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Lead and Disrupt: How to Solve the Innovator's Dilemma
In the past few years, a number of well-known firms have failed; think of Blockbuster, Kodak, or RadioShack. When we read about their demise, it often seems inevitable—a natural part of "creative destruction." But closer examination reveals a disturbing truth: Companies large and small are shuttering more quickly than ever. What does it take to buck this trend?
The simple answer is: ambidexterity. Firms must remain competitive in their core markets, while also winning in new domains. Innovation guru Clayton M. Christensen has been pessimistic about whether established companies can prevail in the face of disruption, but Charles A. O'Reilly III and Michael L. Tushman know they can! The authors explain how shrewd organizations have used an ambidextrous approach to solve their own innovator's dilemma. They contrast these luminaries with companies which—often trapped by their own successes—have been unable to adapt and grow.
Drawing on a vast research program and over a decade of helping companies to innovate, the authors present a set of practices to guide firms as they adopt ambidexterity. Top-down and bottom-up leaders are key to this process—a fact too often overlooked in the heated debate about innovation. But not in this case. Readers will come away with a new understanding of how to improve their existing businesses through efficiency, control, and incremental change, while also seizing new markets where flexibility, autonomy, and experimentation rule the day.
The simple answer is: ambidexterity. Firms must remain competitive in their core markets, while also winning in new domains. Innovation guru Clayton M. Christensen has been pessimistic about whether established companies can prevail in the face of disruption, but Charles A. O'Reilly III and Michael L. Tushman know they can! The authors explain how shrewd organizations have used an ambidextrous approach to solve their own innovator's dilemma. They contrast these luminaries with companies which—often trapped by their own successes—have been unable to adapt and grow.
Drawing on a vast research program and over a decade of helping companies to innovate, the authors present a set of practices to guide firms as they adopt ambidexterity. Top-down and bottom-up leaders are key to this process—a fact too often overlooked in the heated debate about innovation. But not in this case. Readers will come away with a new understanding of how to improve their existing businesses through efficiency, control, and incremental change, while also seizing new markets where flexibility, autonomy, and experimentation rule the day.
287 pages, Kindle Edition
Published September 7, 2021
174 people are currently reading
1136 people want to read
About the author
Charles A. O'Reilly
7 books14 followersCharles O’Reilly’s is an American professor, author, and business consultant. Charles' research includes studies of organizational culture, the management of human resources, and the impact of change and innovation on firms. His current research includes studies of leadership, organizational culture, the impact of senior management on innovation and change, and the management of human resources.
Charles is a much sought after adviser and speaker to major corporations. He is the co-founder of Change Logic (changelogic.com), a strategic innovation advisory firm focused on helping CEOs and senior teams lead disruption in their industries by ideating, incubating, and scaling new businesses inside existing organizations.
Charles is the author, with Mike Tushman, of Lead and Disrupt: How to Solve the Innovator’s Dilemma, published by Stanford University Press in 2016 (2nd edition to be published September 7, 2021). His previous books include Winning Through Innovation: A Practical Guide to Leading Organizational Change and Renewal with Mike Tushman (Harvard Business School Press, 2000) and Hidden Value: How Great Companies Achieve Extraordinary Results with Ordinary People with J. Pfeffer (Harvard Business School Press, 2000). He is the author of many articles, including award within papers, such as Three Disciplines of Innovation in the California Management Review, named Best Article 2020.
Charles O’Reilly is the Frank E. Buck Professor of Management and Hank McKinnell – Pfizer Inc. Director of the Center for Leadership Development and Research at Stanford University Graduate School of Business.
Charles is a much sought after adviser and speaker to major corporations. He is the co-founder of Change Logic (changelogic.com), a strategic innovation advisory firm focused on helping CEOs and senior teams lead disruption in their industries by ideating, incubating, and scaling new businesses inside existing organizations.
Charles is the author, with Mike Tushman, of Lead and Disrupt: How to Solve the Innovator’s Dilemma, published by Stanford University Press in 2016 (2nd edition to be published September 7, 2021). His previous books include Winning Through Innovation: A Practical Guide to Leading Organizational Change and Renewal with Mike Tushman (Harvard Business School Press, 2000) and Hidden Value: How Great Companies Achieve Extraordinary Results with Ordinary People with J. Pfeffer (Harvard Business School Press, 2000). He is the author of many articles, including award within papers, such as Three Disciplines of Innovation in the California Management Review, named Best Article 2020.
Charles O’Reilly is the Frank E. Buck Professor of Management and Hank McKinnell – Pfizer Inc. Director of the Center for Leadership Development and Research at Stanford University Graduate School of Business.
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Displaying 1 - 27 of 27 reviews
February 15, 2019
Review coming. Complicated feelings after reading the book. Some good analyses; some good tools; not so sure about the quality of the corporate examples used (particularly IBM and Cisco). More coming.
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April 8, 2024I feel like I shouldn’t rate this book because I read it for a class. If I wasn’t assigned to read this, I would’ve never picked it up. It was interesting but I didn’t love it.
August 28, 2019
I found this book eye opening. It is well written in a logical manner and is easy to read. I did find some chapters to repeat information from previous chapters which is a bit redundant, but overall the content and supporting stories are relevant. I summarize the key facts below:
How to avoid becoming obsolete:
1. Explore and Exploit - You need a leader that understands your core strengths and is willing to take the risk of exploring new technologies and opportunities.
2. A vision, values, and a culture that provide for a common identity across the explore - and - exploit units that helps all involved see that they are on the same team .
3. You need to keep the "explore" team lean and separate from the "exploit" team but still allow them full use of corporate resources and allow information sharing.
4. The 'explore' team needs a completely different set of rules and structure that allow them to be agile and learn through trial and error.
5. You need a leader that can take new products and opportunities to existing and new markets.
How to avoid becoming obsolete:
1. Explore and Exploit - You need a leader that understands your core strengths and is willing to take the risk of exploring new technologies and opportunities.
2. A vision, values, and a culture that provide for a common identity across the explore - and - exploit units that helps all involved see that they are on the same team .
3. You need to keep the "explore" team lean and separate from the "exploit" team but still allow them full use of corporate resources and allow information sharing.
4. The 'explore' team needs a completely different set of rules and structure that allow them to be agile and learn through trial and error.
5. You need a leader that can take new products and opportunities to existing and new markets.
September 6, 2017
The authors present compelling evidence on how the implementation of ambidexterity, exploitation (of core markets) and exploration (innovation) as a strategic business model is the answer to a long lasting and healthy business. It does gets a bit too repetitive with these terms by the end of the book though. They also present good examples on how companies have successfully solved their own innovators dilemma, and those who failed in doing so (like Kodak). The book presents a good frame work to apply ambidexterity. Improve existing businesses through efficiency, control, and incremental change, while also seizing new markets where flexibility, autonomy, and experimentation. I would've enjoyed more if it was got easier to read by the end instead of the opposite.
June 3, 2017
It's taken me a while to read this, waylaid as I was by other reading exploits, but I'm very glad I got back to it. What I liked most was the various company illustrations - those who've ridden the change wave well and those who've fallen off along the way - are used to explain the author's premise. It's quite easy reading and not too academic in tone so it's gone back on the business bookshelf for future reference.
August 25, 2019
This is a restatement of good ideas. So it's got useful stuff in it for business leaders, but it's not new. And it's more academic/formal in its language and style than others. So it was okay, but not great.
Basic idea: you need to be good at both exploration and exploitation (innovation and efficiency in your existing business). The best part of the book are the detailed stories of companies who tried to add innovation to their core business but did so in ways that didn't work.
Basic idea: you need to be good at both exploration and exploitation (innovation and efficiency in your existing business). The best part of the book are the detailed stories of companies who tried to add innovation to their core business but did so in ways that didn't work.
August 7, 2017
The book includes some useful insight. I read this book along with my management peers as an assignment from our CEO. It is my opinion that the book needs more editing. It was too repetitive. This was also the consensus among the other managers I discussed the book with.
I usually enjoy management books, but this one was very hard to finish, due to its repetitive nature.
I usually enjoy management books, but this one was very hard to finish, due to its repetitive nature.
February 10, 2020
O'Reilly & Tushman challenge organizational Leaders to embrace the adaptivenss of ambidexterity. Having the right senior leaders on deck to promote a compelling vision; strategically wrestle with tensions that may birth innovation; aligning action and strategy to vision, values, and culture; all while disrupting complacency, status quo, and low expectations.
October 3, 2019
Long, intricate narratives describing different business's successes and failures. Overall themes seem valuable, (i.e. explore and exploit, ambidexterity, etc.) but examples on how they're put into practice are far reaching.
February 12, 2021
The authors are experts in their fields, which gave them the perspective necessary to discuss disruptive innovations at a higher level.
However, some parts of the book were repetitive. Thats’s why the book may be quite challenging to read.
However, some parts of the book were repetitive. Thats’s why the book may be quite challenging to read.
May 3, 2021
This book is long and I think there are better books out there about innovations. I so strongly dislike the phrase ambidexterity because it is a real word but it does not mean that. I was underwhelmed but it wasn't bad.
June 1, 2025
Son pocos los libros que en el tema de innovación realmente traen una nueva luz a la mesa. Y este es una joya, entre historias realmente no escuchadas, casos de estudio y pasos guía, es una excelente lectura de cabecera para llevarla a la implementación
June 16, 2017
Very good rejoinder to the Innovators Dilemma. Recommended reading for anyone in an innovative or creative field.
December 15, 2018
Similar narration from Jim Collins.
May 8, 2019
Very good book on management and moving to the next level.
May 27, 2019
Good book for companies who are wondering how to manage new, innovative businesses within a legacy of profitability.
July 20, 2020
Recommended to me by my cousin. It was a great read!
August 6, 2021
I was really bored reading this.
September 23, 2021
In the whole, the book was find. The concepts of ambidexterity and exploration vs exploitation are important. It feels like they could have made their point in half the time though.
February 4, 2022
Solid guidance from decades of research. The challenge of innovation is not new and these examples are helpful.
February 27, 2021
Ambidexterity is a good thing
March 11, 2017
Extremely timely, this book combines the theoretical and practical with the expertise that should support those of us who really care about innovating! Well done!
February 4, 2021
I did enjoy this book. The many examples were inspirational. Books like this make excellent academic tools and can be basis for intellectual discussion on what is possible.
LEAD AND DISRUPT is well researched and written and helps one think about what could be but does not provide a clear path to execution. The authors do provide some high-level points in the closing chapters that might be good for a leadership discussion. However, unless the readers have the behavioral training or insight into creating a learning org or learning teams this book becomes more of a catalog of what could be rather than a path to success. It’s like window shopping without the money or capability to acquire.
By comparison, A book like THE FIFTH DISCIPLINE by Peter Senge and the companion THE FIFTH DISCIPLINE FIELDBOOK are better tools and reference books for how to create an organization that can acquire the behaviors needed to lead and disrupt as well as how to execute with those behaviors.
The fifth discipline, in my opinion, nails the why, what and how of creating an environment for sustainable change. The Fieldbook is a companion workbook to guide the learning process. It is meant to be a reference book for those who want to create or educate others on how to create and sustain versatile teams.
On the other hand, LEAD AND DISRUPT is like a management 101 lecture. It uses examples to show what can be and outlines the leadership and organizational characteristics without creating the foundation to acquire the skills. While THE FIFTH DISCIPLINE & THE FIELDBOOK are like graduate labs where people get their hands dirty and actually do the work to get the results.
LEAD AND DISRUPT is enjoyable and demonstrates by example that there are leaders that have training or the innate skills to create a learning/disruptive organization but for the most part, in my opinion, these people are the exception. Most mid-level managers will read LEAD AND DISRUPT like a 101-level course…they will be wowed by the book but continue to go about doing what they have always done and get the same results they have always gotten. As such many of these managers actually remain roadblocks to the kind of change needed to disrupt. They are not willing to take the leadership risks needed to confront needed organizational change. Those people will love the book, praise those who suggested it and go about life as they always have.
LEAD AND DISRUPT is well researched and written and helps one think about what could be but does not provide a clear path to execution. The authors do provide some high-level points in the closing chapters that might be good for a leadership discussion. However, unless the readers have the behavioral training or insight into creating a learning org or learning teams this book becomes more of a catalog of what could be rather than a path to success. It’s like window shopping without the money or capability to acquire.
By comparison, A book like THE FIFTH DISCIPLINE by Peter Senge and the companion THE FIFTH DISCIPLINE FIELDBOOK are better tools and reference books for how to create an organization that can acquire the behaviors needed to lead and disrupt as well as how to execute with those behaviors.
The fifth discipline, in my opinion, nails the why, what and how of creating an environment for sustainable change. The Fieldbook is a companion workbook to guide the learning process. It is meant to be a reference book for those who want to create or educate others on how to create and sustain versatile teams.
On the other hand, LEAD AND DISRUPT is like a management 101 lecture. It uses examples to show what can be and outlines the leadership and organizational characteristics without creating the foundation to acquire the skills. While THE FIFTH DISCIPLINE & THE FIELDBOOK are like graduate labs where people get their hands dirty and actually do the work to get the results.
LEAD AND DISRUPT is enjoyable and demonstrates by example that there are leaders that have training or the innate skills to create a learning/disruptive organization but for the most part, in my opinion, these people are the exception. Most mid-level managers will read LEAD AND DISRUPT like a 101-level course…they will be wowed by the book but continue to go about doing what they have always done and get the same results they have always gotten. As such many of these managers actually remain roadblocks to the kind of change needed to disrupt. They are not willing to take the leadership risks needed to confront needed organizational change. Those people will love the book, praise those who suggested it and go about life as they always have.
March 20, 2019
A book that should be read by all working in established, "old economy" companies, to get a sense for what it takes to keep your company changing and not fall in the trap of stagnation and decline. Some great stories about companies that made multiple transitions, and some that didn´t and declined. Well worth the time and $
May 11, 2016
Long-term corporate success requires exploiting existing businesses while simultaneously searching for and launching new businesses. The problem: these two activities require very different leadership, cultures, and operating models. The solution: read this book.
June 5, 2022
Insightful book about ambidextrous organizations that are both capable to operate in the present and prepare for the near-term and long-term future.
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December 18, 2017A pretty good book on organizational change and sustaining innovation.
Displaying 1 - 27 of 27 reviews