The document discusses the concept of guerilla innovation, emphasizing the need for radical change in business practices rather than mere improvements. It argues that true innovation requires breaking conventional rules and embracing non-linear approaches to remain competitive in a rapidly evolving market. Organizations are encouraged to foster creativity, challenge existing norms, and implement innovation teams to adapt proactively to disruptive changes.

1. GUeRILLAINNOVATIO
NAPRACTICALGUIDE
BYERIKLYDECKER201
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2. We started of by running on
our bare feet, no matter the
terrain. Then we found the
horse back. Then someone
though of a car. But could the
feet people really imagine the
horse back? Or the horse
back people imagine the car?
Can the car people imagine
the next thing? At each and
every stage humans think
they got it all figured out. But
did they? When is the right
time for the next thing? Is
there really a right time? Was
the car introduced at the right
time? The simple answer is
’no’.
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WHEN

3. Why did we start to ride on
the horse back and later on
drive the car? The motive is
obvious. We wanted to move
faster from A to B. It was not
a need! We where doing just
fine walking on our feet. But
what about the reason for
innovation? Why didn’t Ford
work on developing faster
horses if the motive was to
go faster from A to B? The
simple answer is that he
was not following the main
stream reasoning of
transport. He broke the laws
and guides for
transportation at that time.
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WHY

4. Innovation differs from
improvement in that
innovation refers to the
notion of doing something
different rather than doing the
same thing better. We started
of by using tapes, then CDs
then MP3 files. It’s all about
music, but in different ways.
Companies need to confront
fear with the courage of
radical guerilla innovation.
That is to make something
different by non-linear
means. The nutrients of
simple improvement are not
the same for innovation.
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WHAT

5. So when is the time right for
innovation at your company?
The answer is ’yesterday’.
Because no one knows what
is to come. TomTom was
doing really good. But what
happend when GMaps came
on stage? Should you spend
money on innovation when
you are loosing ground? This
is a destructive approach.
When newspapers realized
that they are going under, a
million years after digital
media, they started to setup
’innovation teams’. Really? Is
digital news and apps like
Flipboard or Omni
innovation? No its not.
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START

6. Guerilla warfare is defined as
non-conventional warfare.
War that brake the rules of
war. The main characteristics
are small groups, irregular
approach, ambush, raid, hit-
and-run, mobility. So there
you have it. If you really want
to win the war of innovation
you need to brake the current
rules today. There are no
rules in guerilla tactics. You
have an objective. Do
anything in your power to
reach it. Disrupting the
market requires radical
thinking and brutal change.
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GUERILLA

7. Improving your product or
service is not innovation.
Changing the design and
adding features is not
innovation. Making your
product or service ubiquitous
is not innovation. Innovation
is a radical new approach to
something old. Rethink your
whole business and be bold.
Fear is the enemy of
everything new. The
foundation of all disruptive
ideas is non-conventional
reasoning.
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INNOVATION

8. Introduce the concept of
guerilla innovation at your
company now. Educate
everyone at your company
about the concept of
creativity, innovation and
lean/agile working methods.
Start from the top and move
your way down the ladder.
Tell all your departments to
brake the rules for a specific
period of time.
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9. Set your creative focus and
innovation platform. Hire
people you would never hire
before. Let go of your baby,
she is not the best in town.
Understand that there is
someone out there coming
towards you with a mission
to destroy and rebuild. Be
that first mover before its to
late. Holding on to what you
have today is like holding a
rock while drowning.
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INSTALL

10. If you don’t have a column in
your budget that says
’innovation team’, then add it
now. Build small groups of
people with divergent
backgrounds. Change their
way of work and space every
90 days. Never tell them how
to do their work. Leave them
with the basic understanding
of lean/agile development
then let go. Tell them to
improve lean/agile methods
before the next cycle. Make
their work visible for
everyone to play with. Involve
your customers on site and
treat them as your own.
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SETUP

11. Always remember what Mark
Twain said about civilizations
and their death. Aknowledge
the fact that change must
come from within and from
the top down. Your feet
cannot brake-dance without
your brain learning how to
dance. Let go of your fear of
failing since you are travelling
towards your end anyway. Try
to live as long as possible by
disrupting your way of doing
business everyday. Spotify is
not the beginning nor the
end. Somone is coming to kill
Facebook. Google search is
just the beginning.
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THEEND