The state of innovation in
the State of Illinois is great. And here’s the thing: in large part because Governor
Quinn convened the Illinois Innovation Council, the development and publication
of the Illinois Innovation Index (a longtime pet project of Lance Pressl), and
the terrific private-sector work by Matt Moog and the Built in Chicago team, we
actually know what we’re talking
about. We’re not asking fairy-tale questions or relying on the kind of made-up
metrics that have in the past been the traditional fare for politicians,
government agencies, and other community boosters. Hopefully, those unhappy
days are behind us.
And the best news is that,
as the Index has demonstrated, we’ve actually got the goods right herein
Illinois : real growth, real innovation, tremendous expansion in new businesses,
and real results―all concretely documented for the first time. I’m especially
sensitive to this situation because I’ve recently returned from an “innovation”
conference in another state where one of the featured speakers baldly asserted
that his community was the nation’s leader in start-ups and innovation. Then he
smiled and said that if all the folks there just kept repeating his factoid with
a straight face, one of these days it might be true. And pigs might also fly. Now,
there’s nothing wrong with aiming high and shooting for the stars, but you need
actual results to back up the stories you’re telling. You actually lose
credibility (and your most important audiences) if you try to manufacture
movement and momentum where neither exists.
What’s so exciting to me
about the documented progress we’re making in Illinois is that―in some very
smart ways―we’re using technology and new digital media to help us keep score. I’ve
always said that, in every business, what gets measured is what gets done, and
absolutely everything can be measured. By creating some standard reporting
formats in the Index and encouraging the unprecedented collaboration of a
number of the state’s crucial business, planning, and economic development
organizations, we have created an important new tool to raise awareness and
promote innovation. We’re seeing this innovation spread beyond the obvious
high-tech sectors to enhance critical infrastructure assets and address other
needs regarding our roads, rail, airports, and broadband―all critical elements to
keep Illinois on the cutting edge.
Now I’m not pretending
that the Index automatically makes everything clear and obvious. There will
still be plenty of false starts and unfocused efforts. Until September of last
year, when the Index was first published, I’d say that we didn’t know much
about what we didn’t know. In
addition, while we’ll never be big boasters or blowhards (it’s just not the Midwestern
way), we are getting a little more comfortable about telling our stories and
tooting our own horns. Even more important, we have finally started to believe
that anything that’s worth doing is worth failing at as long as you give it the
old college try. I don’t think we’ll ever be celebrating failure around these
parts, but we’re getting smarter and smarter about failing fast and that―along
with ferocious persistence―is the essential component for eventual start-up
success.
Now that we have a clearer,
much-improved view of where we’re headed, we have to understand that there’s a
great deal of work still ahead of us―as individual businesses, as a community,
and as a state. We must all work together to build a sustainable, supportive,
and vibrant entrepreneurial environment that fosters continued growth and
critical job creation.
In addition, we have to be
sure that we don’t get entirely lost in the numbers. Measuring more is pretty
easy; measuring better is much harder because it requires value judgments. And
better, in the end, is all that really matters. People perform best when they
know what is expected of them and are told honestly how they are doing. We need
to be certain that we continue to recognize, acknowledge, and praise the people
and companies that are making a difference in our state and in our economy. The
Index is one of the ways we can “keep score” and make sure that we keep moving
forward and demonstrating our progress to the broader public.
We need to give everyone a
real stake and a sense of ownership in this journey because, without the help
and encouragement of the public, we can’t really accomplish our larger goals,
which will ultimately benefit everyone. You never know where your next idea or
inspiration may come from: it’s almost certainly not exclusively from within
the four walls of your own business. Therefore, it’s critical to broaden the
reach and scope of all the networks we’re creating. True innovation is change
that creates a new and higher level of performance and productivity. As we seek
to accomplish far more with far less, continued innovation is clearly the key.
I want to close my
comments with two final suggestions for the path ahead.
First, we need to
concentrate on doing what we do better than anyone else. We can’t chase too
many rabbits or we’ll end up hungry with none. So it’s critically important
that we avoid the wild pursuit of too many different ideas, since trying to be
all things to all people is a formula for certain failure. We want to be known
as the “go-to” people, the “go-to” city and the “go-to” state for a few,
important, sustainable and long-term industries where we can optimize the competitive
advantages that we already have. What’s the right number? No fewer than we can
handle and no more than we can afford.
Second, what are these
areas? Transportation/logistics, finance (such as Chicago Board Options
Exchange/Chicago Mercantile Exchange), management consulting, advanced manufacturing,
digital media, health care, pure science (Argonne), data centers, energy storage,
and education. Let’s focus on our history, strengths, and the amazing combination
of industry, schools, and talent to build the best and most successful businesses
and institutions in these spaces.
Let’s have the courage and
the discipline to avoid spreading ourselves too thin and competing in areas
where we will never make a material difference. I know it’s hard to say, but if
you’re interested in fashion, advertising, or journalism, you need to get to
New York. Wanna build rockets and space shuttles? Get yourself to Denver, the
new center of gravity for our entire space program. Wanna make a difference in
Illinois? Go with what we already do so well and commit to making it better.