Acknowledgements
From the team
The central idea in Dual Transformation—that leaders need to simultaneously reposition today’s business and create tomorrow’s—has been core to each of our professional careers since 2000. In fact, if you looked at slides from the executive training sessions two of us (Clark and Mark) ran in 2001, you would see a version of the “two circle” chart that we have adapted to summarize the dual transformation framework. Fleshing that framework out required the firsthand experience we have had over the subsequent fifteen years as corporate leaders, board members, and strategic advisers, and assistance from a multitude of clients, colleagues, and thought partners.
Before each of us offers our individual thanks, we want to acknowledge a range of individuals who helped to shape Dual Transformation. First, we would like to thank former colleagues Richard Foster and Matt Eyring. They were coauthors, with Clark, on the 2012 Harvard Business Review article that introduced the term “dual transformation,” and we all owe a substantial debt to Dick’s career-long quest to help executives confront the challenges of creative destruction. More broadly, we are grateful for the leadership roles both Dick and Matt played during their time at Innosight. We are equally grateful for the support, friendship, and spirit of partnership from Innosight cofounder and Harvard Business School Professor Clayton Christensen. His seminal work on disruptive innovation continues to have an outsized influence on our own thinking, as does the thought leadership of our friends Vijay Govindarajan, Roger Martin, and Rita McGrath. A number of Innosight colleagues helped with key portions of this book, most notably Jenny Chung, Asher Devang, Dave Duncan, Christian Kruse, Rahul Nair, Cathy Olofson, Evan Schwartz, Josh Suskewicz, Elliot Tan, Annabel Tio, Coenraad de Vos van Steenwijk, and Andy Waldeck.
We are extremely thankful for the tremendous support we received from the team at Harvard Business Review Press. Tim Sullivan has been a thought partner during the book’s development process, providing critical guidance at key inflection points. Jennifer Waring did an expert job shepherding the manuscript through production. Betsy Hardinger did an amazingly thorough job reviewing the manuscript, deftly tightening language and keeping all of us honest. Julie Devoll and her team helped to crystallize key messages and drive book-related marketing. And Stephani Finks designed the beautiful book you hold in your hands (if you are viewing it on a device, at least look at the physical copy; it is a beauty).
Finally, the three of us have, collectively, been connected to Innosight for forty-four years: Mark since its inception in 2000, Clark since 2001, and Scott since 2003. We can’t say enough about colleagues past and present who have shaped our thinking and helped to make Innosight the truly great firm it is today. It’s become a cliché to say that when you love what you do, you don’t work a day in your life, but we certainly feel that way about Innosight. The Innosight team is whip smart, passionate about the work, and dedicated to client impact. That such a talented group chooses to spend its time with us never ceases to amaze us. Thanks, team.
From Scott
If it takes a village to raise a child, it takes a city to create a book. Of course, Dual Transformation would not have happened without my coauthors. Clark’s dogged determination to demonstrate that institutions can turn disruption into opportunity and Mark’s persistent efforts to reframe the way leaders approach strategy through uncertainty were essential inputs into the book. I am forever grateful for the unending support and advice both have given me, both personally and professionally.
By the time this book hits the shelf, my family will have celebrated our seventh anniversary in Singapore. It continues to feel like a grand adventure. I’m thankful for all of the friends that have helped to keep it interesting, like Fidah Alsagoff, Bill Chang, Paul Cobban, Rachel Eng, Nick Evans, Kuen Loon Ho, Parag Khanna, Koh Boon Hwee, Tony May, Bernard Nee, Dilhan Pillay, Guillaume Sachet, Shaun Seow, Tan Ka Huat, Teo Ming Kian, Kwee Eng Thien, SC Tien, Ernest Wong, Zia Zaman, and many others. I’m also thankful that my friends at Manila Water, notably Gerry Ablaza, Ferdz dela Cruz, and Boogz Baffrey, and at Singtel, namely Tony May and Chua Sock Koong, were gracious enough to share their inspiring stories with broader audiences.
Speaking of my family, the process of creating Dual Transformation coincided with moments of both sadness and joy. Early in the writing process, in August 2015, my mother, Bonnie Anthony, passed away after a too-short battle with pancreatic cancer. She left behind a devoted husband and my four siblings. It hasn’t been smooth sailing for us, but I have great faith that time, as they say, will heal all wounds. The biggest moment of joy came in early September 2016, when my wife, Joanne, and I welcomed our fourth child, Teddy, into the world. Joanne approached our new arrival as she approaches everything: mixing fierce determination, selfless compassion, and get-it-done practicality. She is my idol, and I try valiantly, if in my own flawed way, to emulate those characteristics as we work together to raise our children. Charlie, Holly, and Harry continue to come into their own, with Charlie as the loquacious baseball freak, Holly as the lithe, sharp-as-a-tack ballerina, and Harry as our lovable, insatiably curious goofball. The best part about traveling for work is always the same: coming home. I never know exactly what will happen when I open the door to unit 22-02, but I know it will be spectacular.
From Clark
I am grateful for my collaborators on this book project and for the Innosight team, who have constantly pushed my thinking and provided thought leadership on innovation and organizational change. I’m also grateful for the remarkable innovators I have worked with in pursuing these ideas in practice. Special thanks to the Deseret News and Deseret Digital Media leadership team, who showed an industry not only the power of creating a culture of change, but the impact of finding meaning and purpose in the content and publications they created. Special thanks also to the members of the Brigham Young University-Idaho and Pathway organization, who continually inspired me with their student focus and their ability to step outside traditional models of education to find a better way. Finally, to my wife, Christine, and to my family, who keep me grounded and continually refocus me on the things that matter most, thank you all.
From Mark
I am very grateful for the collaboration with Scott and Clark and for their dedication to making this book a reality. The long journey from concept to writing a book would not be possible without their deep commitment from the very beginning. Scott’s envisioning of the book and his prolific ability to shape, simplify, and crystallize ideas has led to taking a somewhat complicated management topic and translating it into what I believe is a very accessible book. Clark’s leadership in the real-world development and application of the Dual Transformation concept in the media and education sectors has made this book a reality. I am also grateful to all my clients, but my colleagues at Ford and Johnson & Johnson, in particular, were especially willing to provide valuable insight about how Dual Transformation can work effectively in a large corporation. I’d like to thank Mark Fields, CEO of Ford, and Bill Hait, head of R&D at J&J’s Janssen Pharmaceuticals, for their willingness to share experiences in their own Dual Transformation journeys. I am also appreciative of my other colleagues at Innosight, who have contributed immeasurably to the Dual Transformation approach in many important ways. My deepest gratitude goes to my wife, Jane, and to my family. They are always so supportive and understanding of my work. They bring the greatest joy to my life.