Recognize the patterns.
Build the virtues.

I have known Dave Richards over twenty years. I have observed close-hand his outstanding command of the material. Both theoretical material and more importantly the practicalities of innovation. His new book shows the power of his perspective, brilliantly. The Seven Sins of Innovation elevates the thinking on this crucial subject to the highest level. It sets Dave's book alongside the best writing on innovation anywhere.

In this book, he conveys a lifetime of important innovation management insights to fellow practitioners.

Dave Richards brings a unique perspective to the ongoing saga of human enterprise. In our competitive world of innovate, adapt, or die, falling one step behind is too often the kiss of death. When mediocrity creeps into the gestalt of an organization, the chance for success becomes bleak. Dave's insights and focus on the 'seven sins' provides an astute framework for action.

So often books on innovation and entrepreneurship lack any practical value. This is not the case here. Dave has captured the key issues of structure, communication, marketing and sales strategies and deals with them in a clear and practical manner. The elephant in the room has been identified and safely corralled. This is a must read book for entrepreneurs starting out and those already some of the way down the road.

I was excited to learn that my friend and former co-worker Dr. Dave Richards has written a book that brings together in one place his thinking on innovation. Dave has spent years studying how entrepreneurial organizations approach innovation. Along the way he has helped many of them move from failure to success by following his focused leadership and advice. Now, with this book, his strategic model is presented and accessible to all kinds of organizations and their leadership teams. Large, established corporations will learn strategies to turn around floundering organizations while small, emerging entrepreneurial teams will see how to avoid mistakes as they develop their corporate culture. Dave's genius has always been his ability to leverage the power of relationships to achieve bottom line results. The Seven Sins of Innovation now makes his insight and guidance available to everyone.

It takes one to know one. So, no one better than Dave Richards to write about entrepreneurs, as he has been one in business, technology, education, social and civic sectors. He has led and created innovation in various countries, and globally via a lifetime of rich experiences. His book will hopefully inspire and guide a new generation of change agents that our world seriously needs.

Innovation? Not products, but relationships. Not processes, but strategy. A wholly innovative approach to innovation, from the sharpest mind in the business. Increasing value of all kinds within well run businesses is almost impossible, until you read this.

Whatever sector you work in, if you're not innovating you're going backwards. Innovation is not the same as inspiration: it's doesn't just happen and shouldn't be left to chance. Dr Dave will help you to make it happen.

A must-read for any business leader, whether you want to build an innovation culture in your organization or want to build a new business with innovation in its DNA. The best part is that this book goes past the “why” and gives tangible steps on how to create a winning, innovation culture.

Dr Dave’s book is an innovators delight, and top of my list for the innovator’s desert-island read. Unlike any other, the Seven Sins of Innovation offers a renewed perspective of some of the fundamental principles of innovation.

A thoroughly enjoyable read. I was drawn by the title of this book as I am interested in why businesses succeed or fail and what leads to this success or failure. This book is not the dry, heavy, technical read one might expect from a book on innovation and entrepreneurship. The author writes from his own personal experience as well as his wide knowledge of business in general, with examples and insights into the big business world around us. As a previous employee in a Local Authority Department I was particularly interested in the overlap and similarity between private and public enterprise. The book focuses heavily on the human psychology of business and how people, with their egos and unique personalities can make or break a venture. The mix and match of people at all levels in a company is crucial to the success or failure of any venture, if it is to succeed in the long term. I found the chapter on Public enterprise particularly interesting as I have experienced countless and pointless reorganisations and re-naming of teams and departments with disastrous clashes of personalities in middle and upper management and a constant wastage of money for little or no gain to the organisation or to the public. This book should be the bedside "bible" for anyone in business or thinking about launching a business venture. The message is strong; keep your eyes open, don't get complacent, keep your finger on the pulse, listen and learn. This is such a readable, well written book that it would be ideal for students taking A level business studies and beyond. The book gives great insight into the reality and do's and don'ts in the business world and could create numerous opportunities for student group discussion and role play. The advice given in the list of the seven sins of innovation, would be invaluable to a young innovator entrepreneur and could help avoid expensive and disappointing failures. I highly recommend this book!