This article was published on June 12, 2015

Ninja Innovation


Gary Shapiro, CEO of the Consumer Electronics Association, thinks that the characteristics of ancient Japanese ninjas can also be applied to companies that want to be innovative and successful. Ninjas didn’t carry weapons, yet they still succeeded against great odds. They were flexible, responded quickly to changing circumstances, they were adaptable and thought outside the box.

Ninjas also valued different skillsets. Today, when hiring, it is important to select people are different from you, which goes against the natural desire to pick people that are same as you. At the same time, Shapiro thinks people don’t change, so it is important to be aware of one’s weak points as there is not much space for improvement.

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