Jeff DeGraff

The Dean of Innovation

For four decades, Jeff DeGraff has built a comprehensive School of Thought that transforms how organizations approach innovation—through the Competing Values Framework, systematic methodologies, paradox-based change practices, and co-creating innovation systems with Fortune 500 companies, military institutions, NATO partners, and mission-driven organizations worldwide.

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Four Decades of Innovation Thinking

Jeff DeGraff is the Dean of Innovation and one of the world’s leading authorities on organizational innovation and transformational change. He created a complete intellectual architecture built on one revolutionary insight: innovation emerges from the productive tension between competing values, not from choosing one approach over others.

The Competing Values Framework

Collaborate

Sustainable innovation through community and shared success

Create

Breakthrough innovation through experimentation and radical thinking

Control

Operational excellence through systematic process and efficiency

Compete

Speed to market and competitive advantage through agility

Co-created with Robert Quinn, Kim Cameron, and John Rohrbaugh, this framework forms the foundation of Jeff’s entire School of Thought—recognizing that organizations must master all four competing practices simultaneously to achieve sustained innovation.

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Three Dimensions of Innovation

Jeff’s work spans influence, ideas, and living practice—each dimension reinforcing and validating the others.

Influence

How Jeff’s frameworks have shaped global innovation thinking—from co-creating the Competing Values Framework to teaching thousands at Ross School of Business, advising Fortune 500 companies, transforming military innovation across NATO and allied forces, and reaching millions through PBS, NPR, and thought leadership.

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Ideas

The intellectual architecture that makes innovation systematic—including the Innovation Genome™, Innovation Code™, Paradox Cycle, role-based typologies (Artist, Engineer, Athlete, Sage), and essential concepts like ambidextrous organizations, innovation catalysts, and Creativize™.

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Living Laboratory

Where theory meets practice—the Innovatrium Institute and real-world testing across technology giants (Google, Apple, Microsoft), healthcare systems, aerospace (NASA), financial services, consumer brands (Coca-Cola), military forces in 45+ countries, and emerging research areas that continuously refine innovation frameworks.

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The Pracademic Approach

Jeff uses the term “pracademic” to describe his unique methodology—combining scholarly rigor with hands-on building. As Clinical Professor at Ross School of Business since 1990, he’s taught thousands of MBAs, BBAs, and executives while simultaneously working with over half the Fortune 500 as real-world laboratories for innovation.

This dual practice means his frameworks aren’t purely theoretical—they’re tested daily across Google, Pfizer, NASA, NATO forces, and countless other organizations. His living laboratory approach treats every engagement as an experiment, continuously refining the Innovation Code™ and Innovation Genome™ methodologies through actual application.

Democratizing Innovation for Everyone

Through books, PBS programming, NPR segments, and the Certified Professional Innovator Program, Jeff has democratized systematic innovation—making it accessible to everyone, everywhere, every day. His mission isn’t to keep innovation frameworks in the ivory tower, but to put practical tools in the hands of anyone ready to create meaningful change.

Core Philosophy

The School of Thought rests on three revolutionary concepts that challenge conventional wisdom about innovation:

1. Innovation is a learnable skill, not a gift

Through the Innovation Code™, anyone can develop systematic innovation capabilities. It’s a discipline like finance or operations—structured, teachable, and measurable.

2. Constructive Conflict™, not harmony, drives breakthrough innovation

The Competing Values Framework shows that innovation emerges from productive tension between opposing perspectives—Create vs. Control, Compete vs. Collaborate. Organizations must orchestrate these conflicts into hybrid solutions.

3. Transformational change emerges from embracing paradox

Rather than resolving contradictions, the Paradox Cycle framework teaches organizations to hold opposing truths simultaneously—creating ambidextrous organizations that exploit existing capabilities while exploring new opportunities.

Recognition & Reach

Academic Impact

Clinical Professor at Ross School since 1990
Created first university innovation certificate
Taught thousands of undergraduate, graduate, and executive students

Corporate & Defense

Over half the Fortune 500
U.S. Air Force, Space Force, NATO
Sikorski Medal for defense innovation (2024)

Media Presence

PBS “Innovation You” host
NPR “The Next Idea” host
Original LinkedIn Influencer (2007)

Learn more about Jeff’s global influence and how his frameworks have transformed innovation thinking across industries and institutions.

Companies Jeff has Worked With

Testimonials of Jeff’s Work

Jeff was a HUGE success at our meeting! He definitely hit a home run with our attendees and many of his talking points (including the ‘4 colors’) were referenced throughout the entire weekend. Jeff certainly set the stage for our most successful Matrix Leadership Meeting to date.

Suzanne Ziemnik, M.ED.Company VP, Education and Assessment, American Society for Clinical Pathology

Simply put, Jeff DeGraff’s methods work! In working with Jeff and his framework to transform various aspects of our business model, it became increasingly clear that he was also subtly transforming me and my team. It’s clear that the step by step process he’s used to transform business, can likewise, be unleashed to re-shape an d transform the individual.

ExecutivesPfizer, Inc.

Innovation is a skill, not a gift. It can be routinized like any other business imperative such as productivity, leadership, or quality. DeGraff shows you the way.

Drew BoydDirector, Johnson & Johnson

Jeff’s presentation was far and away one of the best that I saw last week. Our team debriefed for quite some time on it and are reviewing how we can implement some of the suggestions.

ExecutivesValassis

I could not be any more pleased with how well it went over and I know my team feels the same way. It truly was a very valuable experience for everyone.

Robert D. BarberCEO, Environmental Data Resources, Inc.

Jeff is not only the best in the field of unleashing innovation, he also has a heart of helpfulness. He just brought the house down at the Air Force Association’s Innovation Symposium, and now he is offering his amazing skills by helping the USAF set up its Innovation Education effort. Jeff, Staney, you guys are the best, and a grateful Air Force thanks you!

Col. Johnny BarnesAir Education and Training Command and Air University Liason to the National Capital Region

Jeff has provided marketing professionals across General Electric with a collaborative, measurable process that leverages existing creativity.

Beth ComstockSVP & CMO, General Electric

Jeff DeGraff has a unique ability to combine entertaining and thought-provoking material into a truly enjoyable evening of learning and growth! We can’t wait to use him again in one of our corporate programs.

David DaughertyVP of Talent Management, Plastipak Packaging

We got TONS of great feedback on Jeff, his presentation and his work. The presentation was high energy and simple, yet insightful. The model presented was very helpful in providing a common language to help categorize, discuss, and – most importantly – create choiceful decisions as to where and how to innovate

ExecutivesAshland, Inc.

We received very positive feedback… folks wanted more. I think that Jeff has put us on the right track. Looking forward to seeing these proof of concepts come to life.

Wendy RaceGeneral Electric Company, GE Infra, Energy

Explore The Complete School of Thought

Dive deeper into the frameworks, methodologies, and real-world applications that make up Jeff’s comprehensive approach to innovation.

About Jeff DeGraff

Jeff DeGraff is the Dean of Innovation and one of the world's leading authorities on organizational innovation and transformational change. As Clinical Professor of Management and Organizations at the University of Michigan's Ross School of Business since 1990, DeGraff has established a comprehensive school of thought around systematic innovation development that bridges academic rigor with practical application across business, government, and mission-driven sectors. DeGraff co-created the Competing Values Framework alongside Robert Quinn, John Rohrbaugh, and Kim Cameron—one of the most widely used organizational effectiveness models globally. Building on this foundation, he developed the Innovation Genome and Innovation Code methodologies, which extend the framework into innovation contexts and provide organizations with practical tools to reconcile competing priorities and drive breakthrough performance. His intellectual architecture centers on three revolutionary concepts: first, that innovation is a learnable skill, not a gift—a discipline that can be systematized like any business imperative; second, that constructive conflict, not harmony, drives breakthrough innovation by orchestrating opposing perspectives into hybrid solutions; and third, that transformational change emerges from embracing paradox rather than eliminating it. Through his trilogy of books—The Innovation Code, The Creative Mindset, and The Art of Change—DeGraff has codified a complete philosophy of paradox-based organizational transformation. DeGraff's career uniquely combines corporate leadership and academic excellence. After earning his PhD at age 25, he served as Vice President of Communications and New Ventures at Domino's Pizza (1985-1990), where he applied emerging organizational theories to help scale the company from $50 million to $2 billion—earning him the nickname Dean of Innovation. This experience of building things, not just theorizing about them, has defined his approach as a pracademic who teaches innovation through action learning in unconventional spaces like museums and innovation laboratories. As founder of the Innovatrium Institute for Innovation, DeGraff created a living laboratory where organizations experiment with innovation culture, capability, and community. The Innovatrium operates as the practical manifestation of his school of thought—a physical space where diverse perspectives clash productively to generate new solutions. Through this work with over half the Fortune 500, including Google, Apple, Coca-Cola, Pfizer, NASA, and Microsoft, DeGraff has refined frameworks that help organizations build sustainable innovation ecosystems. Guided by his mission to democratize innovation, DeGraff founded the Intellectual Edge Alliance (IEA), a nonprofit consortium of research universities and technology companies working with the U.S. Military, NATO, and allied forces in 45 countries. Through the IEA, he makes innovation tools and practices accessible to leaders tackling critical societal challenges in defense, government, and education—proving that innovation methodologies transcend sector boundaries. DeGraff's influence extends through multiple channels: as creator of the University of Michigan's Certified Professional Innovator Program, the first university innovation certificate of its kind; as host of PBS's Innovation You and NPR's The Next Idea; and as a prolific contributor to Inc., Fortune, Psychology Today, and Big Think. His speaking engagements span from TED to the Pentagon, and his advisory work includes the U.S. Air Force Chief of Staff, Cabinet departments, and high-ranking military leaders across democratic nations. Through four decades of teaching, consulting, writing, and building innovation infrastructure, DeGraff has established himself as the preeminent voice on systematic innovation development and paradox-based organizational change. His school of thought transforms how organizations approach innovation—not as spontaneous creativity or rigid process, but as the disciplined orchestration of diverse perspectives, constructive tension, and the courageous embrace of organizational paradox to generate breakthrough value.

Title: Clinical Professor of Management and Organizations

Organization: Ross School of Business, University of Michigan

Birthplace: Kalamazoo, Michigan, United States

Jeff DeGraff: Employment History

Title	Employer	Period	Description
Vice President of Communications and New Ventures	Domino's Pizza Distribution Corp.	1985-01-01 — 1990-12-31	Directed strategic communications and internal innovation initiatives during Domino's period of explosive growth from $50 million to $2 billion. Earned the informal title 'Dean of Innovation' for pioneering scalable creativity practices and leadership development models. Applied emerging organizational theories to help scale the company.
Clinical Professor of Management and Organizations	Ross School of Business, University of Michigan	1990-01-01	Teaching Managing Creativity (MO 745), Leading Change (MO 603), Creativity at Work (MO463), and other innovation courses to MBAs, executives, and undergraduates. Developed flagship programs including the first BBA capstone course. Established comprehensive school of thought around systematic innovation development. Created University of Michigan's Certified Professional Innovator Program, the first university innovation certificate of its kind.
Founder	Competing Values, LLC	1990-01-01	Launched consulting firm applying academic models to real-world innovation challenges in Fortune 500 firms, healthcare systems, and government. Works with over half the Fortune 500 including Google, Apple, Coca-Cola, Pfizer, NASA, and Microsoft to build sustainable innovation ecosystems.
Founder	Innovatrium Institute for Innovation	2004-01-01	Created joint venture with Haworth: a physical and intellectual innovation lab near Ross School of Business. Living laboratory where organizations experiment with innovation culture, capability, and community. Practical manifestation of DeGraff's school of thought—a physical space where diverse perspectives clash productively to generate new solutions.
Founder	Intellectual Edge Alliance	2015-01-01	Founded nonprofit consortium of research universities and technology companies working with the U.S. Military, NATO, and allied forces in 45 countries. Makes innovation tools and practices accessible to leaders tackling critical societal challenges in defense, government, and education. Developed programs including Project Mercury, AIM HI, and other innovation frameworks for military and defense applications.
Visiting Professor	Helsinki Graduate School of Economics (now Aalto University)	1994-01-01 — 1995-12-31	Taught innovation leadership and organizational change. Introduced the Competing Values Framework to European academic circles.
Advisor to Apple Computer	Apple Computer	1987-01-01 — 1987-12-31	Served as advisor on Applied Integrated Systems, an early multimedia education initiative and precursor to iTunes. Helped shape the fusion of technology, learning, and design thinking in the emerging digital age.

Jeff DeGraff: Education

Institution	Degree	Field of Study	Year
Western Michigan University	B.S.	Communication Arts and Sciences	1980
University of Michigan	M.A.	Communication Studies	1982
University of Wisconsin–Madison	Ph.D.	Educational Technology	1985

Jeff DeGraff: Awards & Honors

Award	Issuer	Year	Description	Source
Władysław Eugeniusz Sikorski Medal	Polish Armed Forces	2024	Awarded by the Polish Armed Forces for contributions to defense innovation leadership and allied collaboration.
Original LinkedIn Influencer	LinkedIn	2007	Selected as one of the first 100 global thought leaders on LinkedIn platform.

Jeff DeGraff: Affiliations

Organization	Type	Period
Research Institute of Management Innovation at Kinki University	researcher
Order of Angel (Student Club)	researcher
Design + Business Club (Student Club)	researcher
Human Capital Club (Student Club)	researcher
M-Powered (Student Club)	researcher
United States Air Force	researcher
United States Space Force	researcher
NATO	researcher
Joint Chiefs of Staff	researcher
Republic of Singapore Armed Forces	researcher
Apple Inc.	researcher
Alice Lloyd Scholars Program, University of Michigan	affiliated	1982-01-01 — 1985-12-31
Aspen Institute	fellow	1993-01-01 — 1993-12-31
CSC Index Vanguard Group	affiliated	1994-01-01 — 1995-12-31
Board of Advisors, UM School of Library & Information Science	researcher	1991-01-01
University of Michigan President's Office	collaborator	1992-01-01 — 1992-12-31
NYU Medical Center Dean's Office	collaborator	1995-01-01 — 1995-12-31
Federal Reserve Bank	collaborator	2003-01-01 — 2003-12-31
American Medical Association	collaborator	2007-01-01 — 2007-12-31
U.S. Air Force / AFWERX	collaborator	2008-01-01
Multidisciplinary Action Projects (MAP), Ross School of Business	affiliated	1991-01-01

Jeff DeGraff: Memberships

Organization	Role	Period	Source
University of Michigan Office of Research Advisory Committee	Member
BigSpeak Speaker's Bureau	Keynote Speaker

Jeff DeGraff: External Profiles

Platform	URL	Bio
Wikidata	https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q6173694
Wikipedia	https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jeff_DeGraff
LinkedIn	https://www.linkedin.com/in/degraffjeff/
Twitter/X	https://x.com/JeffDeGraff
Facebook	https://www.facebook.com/deanofinnovation
YouTube	https://www.youtube.com/user/JeffDeGraff1
Quora	https://www.quora.com/profile/Jeff-DeGraff-3
Virtual International Authority File	https://viaf.org/en/viaf/21283069
Czech National Authority Database	https://aleph.nkp.cz/F/?func=find-c&local_base=aut&ccl_term=ica=vse20231204393&CON_LNG=ENG
National Library of Israel	https://www.nli.org.il/en/authorities/987007321542105171
Yale University Library	https://lux.collections.yale.edu/view/person/c3593a49-5664-4f94-b799-1a8730c9c9da
Amazon Author	https://www.amazon.com/stores/Jeff-DeGraff/author/B001IOBFO2
Google Books	https://www.google.com/search?tbo=p&tbm=bks&q=inauthor:%22Jeff+DeGraff%22
BigSpeak Speakers Bureau	https://www.bigspeak.com/speakers/jeff-degraff/
Fortune Magazine	https://fortune.com/author/jeff-degraff/
Inc. Magazine	https://www.inc.com/author/jeff-degraff
WSB Speakers	https://www.wsb.com/speakers/jeff-degraff/
Premier Speakers	https://premierespeakers.com/speakers/jeff-degraff
crunchbase	https://www.crunchbase.com/person/jeff-degraff
Amazon Author 2	https://www.amazon.com/stores/Jeff-DeGraff/author/B001IOBFO2?isDramIntegrated=true&shoppingPortalEnabled=true&ccs_id=13fca77a-98f7-4e3b-96f5-87f975f43add
Muck Rack 3	https://muckrack.com/jeff-degraff-ph-d/articles
Muck Rack Main	https://muckrack.com/jeff-degraff
Muck Rack 2	https://muckrack.com/jeff-degraff-phd/articles
Psychology Today	https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/contributors/jeff-degraff-phd
Michigan Public Radio	https://www.michiganpublic.org/people/jeff-degraff
Big Think	https://bigthink.com/people/jeff-degraff/
Faculty Focus	https://www.facultyfocus.com/author/ff-jeffdegraff/
West Point Academy	https://mwi.westpoint.edu/author/jeff-degraff/
Life Hack Website	https://www.lifehack.org/author/jeff-degraff
Salon	https://www.salon.com/writer/jeff_degraff
Grokipedia	https://grokipedia.com/page/jeff_degraff

Jeff DeGraff: Media Gallery

Profile ImagePhoto: Big House Enterprise

Photo of Jeff DeGraff speaking at Singapore University of Technology and DesignPhoto: Big House Enterprise

Photo of Jeff DeGraff coaching sessionPhoto: Big House Enterprise

Photo of Jeff DeGraff Innovation You television program innovation nesting doll illustrationPhoto: Big House Enterprise

Photo: Big House Enterprise

Environmental photo of Jeff DeGraff the Dean of Innovation speaking at a United States Air Force eventPhoto: Big House Enterprise

Photo of Jeff DeGraff speaking at Singapore University of Technology and DesignPhoto: Big House Enterprise

Photo: Big House Enterprise

Photo of Jeff DeGraff the Dean of Innovation engaging with BBA, MBA, and executive studentsPhoto: Big House Enterprise

Photo of Jeff DeGraff speaking at Singapore University of Technology and DesignPhoto: Big House Enterprise