Managing innovation - creating value from ideas

John Bessant

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Innovation doesn't just happen. It's not like the cartoons - a lightbulb flashes on above someone's head and that's it. No - it's a journey and we need to understand how best to prepare for that journey, whatever kind of value we are trying to create. This podcast is about some useful lessons we might take on board to help develop our capabilities.For more, see my website:https://johnbessant.org

APR 15

The gold in the mine - why your best ideas might already be on your payroll

You can find a transcript here Are you missing out on your organization’s greatest untapped resource? Many companies look outward for the next big idea, but the "smartest guys" might already be on your payroll. In this podcast, we dive deep into High Involvement Innovation (HII)—the strategy of engaging every single employee to drive continuous improvement. From Toyota’s 50 million suggestions to the concept of "LIFE" (Little Improvements From Everyone), we break down how to move beyond basic suggestion boxes and build a culture where innovation is "the way we do things around here." In this podcast, you’ll learn: The "Free Brain" Concept: Why every pair of hands comes with a creative mind ready to solve problems. The 9 Core Capabilities: From strategic direction to idea management systems, what you need to make HII stick. Technology as an Accelerator: How modern platforms are replacing clunky manual systems to enable collaboration and rapid feedback. The "Gold in the Mine": Joseph Juran’s classic philosophy on extracting value from internal creativity.

24 min
MAR 23

One night in Bangkok...

The Power of the "Innovation Mash-Up" Ever had a memory so vivid you’d swear it was true, only to find out you made it up? In this episode, we dive into the world of confabulation—the brain’s habit of "hallucinating" details to make sense of a complex world—and discover how this quirky human trait is actually a secret weapon for innovation. From the neon-soaked streets of Bangkok to the high-stakes world of organic chemistry, we explore how "remixing" existing ideas leads to world-changing breakthroughs. Whether it’s Henry Ford borrowing techniques from meatpacking plants or eye surgeons in India adapting the McDonald’s business model, we’ll show you why the best answers aren’t always "new to the world"—they’re just adapted from a different context. In this podcast, you’ll learn about: The Mandela Effect & Mondegreens: Why our brains are natural storytellers that love to fill in the blanks. Recombinant Innovation: How the "collision point" between two different worlds sparks creativity. The Science of Incubation: Why your best ideas often come when you’re dreaming or "switched off." Practical Creativity: How to use tools like "random juxtaposition" to force-fit new connections and solve hard problems. Stop waiting for a lightning bolt of original genius. Learn how to become an "Idea DJ" and start remixing your way to your next big insight. You can find a transcript here

23 min
FEB 19

Fighting a Different Kind of War: Inside the WFP Innovation Accelerator

In a world that has moved beyond "VUCA" (volatile, uncertain, complex and ambiguous) to become BANI—Brittle, Anxious, Non-linear, and Incomprehensible—the old ways of tackling global crises are broken. While world leaders gathered at the Munich Security Conference to discuss traditional defence, a few blocks away, the World Food Programme (WFP) was hosting its annual Innovation Forum to tackle a different security threat: the silent conflict of global hunger. In this episode, we dive into how the WFP is moving beyond "big hearts and good intentions" to build a high-performance innovation engine. We explore how they use a systematic approach—mapped to the ISO 56002 international standard—to transform "glimmers of ideas" from internal and external entrepreneurs into life-saving reality. We take a closer look at: Innovation as a System: How the WFP Innovation Accelerator uses venture capital models, incubators, and boot camps to reach over 104 million people annually. High-Tech vs. Frugal Tech: From Building Blocks (a blockchain-based aid system saving millions in fees) to Clean Cooking (heat-retention bags that cut energy needs by 70%). The Scale Challenge: Why most "promising pilots" fail and how the WFP’s Scale Enablement Programme helps them grow. Based in Munich, the Accelerator has supported over 500 ventures across 90+ countries and was recognized by Fast Company as one of the world’s "Most Innovative Companies". Amongst its success stories we look at: ShareTheMeal: The fundraising app that has shared over 220 million meals. H2Grow: Low-tech hydroponics allowing refugees to grow food in deserts using 90% less water. SMP PLUS: An AI tool that generates nutritious, cost-optimized school menus in minutes rather than weeks. SCOUT: A forecasting engine that has already saved $6 million in logistics costs.

24 min
JAN 21

The invisible man of innovation

Have you ever used a safety pin, a fountain pen, or a sewing machine? You might know the famous brands behind them, but you likely don’t know the man who actually invented them. Meet Walter Hunt, the "Yankee mechanical genius" who could solve almost any problem but struggled to profit from a single one. Perhaps the person who best deserves the title of 'the greatest inventor you've never heard of' In this episode, we dive into the incredible life of a man who changed the world with a piece of wire and a few hours of "hand-wringing". Learn about: The $15 Debt that Changed Everything: How the modern safety pin was invented in just three hours to pay back a draughtsman. The Sewing Machine Wars: Why Walter Hunt actually invented the lockstitch machine 12 years before Elias Howe—and why he refused to patent it until it was too late. A Legacy of Innovation: From the repeater rifle (the precursor to the Winchester) to disposable paper collars and even "antipodean apparatus" for walking on ceilings, Hunt’s imagination knew no bounds. Principles Over Profit: Why this "benevolent Quaker" often prioritized social concerns and the joy of problem-solving over building a Gilded Age fortune. Walter Hunt was a man who found joy in the quest rather than the goal. Join us as we uncover the story of the prolific inventor who holds hundreds of patents for items we still use today, yet remains a hidden figure in history.

21 min
JAN 4

A Winter's Tale

A seasonal story to inspire some New year's innovation (re) thinking... On a cold Christmas Eve, Jimmy Weston sits in a crowded wine bar with a crushing email in his pocket: his family business’s biggest customer has just walked away. Facing the "rocks" of potential bankruptcy and the weight of three generations of legacy, Jimmy is visited by three "ghosts" who offer more than just nostalgia—they provide a blueprint for radical reinvention. In this podcast, loosely based on Charles Dickens 'A Christmas Carol' , we explore some of the challenges around innovation through a different lens. Whether you’re a business leader facing a "winter" of your own, an entrepreneur looking for a spark of New Year inspiration, or just looking for a good read this story is a reminder that the "pony" is always hidden in the pile—you just have to dig!

27 min
12/01/2025

Murder on the dance-floor - why your organization needs innovation routines

Why does innovation often feel like awkward "dad-dancing" at a party? Because repeating success requires more than just luck—it demands disciplined innovation routines. This podcast uses the metaphor of dance to explain how organizations create value from ideas through practiced, shared behavior patterns , from searching for opportunities to developing prototypes. But the "music"—the external market environment—is constantly changing. When new technology or new rules emerge, static routines will fail. That's why organizations need 'Dynamic capability'—the meta-skill to step back and deliberately review, refresh, or completely replace their existing routines. We look at companies like 3M and P&G, who have maintained success by constantly upgrading their deep-seated routines. P&G famously shifted its routines to source 50% of its innovation externally, adapting to a changing landscape. We also examine two humanitarian heroes: Field Ready, which augmented its high-tech 3D printing routine with local, low-tech skills for co-creation , and Translators without Borders (TWB), which switched from a manual, in-person model to a high-speed crowdsourcing platform. The lesson is universal: build strong routines, but build the dynamic capability to change them when the market demands a new move. Watch to learn how to choreograph your long-term success! (You can find a transcript here)

17 min
11/05/2025

Gadgets or global good - why we need hopeful innovation

We're in something of an 'invention crisis'. On one side, you have the latest futuristic gadgets—like a stringless AI guitar or a robot cat that cools your coffee. On the other, you have millions who still lack basic human needs like healthcare, clean water, and shelter. This podcast challenges the direction of modern ingenuity and showcases why hopeful innovation dedicated to social good matters most. It showcases powerful examples of necessity-driven solutions, including "frugal innovation" success stories, like the model that made cataract surgery affordable for all (Aravind) and the Mark 2 handpump that changed the game for clean water access (UNICEF). We explore systemic innovations like CMAM (using PlumpyNut) that fight acute malnutrition and the simple 'plant in a box' that decentralizes oxygen supply for pneumonia. And we look at how modern technology is applied for good—from Zipline delivery drones to Community Health Workers (CHWs) using mHealth platforms to close critical care gaps globally. Innovation is a precious resource. Watch/listen now to explore the difference between novelty and necessity, and be inspired by the people and organizations actively creating a better, more equitable world. You can find a transcript here

22 min
10/15/2025

Sewing up the competition: The larger-than-life story of Isaac Merritt Singer

(You can find a transcript here) Isaac Merritt Singer, the "father of the sewing machine" , was a larger-than-life character whose life was as dramatic as the stages he loved to tread. Born in 1811, Singer's early passion was acting, but he was also a shrewd entrepreneur and inventor. After running away to join an acting troupe at age twelve , he later used his machinist skills to invent a rock-drilling machine and then a wood-carving machine. His greatest success came in 1851 with his improved sewing machine. Despite early legal battles and the "Sewing Machine War" over patents , Singer became the world's largest manufacturer by 1860. He pioneered mass production, international manufacturing, and marketing techniques like instalment plans and attractive showrooms. This is the story of the entrepreneur, actor, and innovator who transformed a simple piece of equipment into a global industrial and social phenomenon

33 min

Innovation doesn't just happen. It's not like the cartoons - a lightbulb flashes on above someone's head and that's it. No - it's a journey and we need to understand how best to prepare for that journey, whatever kind of value we are trying to create. This podcast is about some useful lessons we might take on board to help develop our capabilities.For more, see my website:https://johnbessant.org

Creator

John Bessant
Years Active

2020 - 2026
Episodes

142
Rating

Clean
Copyright

© John Bessant
Show Website

Managing innovation - creating value from ideas