Ban the Humorous Bazooka [Hardcover]

Mark Henry Sebell (Author), Jeanne Yocum (Author), C. K. Prahalad (Foreword)

Book Description

Publication Date: March 15, 2001

A recent survey by Robert Half Associates indicates that 89% of executives believe that employers are doing more to encourage employees to be creative and innovative now than five years ago.

Notwithstanding a giant corporate commitment to innovation, roadblocks abound, creating an unacceptably high failure rate for new products. But what if someone could show businesses how to overcome the obstacles, roadblocks and speedbumps? What if there was a proven way to move from creative ideas to actual marketable innovations? What about a way around those "humorous bazooka" comments that often shoot down fresh ideas--leaving roadkill instead of innovation?

Sharing the proven and practical methods that have helped Fortune 500 companies power through blocks to bring breakthrough products and services to market, innovation consultant Mark Sebell offers insights for every company grappling with the "dark night of the innovator."

Defining the obstacles that impede innovation then proposing successful strategies to overcome them, Ban the Humorous Bazooka uses case studies from Sebell's premier client companies to examine strategies that really work to bring successful innovations to market. It also:

*Speaks to the heart of people's fears about failing at their next innovative effort *Offers techniques to discover usable insights out of the information overload *Outlines how companies can assemble cross-functional innovation teams to achieve real breakthroughs

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly

The "humorous bazooka" identified by Sebell (who heads Creative Realities Inc., a consulting firm specializing in corporate innovation) is a joking comment designed to shoot down a colleague's idea. As Sebell explains, that's all too often what happens to new ideas: "We make fun of them. We point out every single problem." Such "innovation killers" are especially troubling in today's competitive global marketplace, the author declares, since innovation is now so crucial to a company's very survival. Sebell, whose clients have included AT&T, Citigroup and Starbucks, recommends that employees use a toy bazooka to fight back against criticism and force critics to explain their resistance to a new idea. As difficult as launching new ideas can be, Sebell points out that implementing them is even more difficult; just as individuals may deride unfamiliar approaches, organizational structures, too, tend to resist change. One of Sebell's more acute insights about overcoming organizational inertia is that the bazooka wielders are often the smartest people in the organization; if they aren't allowed to derail an idea, they can play a crucial role in its implementation. As the long, awkward title suggests, Sebell's style can be choppy, though most of his points are lucid and accessible. Cartoons, graphs and chapter summaries will help readers focus on key concepts, but too much of the text is abstract. The most concrete advice is buried in brief appendixes, which include rules for effective group interaction and exercises for fostering creativity.

Copyright 2001 Cahners Business Information, Inc.

From Booklist

The "humorous bazooka" is what people use to shoot down ideas and proposals within an organization--often by belittling or making fun of a new suggestion or the person offering it. Organizations where people are freely armed with such weaponry are organizations where innovation is stifled, according to Sebell.^B He is the founder and president of Creative Realities, a Boston-based "idea development" consulting firm. Distinguishing between creativity and innovation, Sebell identifies the three levels of innovation and examines the five phases of the innovation process. He details the critical success factors that must be present in each phase and warns of the common mistakes that cause innovation to fail. Warning that innovation is "messy," Sebell emphasizes that organizations must discourage the firing of bazookas and "create a culture that nourishes ongoing innovation." He then provides tools and techniques that will help to do so. David Rouse
Copyright © American Library Association. All rights reserved

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Hardcover: 262 pages
• Publisher: Dearborn Trade (March 15, 2001)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0793141087
• ISBN-13: 978-0793141081
• Product Dimensions: 9 x 6.1 x 1.3 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.2 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (7 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,446,116 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

2 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Beyond Business...a map for personal growth, March 5, 2001

By 

Cris Johnson (NY) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Ban the Humorous Bazooka (Hardcover)

This book will undoubtedly appeal to the business reader; but it is also, and perhaps more importantly, a wonderful guide to understanding the process of human interaction.

The Humorous Bazooka is the weapon of choice in too many of our daily engagements. I was struck with the insights that Mr. Sebell's anecdotes reveal not only about the way business innovation is blown up from within, but how the metaphors translate so smoothly when applied to personal interactions.

There are many levels of learning within these pages cleverly woven into a big smile.

2 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Practical... Reality-based... I loved it!, February 23, 2001

By 

Roger A. Ross (Atlanta, GA United States) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Ban the Humorous Bazooka (Hardcover)

Sebell and Yocum have provided managers with a powerful tool... Instead of the pure-theory fluff that fills most books about innovation, they have succeeded in providing us with a practical, reality-based 'how-to' manual that one can actually translate to tactical actions. Additionally, it provided a mirror for challenging my own behaviours as well. The bottom-line being, unless we have a teacher, we can't learn.

As VP e-Commerce Operations for a reverse logistics supply-chain software company, I own the product development cycle... and am constantly faced with the task of facilitating for & bridging the gap between the Sales/Marketing and Technology groups so that new ideas can be surfaced, nurtured and incorporated into product releases. Considering the diverse thought processes of the individuals involved... I am thankful to know that I can go to my book shelf and refer to BtHB in the future.

If you are responsible for developing, nurturing, facilitating, or guiding new ideas in your organization... I heartily recommend that you invest some of your precious time into reading this book... it'll pay off immensely.

5.0 out of 5 stars The new innovation bible...lucid, smart, pragmatic, February 26, 2001

By 

David H. Novak "Rabbi Novak" (Vermont) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Ban the Humorous Bazooka (Hardcover)

A great read and a terrific book for making innovation real. I've read dozens of business books that talk about creativity, but none of them come close to the sense of "let's do it". This book is a roadmap through the very messy process from new idea to actual innovation; it's also a book about individual and corporate behaviors that get in the way of innovation. I found myself nodding my head over and over as Sebell describes the bazookas that people use to kill an idea even before it's had a second to live. Part business strategy, part friend giving you good advice, and incredibly perceptive, this book is a great read for anyone who wants to turn the innovative spark into a bonfire.