Managing the Unmanageable - by Jonathan Cagan & Peter Boatwright (Paperback)

Book Synopsis

Nearly all innovation is done by teams. And while there are many books about the innovation process, and also many about managing teams, the management of innovation teams has gone unaddressed.

This matters, because innovation teams are not like other teams. Most teams and their managers know where they are headed. They've probably been there and done it previously, more than once. Innovation is different. The problem objective has been outlined, but the journey and the destination are full of unknowns and untrieds. The team is tasked with going where none have gone before-with scaling a mountain whose height, form, and hidden passes are unknown, and doing so before a rival team from the other side of the mountain finds the summit.

There's no simple formula to enable innovation team managers to accomplish this daunting task. But Jonathan Cagan and Peter Boatwright-Carnegie Mellon professors and practitioners with a combined 50+ years of experience in research, consulting, and hands-on innovation-have learned a lot about what works and what doesn't.

In Managing the Unmanageable, they offer 13 tips that can greatly improve the odds for success for any innovation team. Filled with eye-opening real-world examples, bolstered by groundbreaking research studies, and enlivened with illustrations by artist Kurt Hess, it's a quick, fascinating read that any manager with a mandate to innovate will find irresistible-and essential.

Review Quotes

"Demystifies a process that too often entails risk and guesswork or gets bogged down in aimlessness . . . Inspiring guidance for managing innovation teams to create lasting success."-Publishers Weekly BookLife

"Managing the Unmanageable should ideally not only reside in a business library, but be read and discussed among business students, entrepreneurs, and leaders looking to refine, adapt, or create a management style that encourages and fosters innovation to realize its maximum potential. It's a guide that no forward-thinking businessperson will want to overlook, holding many insights on building a team structure that is adaptable, efficient, yet creatively flexible and encouraging."-Midwest Book Review

"Innovation is one of the most popular business topics, yet it remains highly difficult for many organizations. Cagan and Boatwright demystify innovation and provide practical tips for managing it for high-impact results. Finally, innovation managers have a handbook that they can rely on-one that should be in the collection of every technology leader and innovation practitioner."-Tolga Kurtoglu, Former Chief Technology Officer, HP

"Cagan and Boatwright combine expertise and experience into a roadmap and a GPS for successful innovation. Their tips will help managers lead their teams to navigate traffic, roadblocks, and detours while bringing out winning products and services."-Govi Kannan, Senior Vice President, Mack Global Brand, Mack Trucks

"You won't find a more valuable guide on effective and impactful innovation management. Managing the Unmanageable is full of practical, research-backed tips for anyone looking for a smart approach to solving hard and important problems. Go read this book and build the future."-Kelly Bowles Kinch, Vice President of Product Design, Yelp

"Cagan and Boatwright tap into their vast experience and keen academic insights to bring rigor and relevance to the challenging process of managing innovation teams. Comprehensive, thoughtful, and practical, Managing the Unmanageable is an indispensable playbook for growth-oriented companies seeking innovation success."-Kevin Lane Keller, E.B. Osborn Professor of Marketing, Tuck School of Business at Dartmouth, and author of Marketing Management and Strategic Brand Management

"Innovation is essential to society's advance. Cagan and Boatwright have captured powerful tips for promoting innovation in the development of new products in this readable and engaging book."-Erik K. Antonsson, Ph.D., U.S. National Academy of Engineering; Founder and CTO, Streetscope, Inc.

"Cagan and Boatwright cut through the noise to present pragmatic, no-nonsense advice on the nitty-gritty of what makes innovation teams tick. The book is infused with practical wisdom, guiding readers through the intricacies of managing not just the process of innovation but the people who drive it. It's a compelling guide that is essential for any leader responsible for innovation."-Scott Weisbrod, VP, Global Innovation and Human-Centered Design, Manulife

"The authors have created a comprehensive overview on how to lead innovation teams that is easy to read and full of practical advice and tips-an excellent book for innovation leaders across industries looking to for an edge in how to create and lead teams working at the forefront of technology."-Scott Walston, VP, Enterprise Technology, The Boeing Company