Importance of Innovation

Legacy FMCG boards are obsessed with challenger brands. They benchmark them, copy their campaigns, admire their growth curves. But when it comes to filling critical leadership roles, they go back to the same talent pools they’ve used for decades. It’s the classic contradiction: we want change, but only if it looks familiar. The result? Teams that talk disruption but deliver predictability. Leaders who know how to manage scale, but not how to ignite momentum. Safe hires who protect the status quo rather than shake it up. You'll hear it in nearly every boardroom: “We need to be more disruptive. We need to move like a challenger brand.” Legacy FMCG players know the playbook — fast launches, bold positioning, social-first engagement. But here’s the catch: they keep hiring the same traditional profiles they’ve always trusted. And that’s why the gap remains. Challenger brands scale because they’re scrappy. They bring in operators who wear multiple hats, leaders who aren’t afraid to test, fail, and pivot in real time. Legacy brands? They still write job descriptions asking for 15 years of single-category experience and a flawless corporate pedigree. That’s not challenger DNA. That’s continuity. The numbers prove how costly this is: BCG data shows that 70% of FMCG innovation launches underperform expectations, largely because organizations move too slowly or play too safe. And yet, they keep filling their teams with people who know exactly how to maintain the machine not reinvent it. If you want real challenger energy inside a legacy business, you need to recruit differently: -Look for leaders who have thrived in smaller, resource-constrained environments. -Value track records of experimentation and range, not just category tenure. -Be prepared for people who might challenge internal norms — because that’s the point. -Challenger growth doesn’t come from running your current playbook harder. It comes from letting in the kind of leaders who aren’t afraid to rip up the page and start again. The uncomfortable truth: until legacy FMCG brands stop hiring for safety, they’ll never buy themselves disruption.

AI field note: Modernization is one of the most underappreciated forces for innovation (Southwest Airlines shows us why). When legacy systems finally get updated, two big things happen: 1️⃣ You can start improving services that were effectively frozen in time. 2️⃣ The cost and complexity of running those services drops—freeing up time, money, and focus for what’s next. But for a long time, modernization just wasn’t worth it. The juice wasn’t worth the squeeze. Projects kicked off with long planning cycles, manual analysis, and a lot of upfront investment—often without a clear path to value. That’s starting to change. AI is shifting what’s possible. It can help teams understand legacy code faster, accelerate planning, and reduce the rework that usually slows things down. With that, modernization becomes more viable, more targeted, and more focused on outcomes. It’s not just about updating systems—it’s about unlocking capacity, reducing friction, and making space for the next wave of innovation. Take Southwest Airlines. They needed to modernize their crew leave management system—a critical platform for scheduling, time off, and operations. Over time, the system had become harder to update. Technical debt made it difficult to plan changes, and documentation was limited. Each update required hours of manual analysis just to understand what the system was doing—slowing delivery and tying up valuable resources. But the pressure to modernize was growing. As operations evolved and employee needs changed, the system needed to be more flexible, more reliable, and easier to maintain. PwC partnered with Southwest to take a different approach. Using GenAI, we analyzed the legacy code and generated user stories—effectively mapping the system’s behavior and identifying what needed to change. That work: ⚡️ Cut backlog creation time by 50% 🌟 Produced user stories accepted 90% of the time without major rework 💫 Freed up 200+ hours across teams More importantly, it gave the team clarity and momentum—turning a slow, manual planning process into a faster, more focused path forward. Less time untangling the past. More time building what’s next—for their teams and their travelers. There’s never been a better time to modernize.

Canva partnered with Harvard Business Review Analytic Services on a new research project, and the results underscore the profound impact of #creativity on business success: 94% of survey respondents agree that organisations that invest in creative tools and technology will be more successful in the future. This major consensus shows that recognising and applying creativity helps drive sustainable growth. Here are a few other interesting findings: 🏆 Leaders who successfully leverage creativity are more likely (41%) to encourage innovative thinking by rewarding employees for taking risks and thinking outside the box, compared to their somewhat successful (17%) or unsuccessful (8%) counterparts. ✨ Nearly half (47%) of successful organizations are using generative AI to foster creativity, compared to somewhat successful (30%) and unsuccessful (14%) organizations. 🎨 42% of successful leaders believe #generativeAI can greatly enhance creativity by automating repetitive tasks (63%), accelerating idea generation (60%), and augmenting human creativity with new information and ideas (53%). I’ve spoken at length about how AI’s primary role will be to bring more creativity into workplaces, and this report underscores why that’s so important. Creativity can drive growth and make businesses more adaptable, something that’s invaluable in this day and age. Check out our full report here: https://lnkd.in/gqPjE5Sj

“In an era of data obsession and AI-powered solutions, we’ve sidelined a crucial catalyst for transformation: the artist's mind. While businesses scramble to hire more engineers and data scientists, could they be overlooking their most powerful allies in navigating uncertainty and driving innovation? […] What if your next strategic hire wasn’t an analyst — but an artist? […] To reimagine the future, we must look back. The Renaissance wasn’t just an art movement — it was a systems reboot. Artists worked alongside mathematicians, philosophers, and merchants to reframe society’s operating systems. From the Medicis to the Vatican, power was paired with imagination, not to dazzle but to direct. […] Today, our systems are stagnating not from lack of innovation, but from a collective amnesia around the role of beauty and imagination in driving societal change. […] Historically, artists have not merely reflected society — they’ve provoked it. Their work has been banned, branded “degenerate,” or erased — not because it lacked value, but because it revealed inconvenient truths. Artists often serve as conduits for a society’s collective emotional undercurrents — the invisible data that businesses and institutions desperately need, but struggle to recognise. […] We’ve been taught to relegate creativity to marketing departments or brainstorming sessions, treating it like a mood rather than a muscle. And in the uncertain terrain of today’s economy, survival isn’t about efficiency — it’s about adaptability. Creativity is what allows cultures to bend instead of break, to reconfigure themselves when the old structures begin to rot. In uncertainty, it’s survival tech. In systemic failure, it’s a generator of renewal. […] To welcome artists into boardrooms, then, isn’t just about diversity of thought. It’s about strategic resilience. It’s about embracing ambiguity as a design material, and story as a strategic asset. It’s about recognising that the artist’s way of seeing — sensitive, symbolic, non-linear — might just be our best shot at shaping a future where human and planetary flourishing is not just a hope, but a strategy.” – great piece by Annalise Lewis & Laura Melissa Williams Read the full article here: https://lnkd.in/eG27rgNg Image below by Joel Uili (it just fit perfectly to the article)

Shampoo and conditioner bottles - they look the same, feel the same, and it's so easy to grab the wrong one in the shower. But in Japan, they've cracked this problem with a simple yet effective solution. Shampoo bottles there have dots or ridges on the sides, making it easy to distinguish them from conditioner bottles just by touch. It got me thinking about the research that must have gone into identifying this problem and coming up with a solution. I can imagine the team observing people in their daily routines, noting their frustrations with mixing up bottles. They probably interviewed a ton of people, asking about their hair-washing habits and pain points. And then, eureka! A small tactile difference could solve the problem entirely. No more confusion, no more wasted product. What I love about this solution is its simplicity. It's not some high-tech feature or expensive material. Just a small change to the packaging design, and bang - a better user experience for everyone. It's a great reminder that sometimes, the best innovations come from paying close attention to the little details of everyday life. By observing how people interact with products and listening to their frustrations, we can find opportunities for improvement that might seem small but can make a big difference.

Winning the wrong game is still losing. Many corporates are trapped in the “Success to the Successful” loop: doubling down on what works, starving what’s new, and calling it strategy. But optimizing the core while ignoring the edge isn’t strategy. It’s slow-motion self-sabotage. The next S-curve doesn’t wait for your budget cycle. By the time you decide to act, the market has moved on, and you’re left overpaying for what you could have built. At MING Labs, we see this pattern too often: innovation teams pitching endlessly for scraps, early-stage ideas filtered through today’s P&L, and bold visions undermined by legacy metrics. Escaping the success trap requires structural change: - Allocating budgets for exploration before the business case. - Designing ventures to operate independently from the core. - Protecting innovation from the gravitational pull of the existing business. It’s not about adding innovation theater. It’s about rewiring the system to allow for true exploration. Because in a world of constant change, clinging to past success is the riskiest move of all. https://lnkd.in/eVc_zv7F #business #strategy #innovation #venture

The role of #facility management has transformed from a behind-the-scenes operation to a strategic driver of corporate value. This evolution is owed, in large part, to the integration of cutting-edge #technology into facility management practices. By harnessing the power of technology, facility managers have ushered in a new era of efficiency, cost savings, and enhanced user experiences. Let’s delve into how technology is reshaping facility management, #empowering professionals to optimize processes, streamline #collaboration, extract insights from data, gain operational advantages, and deliver unparalleled experiences. 1. #Optimize, Reduce & Repeat: The journey towards End-to-End FM digitization has paved the way for a paradigm shift. Outdated paperwork and manual systems have given way to streamlined, tech-enabled processes that maximize #workforce productivity. Through this optimization, facility managers can channel their efforts towards value-driven tasks, steering away from redundant administrative duties. 2. #Effortless Collaboration: Effective facility management hinges on seamless communication and coordination within teams. Technology enables effortless collaboration, allowing facility managers to swiftly address maintenance tasks. By providing multiple users with controlled access, facilities can be managed with precision and foresight, ultimately leading to improved #operational #efficiency. 3. #Making More out of Less: Legacy buildings with substantial infrastructure investments need not undergo radical #transformations to reap the benefits of technological integration. By incorporating #IoT technology, existing automation systems can be leveraged to unearth untapped #data insights. This approach makes #facilities smarter, enriching decision-making without the need for costly #infrastructure overhauls. 4. #Operational Advantage: The establishment of intelligent workflows empowers facility managers to proactively track asset performance, predict anomalies, and prevent disruptions. This forward-thinking approach not only lowers operational costs but also minimizes asset downtime. The result is an operational advantage that bolsters both efficiency and corporate profitability. In conclusion, the fusion of facility management and technology is moving corporates towards the greater value creation. As facility managers continue to optimize processes, harness data-driven insights, and enhance collaboration, the role of facility management is evolving into a strategic asset that drives corporate success. By embracing technology's capabilities the future of facility management is bright, promising, and indispensable for unlocking the full #potential of #corporate spaces. #facilitymanagement #realestate

In China, robots are literally training for marathon races. 🏃♂️🤖 While we’re busy arguing about which AI model answers better... Yes — you read that right. Not discussions, not demos, not endless pilots — real robots, preparing to run real marathons. Meanwhile, across much of the West, we're still stuck in endless debates: ▶️ "Is GPT better than Claude?" ▶️ "Will AI replace jobs?" ▶️ "Should we regulate or innovate?" Here’s the hard truth: Innovation does not wait for consensus. Progress does not slow down for debates. And the next era of leadership — economic, technological, societal — will belong to those who build and scale real-world AI and robotics solutions today, not tomorrow. 🚀 China is not talking about the future. They are running towards it. If we don't: Rethink our strategy Shift from conversation to execution Invest seriously in AI and robotics Turn ideas into action We risk falling into a cycle of permanent catch-up — where others define the future and we are forced to follow. 💡 It's time to stop admiring innovation from a distance. It's time to act, invest, and build the future we want to lead. The marathon has already started. The only question is: Will we be runners... or spectators? #AI #Robotics #Innovation #FutureOfWork #Leadership #Strategy #China #Technology

𝑻𝒉𝒆 𝑪𝒐𝒑𝒚𝒄𝒂𝒕 𝑪𝒐𝒏𝒖𝒏𝒅𝒓𝒖𝒎: 𝑾𝒉𝒚 𝑰𝒏𝒏𝒐𝒗𝒂𝒕𝒊𝒐𝒏 𝑻𝒓𝒖𝒎𝒑𝒔 𝑰𝒎𝒊𝒕𝒂𝒕𝒊𝒐𝒏 In today's fast-paced, competitive landscape, businesses and individuals are constantly seeking ways to stand out and succeed. In this pursuit, two approaches have emerged: 𝑪𝒐𝒑𝒚𝒄𝒂𝒕𝒊𝒏𝒈 𝒂𝒏𝒅 𝑰𝒏𝒏𝒐𝒗𝒂𝒕𝒊𝒐𝒏. While copycating may offer short-term gains, it's a dead-end model that can lead to stagnation and mediocrity. On the other hand, #innovation is the key to unlocking long-term #success and staying ahead of the curve. 𝑻𝒉𝒆 𝑳𝒊𝒎𝒊𝒕𝒂𝒕𝒊𝒐𝒏𝒔 𝒐𝒇 𝑪𝒐𝒑𝒚𝒄𝒂𝒕𝒊𝒏𝒈: Copycating involves replicating someone else's idea, product, or strategy. This approach may seem appealing, as it: 📌 𝑹𝒆𝒅𝒖𝒄𝒆𝒔 𝒓𝒊𝒔𝒌: By following someone else's lead, you're less likely to make mistakes. 📌 𝑺𝒂𝒗𝒆𝒔 𝒕𝒊𝒎𝒆: You can skip the research and development phase. 📌 𝑷𝒓𝒐𝒗𝒊𝒅𝒆𝒔 𝒂 𝒔𝒆𝒏𝒔𝒆 𝒐𝒇 𝒔𝒆𝒄𝒖𝒓𝒊𝒕𝒚: You're building on someone else's proven success. However, 𝒄𝒐𝒑𝒚𝒄𝒂𝒕𝒊𝒏𝒈 𝒉𝒂𝒔 𝒔𝒊𝒈𝒏𝒊𝒇𝒊𝒄𝒂𝒏𝒕 𝒅𝒓𝒂𝒘𝒃𝒂𝒄𝒌𝒔: 📍Lack of differentiation: You're not offering anything unique, making it harder to stand out. 📍 Limited growth potential: You're bound by someone else's vision and limitations. 📍Vulnerability to competition: Others can easily replicate your replication. 𝑻𝒉𝒆 𝑷𝒐𝒘𝒆𝒓 𝒐𝒇 𝑰𝒏𝒏𝒐𝒗𝒂𝒕𝒊𝒐𝒏 Innovation, on the other hand, involves creating something new, unique, and valuable. This approach: 🧿 Fosters differentiation: You're creating something that sets you apart. 🧿 Unlocks growth potential: You're not limited by someone else's vision. 🧿 Encourages creativity: You're pushing boundaries and exploring new possibilities. 𝑻𝒉𝒆 𝑩𝒆𝒏𝒆𝒇𝒊𝒕𝒔 𝒐𝒇 𝑰𝒏𝒏𝒐𝒗𝒂𝒕𝒊𝒐𝒏 Innovation offers numerous benefits, including: ✅ Competitive advantage: You're ahead of the curve, with a unique offering. ✅ Increased revenue: You're creating new opportunities and revenue streams. ✅ Improved brand reputation: You're seen as a leader and a pioneer. 𝑬𝒎𝒃𝒓𝒂𝒄𝒊𝒏𝒈 𝑰𝒏𝒏𝒐𝒗𝒂𝒕𝒊𝒐𝒏 To succeed in today's fast-paced environment, it's essential to embrace innovation. This involves: ⬆️ Encouraging #creativity and experimentation ⬆️ Embracing #risk and learning from failure ⬆️ Staying curious and open to new #ideas and #perspectives By adopting an innovative mindset, you'll be better equipped to stay ahead of the competition, drive growth, and achieve long-term success. Share your perspective on this topic… what would you choose? If I have to choose between the two, I would always opt for innovation over copycating because innovation is limitless while copycating has its limitations, further innovation allows you to own your unique story which is terribly missing in copycating. LinkedIn News India LinkedIn Guide to Creating LinkedIn

Sometimes, finding a compelling problem instantly inspires possibilities. Other times, crickets. Rather than waiting around for lightning to strike, we recommend that teams take a more proactive approach, and deliberately provoke their own imaginations. One of the most effective, powerful, and fun tools we have created for such self-provocation missions is what we call “Analogous Exploration.” Building upon the extensive research demonstrating the power of unexpected new combinations, we encourage folks to seek radically unexpected sources of inspiration to provoke their thinking. This means not only leaving the room, and not only leaving the building, but also leaving the industry and the conventional definition of “competitor set” behind. Analogous Exploration is not benchmarking. One early application of this radical tool was with a struggling Semiconductor Company whose sales organization had been refined over time to cater predominantly to its largest customers (who ordered hundreds of millions of units annually). The company’s senior leaders felt they needed to “reinvent the customer experience for smaller customers,” and asked for our help. (Story too long for LinkedIn tldr: they instituted a radical new information-sharing agreement with their largest distribution partner, which they believe is one of the largest supply chain innovations in their industry in the last 50 years.) The COO of the company jokingly confided later that they had been watching the competition closely… but the competition didn’t know how to solve their problems either! By deliberately seeking out unexpected sources of inspiration, the organization was able to jump-start revolutionary innovations that serve the smaller businesses every bit as well as they already did the large customers. Getting out of the box like this will not feel efficient. But it is effective. We have since seen Australian financial services organizations glean insights for how to establish trust with new customers from a barber shops & tattoo parlor (those are fascinating stories), Israeli tech companies learn from farmers’ markets, New Zealand fisheries take notes from prominent tea purveyors and bespoke coffee shops, and Japanese conglomerates attracting top-tier millennial talent based on insights from a rock climbing studio and a belly dancing instructor. Despite their differences, one critical commonality among each of these environments is that the teams positioned to solve the newly-defined problem lacked the requisite inputs to trigger fresh ideas. Imagination is fueled by fresh input, and yet all too often, teams are stuck in a conference room, post-it pads in hand, banging their heads against an all-too-ironically spotless whiteboard. Analogous Exploration is a tool to help folks get out of their context on purpose, with intention, to come back with the inspiration they need to fuel fresh thinking.