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Did you know that according to multiple studies, over 80% of top leaders in established companies rank innovation among their top three priorities? Yet these same studies show that on average only 60% of innovation efforts fall short of expectations or never launch. What makes the other 40% of innovation efforts succeed in reaching more of innovation’s full promise? It’s the extent to which top leadership is actively engaged in the effort.
This week, we’re revisiting our conversation with Robyn Bolton to celebrate her nomination as a 2026 Thinkers50 Radar Honoree. As the founder and chief navigator at Mile Zero, Robyn helps leaders of companies with $100 million or more in revenue use innovation to confidently and consistently grow. Our original conversation was in 2025, shortly after the launch of her book “Unlocking Innovation: A Leader’s Guide for Turning Bold Ideas into Tangible Results.”
Robyn was previously a partner at Innosight and a manager at Boston Consulting Group. She also worked at Procter & Gamble, where she helped develop and launch the Swiffer® product. She holds an MBA from Harvard Business School and a BS in Marketing from Miami University. Her articles and perspectives have appeared in Fast Company, Harvard Business Review Online, The New York Times, and other media outlets.
The leadership style and skills that work when you’re running an existing business are pretty much the opposite of the skill, behaviors and mindset you need to succeed in innovation. | Robyn Bolton
This week on Growth Igniters® Radio:
- Robyn’s perspectives on why CEOs and other top leaders need to be strongly engaged in shaping the architecture, behaviors, and culture that nurtures successful innovation
- The most important leadership factor that determines whether or not innovation initiatives achieve their full promise
- A brief story of a top leadership team that unlocked the full promise of an innovation by establishing “metrics that matter.”
- Immediately useful ideas for top leaders to unlock the promise of innovation
Resources for This Episode
- Read more about Robyn Bolton and MileZero and connect with her on LinkedIn
- Read about and download the first chapter of Robyn’s book, “Unlocking Innovation: A Leader’s Guide for Turning Bold Ideas into Tangible Results”
- Take Robyn’s complimentary self-assessment: “How Strong are Your Innovation ABCs?“
- Visit PamHarperSpeaks.com to find out more about her new keynote “Break Orbit: Leading for Long-Term Growth in a Short-Term World”
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