Funny. Until you realise how many strategies sound exactly like this.
Innovation Trailblazer or Innovation Follower?
Most leaders will say: “We want to lead.”
Reality? Very few actually do.
And to be fair… you don’t always have to
Apple didn’t invent the smartphone. It redefined it.
Netflix didn’t invent streaming. It scaled it.
Google didn’t invent search. It made it indispensable.
So yes, following can win. But only if it’s intentional.
Because there’s a big difference between:
Strategic follower (clear, fast, disciplined)
Accidental follower (late, reactive, confused)
Most organisations are not choosing to follow. They are just… FALLING BEHIND!
So the real question is not: “Do we lead or follow?” It’s: “What is our Innovation Model?" "Where do we lead… and where do we deliberately follow?” That’s a strategic choice.
Author: Anael Granoux | Strategy Advisor, Lecturer, Speaker