Some things never cease to amaze. We are meeting with the executive committee of a major global company, and we have just asked if innovation is one of their top strategic priorities. Their unanimous answer is “yes.” We then ask about their individual responsibilities. “Which one of you is the CFO?” “Who is head of HR?” “Where’s the CIO?” One by one their hands go up. Yet, when we ask to see their global director of innovation, nobody raises a hand. Everyone just looks around the room with blank expressions. So, sure, this company understands that innovation is imperative. But nobody in its leadership team is directly responsible—or accountable—for making innovation happen across the organization. And in many instances, they don’t even seem to be aware of the paradox.

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