Talking Sales with Alan Berg

The latest edition of The Innovator’s Solution written by Clayton Christensen and with a foreword by Scott D. Anthony, explores how the Innovator's Solution persists.

Guest: Scott Anthony, Professor at the Tuck School of Business, Dartmouth College, and author of the foreword to the re-released "The Innovator's Solution" by Clayton Christensen.

Episode Key Points and Themes:

Worst Advice Ever Received:

Scott shares a humorous story from high school when his sister advised him to write a love letter to his crush. The plan backfired, partly due to poor writing and the indirect delivery method.

Connection with Clayton Christensen:

Scott was a student and close collaborator of Clayton Christensen at Harvard Business School.

He co-authored a book with Christensen and worked at his consulting company for 20 years.

Scott was asked to write the foreword for "The Innovator's Solution" after several others declined.

Teaching Innovation at Dartmouth:

Scott transitioned to teaching at Dartmouth and designed a course on leading disruptive change.

He also teaches courses on horizon scanning and AI in consultative decision-making.

The idea for teaching these courses came from his deep interest in applying Christensen’s work and his research in system psychodynamics.

Challenges of Disruptive Innovation:

Despite understanding how to handle disruptive changes, large organizations still struggle due to human biases and blind spots. The persistence of these challenges led Scott to focus his teaching on navigating disruptive change.

Innovation Paradoxes:

Scott discussed various paradoxical practices essential for navigating disruptive change, such as "fail to succeed" and "pessimistic optimism." He emphasized the importance of acting before data is entirely clear, a practice he attributes to leaders like Colin Powell.

Research and Reading:

Scott stays updated by reading academic journals and applying insights to real-world cases.

He shared an example of learning from long-lived firms and applying those insights to a case study he is working on.

Personal Stories and Interests:

Scott shared a personal story about attending a Red Sox game with his son and the significance of a baseball they received. His passion for baseball and family moments adds a personal touch to his professional life.

Memorable Quotes:

"The pessimist sees the problem; the optimist creates the solution."

"Act when the data tells you not to."

"Slow is smooth, and smooth is fast."

Last thoughts:

Scott Anthony shared valuable insights on innovation, teaching, and personal anecdotes, highlighting the complexities and paradoxes of navigating disruptive change. His blend of professional expertise and personal stories made for an engaging and informative episode.Listen above, or watch and listen here on YouTube.