Innovation is about bringing together individuals with diverse strengths who can push against each other and build something collaboratively that they never would’ve come up with on their own. Innovation happens when there is constructive conflict, or positive tension, within an organization-not total agreement.

In my own work strategizing innovation practices for some of the worlds biggest and best companies, I use the Innovation Genome to find this place of positive tension. The Innovation Genome is a creative map of organizational dynamics that tells us how competing talents and seemingly opposing worldviews can come together to promote growth. While innovation is often thought of as the domain of exceptional individuals only The Innovation Genome shows how anyone can engineer innovation.

I made this infographic in hopes that you will have a better understanding of how the Innovation Genomeworks and how anyone can apply its functionality to their own work. No matter the size of the organization, the Innovation Genomeis the proven integral map for innovation that anyone can use.

Jeff DeGraff is the Dean of Innovation: professor, author, speaker and advisor to hundreds of the top organizations in the world. You can learn more about his groundbreaking University of Michigan Certified Professional Innovator Certificate Program and Innovatrium Institute for Innovation at www.jeffdegraff.com/cpi and keynote speeches through BigSpeak Speakers Bureau.