Innovation: How Innovators Think, Act and Change Our World

by Kim Chandler McDonald

Businesses looking to succeed in the digital, global economy must innovate to survive, and !nnovation highlights the pioneers who have broken the mold and led the pack in a wide  range of fields (including business and technology, engineering and energy, government and social policy, the arts and advertising, media, medicine and more).  Innovation expert, Kim Chandler McDonald underlines the common denominators linking these highly creative people, such as their compunction to tell their truth, unpalatable or not, their entrepreneurial instincts and their steadfast protection of their brands.

This book offers
--understanding of innovation as a mindset rather than a process
--insight on how to start thinking like an innovator and into how this can assist them with their own careers and goals
--knowledge of how to cultivate innovation in their own team, department or business
--personal accounts from international innovators

!nnovation showcases interviews with over 100 people who have pushed aside the boundaries in their field, such Vint Cerf, 'Father of the Internet' and Chief Internet Evangelist at Google; Matt Flannery, CEO/Co-Founder of Kiva, the microfinancing organization working to alleviate poverty; author Seth Godin; Zappos CEO and instigator of Las Vegas' transformational Downtown project, Tony Hsieh; Digital Royalty CEO Amy Jo Martin; and Chief Innovation Officer at the marketing agency MDC Partners, Faris Yakob. Chandler McDonald explores what drives these successful innovators, what makes innovations take off and why innovation is so critical to individuals, economies and to society as a whole.

Genres: Business, Nonfiction

264 pages, Paperback

First published October 28, 2013

About the author

Storytelling has always been at the heart of my work. From writing my first Letter to the Editor at age 6 to conducting in-depth interviews with some of the world’s most intriguing minds, I’ve been using words to drive change, spark ideas, and connect people.

As the author of Innovation: How Innovators Think, Act and Change Our World and Flat World Navigation: Collaboration and Networking in the Global Digital Economy, I’ve explored how visionaries shape industries. My latest book, An Interviewer’s Guidebook: Turning Conversations Into Captivating Stories, distills my years of interviewing into actionable insights for turning everyday conversations into extraordinary stories. Whether it’s Madeleine Albright, Terry Gilliam, or Brian Greene, my interviews have been opportunities to uncover deep truths, foster connection, and bring compelling stories to life.

Beyond writing, I am the Co-Founder and CEO of 3 Steps Data and FlatWorld Integration, where I apply the same principles of clarity and innovation to technology. 3 Steps Data, our Data Management as a Service (DMaaS) solution, simplifies the complex world of data management, making it secure, accessible, and elegant. At FlatWorld Integration, we pioneered the Zero-Trust, data-focused Fl@World Operating System, driving digital transformation and innovation while keeping human connection at its core.

Through my work as Director of APAC Operations and Policy Development at CyAN, I continue to advocate for safer, more equitable digital spaces, leading initiatives like Combatting Technology-Facilitated Abuse and Violence. I’m passionate about blending storytelling and advocacy to make the digital world not only secure but deeply human.

Whether I’m writing, interviewing, or innovating, storytelling remains my foundation. It’s how I engage with the world, how I create change, and how I empower others to connect, reflect, and act.

Reviews

[Abhishek Mehta · Rating 1 out of 5]

Shocked to see high ratings here. This book came to me with 80% discount from Amazon. It should be 99%.

It is a compilation of interviews with innovators; Short, and mediocre interviews from little known people. Unbalanced, and pitiful research and terrible interview questions.

Talks about Flat world navigators with a little to no emphasis of Flat world economies, and success stories of BRICS; Filled with childish keywords, word clouds, hard to remember jargons. Sorry!! But highly disappointing.

[GONZA · Rating 3 out of 5]

Book that tells the new developments in Economy in the era of Web 2.0.
The author begins by defining the difference between the economy and the GDE, ie the Global Digital Economy, that unlike the first one is agile, borderless and collaborative, and then he illustrates it across the different fields, such as media and medicine for example, interviewing the main protagonists.

Libro interessante che racconta i nuovi sviluppi dell'economia all'epoca del WEB 2.0. L'autore inizia con il definire la differenza tra l'economia e la GDE, cioé la Global Digital Economy che a differenza della prima é agile, senza confini e collaborativa, dopo di che la illustra all'interno dei vari campi, come i media e la medicina per esempio, intervistandone i principali protagonisti.

THANKS TO NETGALLEY AND KOGAN PAGE FOR THE PREVIEW!

[Greg · Rating 2 out of 5]

The original writing in the book is quite poor. The author has a tendency to use far too many serial comma lists that instead of making a point simply appear to be the result of attempting to make a statement by listing all of the variations on a thought. There is also a heavy dose of consulting-speak acronyms (does anyone use the terms "Global Digital Economy, or GDE, or terms like the "me-conomy" or "me-dia" or "me-health" or call themself a "Flat World Navigator") and plenty of opinionated views on the world that lack any support or citation.

The only positive is that a few of the interviews provide some interesting views from people doing interesting and innovative things. I'd suggest skipping the introductory and final thoughts in each chapter and just flip through to find the interviews that are of most interest.

[Tabitha · Rating 3 out of 5]

I received this book as part of the GoodReads First Reads program from the publisher.

Over all a very interesting book. I enjoyed reading all the interviews, it was great to get so many personal views on what it takes to be an innovator/entrepreneur. Personal experience speaks volumes more than just your average self-help/how-to business book. The only downside was also connected to this; so many points of view and so much information barreling at you makes for slow going at points. It's not that anyone was particularly uninteresting, more that it got to be information overload eventually.
Definitely good if you are interested in how people have gotten to the tops of their fields. And useful as a little pep talk if you yourself are stuck ("if they can do it, why can't I?")

[Sambasivan · Rating 3 out of 5]

A collection of eclectic interviews that focus on ideas that could change the planet for the better. Skims the surface as each of the topics is quite deep. Ok read.