The right talent for an aggressive innovative strategy.

Talent required to implement an aggressive growth innovation strategy.
In my most recent book: THE SECRET TO GE's SUCCESS... I used "LATIN" to summarize why I think GE has been so successful. LATIN stands for Leadership, Adaptability, TALENT, Influencing and Networks.Over the past few months I have focused on Leadership and Adaptability, to evaluate the Immelt Team's actions and policies, but it is really TALENT that can make the difference. No leader can do it by him or herself. It takes the RIGHT TALENT to make it work.In my fourth book: Risktaker, Caretaker, Surgeon, Undertaker... the four faces to strategic leadership. I describe the unique talents and team required for the most popular strategies. In the next few blogs I wish to demonstrate how these talents differ from one strategy to another and the challenges they present to the human resource organization.I will start with the talents required to successfully implement an aggressive growth, innovation strategy. This innovation can be either based on creating a new innovative product, like a new electric car; or a service, like a new way to teach foreign languages; or software and systems that improve communications.Folklore challengers. Obviously the first talent required in the innovators of the product, service or software. These individuals must be willing to experiment and challenge the current technologies or the folklore. Experimentation is key.Next Generation before required. The innovative staff must recognize that no matter how clever they think their innovation is, it will be replicated and copied in time. This means that the team must not fall in love with their innovation, but be prepared to respond when the enemy tries to replicate or leap frog the innovation.GOOD AGGRESSIVE PATENT and Copyright LAWYERS...Even if you have the best patents or copyrights, you must be prepared for challenging the copycats... this means you have a strong legal staff or access to the best legal patent and copyright lawyers who will aggressively challenge any and all violations, even if they are questionable.MISSIONARY SELLERS - the sales and marketing staff must be COMPLETE zealots and believe in the innovation. They can't even be objective...but must appear to be objective.PRODUCTION MUST MEET EVEN EXCEED EXPECTATIONS. The production team must meet even exceed expectations and respond quickly to any problems. This is a no quibble mentality.Enough funds to stay the course...This requires accountants and financial teams that can get the money and then assure that the budgets are met and not exceeded.
This is the first in a series of articles that will describe the RIGHT TEAM and RIGHT TALENT required to execute a variety of strategic options and alternatives.
If you wish to see the total picture...read my book : Risktaker, Caretaker, Surgeon, Undertaker- the four faces of strategic leadership. It can be purchased on www.strategyleader.com