Innovation is like theater

Here’s some advice from Harvard Business School about managing when you don’t know exactly where you’re going. The fact is these days managers usually have only an approximate goal for many things. So the conventional wisdom that you should plan every step is not realistic. With innovation this is especially true.

In certain kinds of work, even if you can figure out where you’re going and find a map to get you there, that may not be the best thing to do.

In the 21st century, it’s a simple fact that you often don’t know where you’re going when you start a journey.

HBS Working Knowledge: Innovation: Why Managing Innovation is Like Theater