At the BIF3 Innovation Summit Irving “Irving Wladawsky-Berger, vice president, Technical Strategy and Innovation, IBM, suggested that the only way a big established company can reinvent itself is having a near-death experience, much as IBM did.
When Wall St. Journal columnist and BIF co-host Walt Mossberg asked Mark Cuban about whether he thought a near-death experience was the only way to keep innovating, Cuban had a different perspective.
“Every day I wake up knowing that there is a 12 year-old out there somewhere that’s trying to kick your ass. If you don’t pay attention to your business your ass will be kicked.”
Near-death or waking up every day and thinking someone could disrupt everything? The latter sounds like a better route.
I have to admit I look at my kids at 14 and 16 and see them using the computer or even the DVR like they were born with a mouse and remote in their hands. I am pretty fluent with them myself but I had to learn it they just know it!
So the 12 year old is out there. I’m constantly striving to stay 13…and ahead.
Anthony Russo
Great America Networks Conferencing
arusso@ganconference.com
http://www.ganconference.com