Kudos to Nike for appointing Mark Parker to the role of President and CEO. This is a great move and one that will ensure that Nike stays focused on innovation.
I've known Mark for a very long time and have always appreciated his ability to mix art with business in an alchemy that has created great innovation.
He is a true renaissance man who feels equally comfortable cruising the streets of Tokyo, checking out the underground art scene or working with professional athletes to divine the future of a sport. What impresses me most, however, is his ability to identify and support other creative and innovative people. He really has a sixth sense when it comes to innovation.
Many companies struggling with sporadic innovation have great people who know how to innovate, yet suffer from a lack of support from senior management in making innovation a priority. Mark’s ideas regarding learning from failure, reducing bureaucracy, encouraging communication, and not getting stuck using only one method are all important in an effort to support the co-creation of innovation.
Such a management style is critical for the success of any innovative company in today’s uncertain business and cultural environment. Too often, annual reports profess the concept that upper management supports innovation, yet those trying to actually innovate are so weighed down by the bureaucracy of counting and tracking that they have no time to co-create new products and services.
Companies that consistently innovate, like Nike, not only talk the innovation talk – they also walk the walk. To innovate today, businesses need to have a deep personal knowledge of their product, market, and customers, combined with ongoing support and the belief in an organic innovation practice.
With Mark at the helm, look for Nike to continue to push the innovation envelope.
Over the next few days I'll share with you some excerpts from an interview I did with Mark for my book, Spark.