Approach the Lion: Why Real Innovation Means Leaving the Safari Van

Too many companies treat innovation like a safari tour—they hop in the van, drive through a landscape of new ideas, and observe the latest trends from a safe distance. They watch AI, blockchain, and other disruptive technologies in action. They admire what startups are doing. They take notes.

But they never get out of the van.

The Illusion of Participation

In a real safari, you might see a lion up close, but you’re still just a spectator. You don’t interact. You don’t shape the environment. You don’t change anything.

The same happens in business. Companies:

✔ Attend innovation conferences but don’t apply what they learn.

✔ Launch internal labs that showcase ideas but never implement them.

✔ Run pilot projects with no intention of scaling.

✔ Talk about "disruption" while protecting the status quo.

It feels like innovation. It looks like innovation. But it’s just Innovation Safari—an illusion of progress without real impact.

Why Watching Isn’t Enough

A global retail brand once asked me for help with their "innovation strategy." They had visited Silicon Valley, toured top tech companies, and spoken with cutting-edge startups. Their executives were inspired.

But when they were asked what specific business problem they were solving, they had no answer. They had collected ideas, but they had no plan to act on them. They were tourists, not participants.

How to Get Out of the Van and Into the Wild

1. Stop Observing, Start Experimenting: Don’t just learn about AI—apply it to a real customer problem. Don’t just study agile teams—redesign your own team structure.

2. Tie Innovation to Business Impact: If an initiative isn’t solving a clear problem, it’s just entertainment.

3. Embrace Discomfort: Real innovation means risk. It means uncertainty. If everything feels safe, you’re still in the van.

4. Measure Success Differently: Safari innovation measures “number of ideas.” Real innovation measures revenue impact, efficiency gains, and customer satisfaction.

The Bottom Line

You don’t create change by watching from a distance. The companies that lead don’t just take safari tours of innovation—they step out, engage, and change the landscape.

Are you ready to stop being a tourist and start shaping the future? Let’s talk.