Innovators think and do things differently, and achieve extraordinary success. They change the game.

They are found not just in the world of business.

Our research indicates that whether they are CEOs, senior executives, sports team owners, or film directors, game changers that stand head and shoulders above the rest share a common set of qualities that we have called the Innovation Mindset.

Innovators see opportunities that others don't.

They seize opportunities that others don't dare to.

They know that seizing the opportunity is but a tiny first step - like a little plant has sprouted. They then nurture it patiently, until it grows into a big tree with deep roots and thick trunk.

The opportunity they saw is because of a compromise; a compromise that others didn't see, or saw but thought impossible to break through.

They use AND Thinking to breakthrough that compromise, and strike the right balance, like between Purpose AND Profits, between Work AND Life, between People AND Profits, or between Low Cost AND High Quality.

They know there will be hurdles. They go past, under, over, and through hurdles with a mighty dose of resourcefulness.

They are focused on Outcomes.

They don' fall into the activity trap. They are masters of the 80 / 20 rule. They pour their heart and soul into the 20% that gives 80% of the outcomes; and eliminate, delegate, and manage the remaining 80%, primarily to manage risk.

They are good at conducting disciplined experiments to find out what works. They learn fast. They learn cheap. Once they find what works, they leverage the power of the virtuous cycle to maximize outcomes.

Once they have achieved their outcomes, they don't rest on their laurels.

They step it up a notch and expand the pie for their own benefit and the benefit of others.

1. Reverse Innovation - http://www.amazon.com/Reverse-Innovation-Create-From-Everywhere/dp/14221576...

2. Shocking Velocity - http://www.amazon.com/books/dp/1593113420

3. Vijay Govindarajan - http://www.tuck.dartmouth.edu/people/vg/

3. Srikanth Srinivas - http://www.linkedin.com/pub/srikanth-srinivas/0/131/908

1. Innovation Mindset in Action: Dr. Jerry Buss (HBR Blog) - http://blogs.hbr.org/cs/2013/07/the_innovation_mindset_in_acti.html

2. What is the Connection between Counting Squares and Innovation (HBR Blog)? - http://blogs.hbr.org/cs/2013/04/whats_the_connection_between_c.html

3. To Innovate, Find what is Hiding in Plain Sight (HBR Blog)- http://blogs.hbr.org/cs/2013/04/innovation_requires_thinking_o.html

4. Finding Your Place in the Competitive Jungle (HBR Blog) - http://blogs.hbr.org/cs/2013/04/finding_your_place_in_the_comp.html