In 1513 Niccolo Machiavelli said, "There is nothing more difficult to carry out, nor more doubtful of success, nor dangerous to handle, than to initiate a new order of things. For the reformer has enemies in all those who profit by the old order, and only lukewarm defenders in all those who would profit by the new order."
This is the innovator's challenge, and it is still true today. Innovation is messy. It requires risky investments and frequent failure. It involves change and usually requires the redistribution of assets and resources.
Unless an organization understands the compelling reasons why innovation is necessary, what we call "The Compelling Case For Innovation," the battle for resources to support innovation will always lose to the support of existing businesses.
