to execute on a business plan, thereby delivering impressive financial results. The delivery skills include four main dimensions: Analyzing, Organizing, Self Starting, and Implementing. Detailed definitions of each of the delivery skills, as well as the specific survey items used to measure them, are provided in Section III.

How to Read the Chart

The item or factor description Bar representing The average score of your score over 2500 executives and professionals Your score on this item or factor

Discovery-driven Leadership
5.9 1 Strongly Disagree Disagree 2 Slightly Disagree 3 Neutral 4 Slightly Agree 5 Agree 6 Strongly Agree 7

Discovery-Driven Leadership Results

Associational Thinking
6.0

Associational Thinking refers to your ability to make connections across seemingly unrelated questions, problems, fields of study, or ideas. Associational thinkers draw on knowledge acquired through questioning, observing, experimenting and networking to link together unexpected combinations of problems, ideas and observations to produce new business ideas. Questioning
7.0

Questioning reflects your passion for inquiry (measured through the frequency and types of questions you ask) to find new insights, connections, possibilities, and directions. Active, honest questioning of the status quo provides a powerful tool for opening up new opportunities and uncovering new business ideas and directions. Observing
7.0

Observing refers to your propensity to intensely observe (not just visually) the world around you on a regular basissuch as customers, products, services, and technologiesand through observation gain insights and ideas about new ways of doing things.

Experimenting
6.6

Experimenting refers to the frequency with which you explore with an experimental mindset, visiting new places, trying new things, seeking new information, and experimenting to learn new things. Experimenters constantly explore the world intellectually and experientially, holding convictions at bay, testing hypotheses along the way. Idea Networking
6.2

Idea Networking refers to finding and testing ideas with a network of individuals who are diverse in both background and perspective. Idea networkers actively search for new ideas by talking to people who may offer a radically different perspective.

Delivery-Driven Leadership Results

Analyzing
3.8

Analyzing refers to the extent to which you are careful to analyze data and engage in structured problem solving before making decisions. Analyzing helps you insist on logic, realism, and facts when making decisions to avoid making mistakes. Analyzers carefully think through the implications of data analysis and actions. Planning
4.0

Planning refers to your ability to organize your work by making detailed plans to accomplish your goals. Planners are good at breaking goals down into the smaller tasks required to achieve them. They also have effective organization skills, their offices and work routines are not disorganized or cluttered. Self-Disciplined
5.0

Self-Disciplined refers to your ability to conscientiously and accountably get work finished well and on time. Conscientious implementors consistently pay attention to details at work, meet project deadlines, responsibly follow through on commitments, and complete work as planned.

0.0

measures your ability to be self-disciplined in starting and getting work done on time. Self Starting refers to the ability of individuals to prepare well in advance, to be prepared, and to get tasks completed in a disciplined manner. Self starters do not put off unpleasant tasks or postpone decisions. 7

Discovery-Delivery Driven Leadership Matrix

100

Self

Discovery
(Percentile Score)

50

50

100

Delivery
(Percentile Score)

The Discovery-Delivery Leadership Matrix shown above provides a valuable picture of how discovery-driven, delivery-driven, or balanced you are at work. Your percentile score for overall discovery and delivery scores is based on a comparison of your survey results to roughly 2,000 high performing executives at Insead and Whartons executive education programs. For example, if your overall score on discovery driven leadership is in the 80th percentile, then 80% of the 2,000 high performing executives would be at or lower than your overall discovery driven leadership skill level. Our research has identified a wide range of skill combinationseach of which can prove quite valuable. Some people are high on discovery and low on delivery skills; others high on delivery and low on discovery; and still others relatively balanced in their discovery and delivery skills. Each configuration of skills holds the potential to generate personal and organizational success. In other words, there is no ideal position on the leadership matrix. For example, discovery driven people who might be quite low on delivery skills add value by offering innovative ideas and can still succeed by combining their efforts with equally competent delivery driven individuals. Similarly, delivery-driven individuals with low discovery driven skills succeed through great execution and often complement this imbalance by partnering with others who are strong on discovery skills. Finally, many people exhibit a balanced profile of discovery and delivery skills. Those showing a medium to high skill level on discovery and delivery often play critical brokering key tasks across organizations (e.g., coordinating R&D and production workflow) since they can connect well with both discovery and delivery worlds. Be aware that since this is a self assessment, individuals who score relatively low on both discovery and delivery might actually be more self critical than the average manager or executive.

Discovery & Delivery Driven Leadership Skill Strengths Chart

The Discovery & Delivery Driven Leadership Skill Strengths Chart above provides a summary of your overall and individual scores for discovery and delivery driven leadership skills. It is critical to remember that each person holds a unique mix of discovery and delivery driven leadership skills (their Innovators DNA). As a result, there is no perfect combination of skills that all should aspire to develop. Instead, we have found it helpful to first consider the relative balance of your discovery versus delivery skills as you select your skill development approach. In general, we suggest a strength-based approach where you build first on your areas of strength to be truly distinctive and then on your weaker areas (unless you see a weak area as being a major constraint to your career).

Highest Ranked Items

Associational Thinking 2) I creatively solve challenging problems by drawing on diverse ideas or knowledge. 5) I frequently think 'outside the box' and others comment on this ability. 6) I frequently have ideas or perspectives that diverge radically from others perspectives. 12) I constantly ask thought-provoking questions to get at the root of the problem. 13) I frequently ask questions to understand why products and projects under perform. 14) I ask insightful 'what if' questions that provoke exploration of new possiblities and frontiers. 15) I often ask questions that challenge the status quo. 7

Associational Thinking

Associational Thinking

Questioning

Questioning

Questioning

Questioning

Questioning

16) I regularly ask questions that challenge others fundamental assumptions. 22) I get new business ideas by directly observing how people interact with products and services. 23) I have a continuous flow of new business ideas that comes through observing the world.

Observing

Observing

10

Lowest Ranked Items

Analyzing 9) I insist on realism and facts when making decisions. 2

Analyzing

10) I do not jump into new projects and ventures or act quickly without careful thinking and analysis. 19) I regularly make and follows plans to accomplish work.

Planning

Planning

20) I do work according to an organized plan.

Self-Disciplined

38) I consistently follows through on all commitments and finishes what is started. 42) I do not procrastinate on things that should get done.

Self-Disciplined

Associational Thinking

1) I find new business ideas by relating out-of-industry trends and patterns to the business. 7) I do careful analysis to make well-thought-out decisions at work. 3) I often find solutions to problems by drawing on solutions or ideas developed in other industries, fields, or disciplines. 11) I do not make rash decisions.

Analyzing

Associational Thinking

Analyzing

11

Associational Thinking
6.0

1) I find new business ideas by relating out-of-industry trends and patterns to the business.
4.0

2) I creatively solve challenging problems by drawing on diverse ideas or knowledge.

7.0

3) I often find solutions to problems by drawing on solutions or ideas developed in other industries, fields, or disciplines.
5.0

4) I frequently connect ideas from industries or situations unrelated to our business (often through analogy).
6.0

5) I frequently think 'outside the box' and others comment on this ability.
7.0

6) I frequently have ideas or perspectives that diverge radically from others perspectives.
7.0

Questioning
7.0

7) I constantly ask thought-provoking questions to get at the root of the problem.

7.0

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8) I frequently ask questions to understand why products and projects under perform.
7.0

9) I ask insightful 'what if' questions that provoke exploration of new possiblities and frontiers.
7.0

10) I often ask questions that challenge the status quo.

7.0

11) I regularly ask questions that challenge others fundamental assumptions.

7.0

Observing
7.0

12) I get new business ideas by directly observing how people interact with products and services.
7.0

13) I have a continuous flow of new business ideas that comes through observing the world.
7.0

14) I regularly observe the activities of customers, suppliers, or other companies to get new business ideas.
7.0

15) I often pay attention to everyday experiences to get new ideas.

7.0

13

Experimenting
6.6

16) I have a history of taking things apart to see how they work.
7.0

17) I actively search for new ideas through experimenting.

6.0

18) I frequently experiment to create new ways of doing things.

7.0

19) I am adventurous, always looking for new experiences.

6.0

20) I stay more informed about

industry and technology trends than colleagues.

7.0

Idea Networking
6.2

21) I attend many diverse professional and/or academic conferences outside of the immediate industry/profession.
6.0

22) I regularly meet with people outside of the immediate industry to find best practices and spark new ideas.
6.0

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23) I often talk with a diverse set of people (e.g., from different business functions, companies, industries, geographies, etc.) to find and refine new business ideas.
7.0

24) I actively seek out individuals from very different backgrounds who can help find and evaluate new ideas.
6.0

25) I frequently interact with a large network of contacts to get ideas for new products, services, and customers.
6.0

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Analyzing
3.8

26) I do careful analysis to make well-thought-out decisions at work.

4.0

27) I strongly prefer to make data-driven decisions rather than rely on gut instinct or intuition.
6.0

28) I insist on realism and facts when making decisions.

2.0

29) I do not jump into new projects and ventures or act quickly without careful thinking and analysis.
2.0

30) I do not make rash decisions.

5.0

Planning
4.0

31) I excel at breaking down a goal or plan into the micro tasks required to achieve it.
6.0

32) I consistently create detailed plans to get work done.

5.0

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33) I regularly make and follows plans to accomplish work.

2.0

34) I do work according to an organized plan.

2.0

35) I am incredibly well organized in work life.

5.0

Self-Disciplined
5.0

36) I consistently follows through on all commitments and finishes what is started.
3.0

37) I always follows through to complete a task, no matter what the obstacles.
7.0

38) I hold myself and others strictly accountable for getting results.
6.0

39) I don't need a push to get started on new tasks and assignments.
6.0

40) I do not procrastinate on things that should get done.

3.0

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Discovery-Driven Leadership Results

Associational Thinking
6.0

Questioning
7.0

Observing
7.0

Experimenting
6.6

Idea Networking
6.2

Delivery-Driven Leadership Results

Analyzing
3.8

Planning
4.0

Self-Disciplined
5.0

0.0

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Ideas for Improving Discovery Skills

Questioning
1.Each day, write down at least 10 new questions related to: a) challenges or opportunities that you personally face in your work life, or b) challenges or opportunities facing your work unit (e.g., department/division), your company, your industry, your customers, or your suppliers, or c) the discovery of new business ideas, products, services, or processes. 2. As an individual or team, identify a personal, work unit, or organizational problem or challenge to solve. Then, write down at least 50 questions about that problem or challenge. (If this is a work unit or organizational problem it is preferable to generate these questions with a team.) When capturing these questions, discipline yourself or your team to be totally question oriented (in other words, only ask questions about the problem or challenge). This disciplined approach will help you develop deeper, probing questions about the issue. After listing the questions, prioritize them and attempt to gather data to answer the key questions. 3.When finding yourself stuck in either problem solving or problem finding, ask yourself How might someone from an entirely different context) different function, professional field, company, industry, geography, social group, ethnic group, etc.) think about this? If you find it difficult to look at your problem from their perspective, identify someone from that different context to talk to about it. 4.Ask a question that imposes a constraint that forces you and others to think outside the box. For example, What if we were legally prohibited from selling our current products to our current set of customers; how would we make money next year? 5.Ask a question that eliminates a constraint, thereby allowing you to see a problem or issue from a different angle. For example: What if you had not already hired this person, installed this equipment, implemented this process, bought this business, or pursued this strategy, would you do it today?

Observing
1.Schedule regular observation excursions to watch how certain customers experience using a product or service. In short, be an anthropologist and staple yourself to a customer. Carefully watch how people actually use your products or services. What job are they trying to get done? What are their latent needs? Try to literally be a car, plane, soft drink, etc. to experience the world from its point of view. 2.Keep a small camera (still or video_ with you to take pictures of interesting things that you see. The camera can remind you to observe and take note of what is going on around you. If possible, compare the pictures taken to the actual scene. What similarities and differences to you notice between the picture and the actual scene? Any surprises? Keep a photographic journal with pictures as visual cues to prompt new ideas at a later time. 3.Set aside ten minutes each day to simply sit (or stand) and observe something intensively. Take careful notes about your observations. Then try to figure out how these observations might lead to a new product, service, or production process.

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4.Observe real people in real-life situations. Try to grasp what they like and hate. Search for things that make life easier and more difficult for them. 5.Buy a travel notebook to remind you to write down interesting things that you notice when venturing out into new places (new companies, industries, cities, countries, etc.) and observing people in real-life situations.

Idea Networking
1.Identify the five most creative people you know. Contact one of them per week for the next five weeks. Ask them what they do to catch creative ideas, try to find out what theyre interested in at the moment, and see if they are willing to listen to your ideas! Consider the possibility of engaging one of them more extensively in your creative cause as a mentor/master in the process of becoming more creative. 2.Engage in mealtime networking! Identify at least three new people each week (preferably with diverse backgrounds; individuals from a different function, company, industry, or country) to visit with during a meal (breakfast, lunch or dinner). Ask for their ideas and ask for feedback on your ideas. 3.Start a creative community, online or live! Identify a few founding members who complement your skills and experience and decide on a reason for being. Decide on a creative place to meet where you can exchange ideas and develop new ones. 4.Hold an open house for ideas, inviting people from a variety of perspectives to present their viewpoints. 5.At least once a year attend a university or executive education course: a) on a topic that is outside of your specific area of expertise (but that you have a particular interest in or you think may somehow be related to your area of expertise), or b) with people from a wide variety of industries and/or countries. Use this opportunity to get to know what problems and issues they are facing to get their ideas on the problems and issues you are facing.

Experimenting
1.Take apart a product or process that is of interest to you. Then put it back together while trying to envision a way to reconfigure the product or process in such a way as to improve it on some dimension(s). If possible, build a prototype of a new product or process and pilot it to get feedback 2.At least once a year attend a university or executive education course: a) on a topic that is outside of your specific area of expertise (but that you have a particular interest in or you think may somehow be related to your area of expertise), or b) with people from a wide variety of industries and/or countries. Use this opportunity to get to know what problems and issues they are facing to get their ideas on the problems and issues you are facing. 3. Cross borders! Go places, meet people, read things, etc. that require a new "passport" compared to the people you currently know or routines that you live. Explore the world by engaging in new activities, such as new (for you) recreational activities (rafting, skiing, horseback riding, etc.), social or professional activities (e.g., joining clubs or professional associations), or cultural activities (seeing films or plays, visiting museums, etc.). When you try these new

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things, ask yourself at least 10 questions to help produce new insights from the experience. Work to cross at least one border every week! 4. Take out a new annual subscription to a newspaper, newsletter, or magazine from an entirely different context: another country, industry, and/or function. a) Country example: if you live in the United States or France, consider a publication from China, India, Russia, or Brazil. b) Industry example: if you work in the oil and gas industry, regularly read a publication from the hospitality industry. c) Function example: if you are trained in marketing, read a publication related to engineering or operations. 5. Actively seek to identify emerging trends by reading books, articles, magazines, weblinks, blogs, etc. that specifically focus on identifying new trends (or by reading material written by individuals whom you believe excel at identifying trends and seeing whats next). Think about how these trends might lead to an interesting experiment with regard to a new product or service.

Associational Thinking
1.Get in the habit of making random associations. Consider your problem, then open the dictionary page to 125 and choose the first word that you see. What does this word have to do with your problem? Pick up a product catalog (the bigger the better) and turn to the 27th page. What does the first product that you see have to do with the problem? Or do the same with the 7th advertisement in a magazine, the first color that you see out the window, the main product of the 15th stock listed in the third column of the financial section of the newspaper. The point is to randomly find things/concepts to associate with your problem and then work to make associations, lots of them. 2.Ask questions that provoke an analogy or metaphor. For example: What if watching TV were more like reading a magazine? (how TIVO has changed TV watching; you can start and stop when you want, skip over advertisements, etc.). What if a dishwasher were more like a microwave? (Whirlpools Briva, in-sink dishwasher that can wash/dry a small load in 5 minutes; great for double income, no kids apartment dwellers). 3.Write down a list of companies (in both related and unrelated industries_ on a stack of index cards. Use the stacks to create random parings of companies. After selecting the company pairs (or pairing a new company with your company), brainstorm ideas on how the two companies could create new value through partnership or merger. Do the same thing with a list of technologies and industries, writing them on a stack of index cards. Brainstorm on the possibilities of each pair. 4.Buy a computer program that fosters associational thinking (e.g., IdeaFisher, MindLink, Inspiration). Try Bob Eberles acronym for insight, SCAMPER. Substitute, combine, adapt, magnify/minimize/modify, put to other uses, eliminate, reverse/rearrange. Use any or all of the concepts to rethink the problem or opportunity you are addressing. 5.Visit other companies and look for "cross pollination" opportunities (Ask the questions: "What do they do here that is applicable to our company or business? Are there any ideas that could be transferred, with some adaptation, to our company/industry?).

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