Why successful innovation requires both excellence and relevance--and how to achieve them both.
“A truly 21st century idea.” “Bigger than the Internet.” “More important than the personal computer.” These were just a few of the early impressions of the Segway Personal Transporter. So where did Segway go wrong? Certainly not in design or execution: the device is a true marvel. But relevance to customers simply wasn’t as attainable as excellence....
Inder Sidhu is Senior Vice President of Strategy and Planning for Worldwide Operations at Cisco, the $40 billion worldwide leader in networking for the Internet. A member of the company’s Operating Committee, he co-leads Cisco’s Emerging Countries Council, which drives business success in fast-growing geographies like China, India, Brazil, Mexico, and the Middle East. From 2006-2009, he co-led the Enterprise Business Council, responsible for Cisco’s corporate business, representing about half of the company’s total revenue. Before joining Cisco in 1995, he was with McKinsey & Company, an international management consulting company. He has also worked at Intel and Novell.