CR024: How LEGO rewrote the rules of innovation and conquered with David Robertson, MIT & Author

LEGO is one of the world's best-loved and most familiar brands, adored by generations of children (and podcast hosts and listeners).  What is less well known, perhaps, is its journey over the last 20 years which has required significant innovation.  Granted unprecedented access to every part of the LEGO Group, David Robertson, for his book 'Brick by Brick', not only charted each twist in the company's story but analyses the nature of the challenges and how they were overcome.  The lessons he distills from such an epic journey can be used to inform leadership decision making, digital transformations and innovation strategies today.

Dave, Sjoukje & Rob talk with David (MIT Sloane School of Management & Horton School at University of Pennsylvania & author of 'Enterprise Architecture as Strategy', 'Brick by Brick' and 'The Power of Little Ideas') about his work with LEGO and how his findings helps drive and govern innovation.  How do you think not only "outside the box" but also "around the box" and how does the Business Model Canvas help with categorising and organising around innovation?  We begin and end the conversation with the advantages and disadvantages of using Enterprise Architecture...

TLDR:
00:45 Intros
02:03 Cloud conversation with David Robertson
37:00 Is there a role of Enterprise Architecture in an Agile world?
45:16 New book looking at the next phase of the LEGO journey!

Further reading:
Enterprise Architecture as Strategy: https://amzn.eu/d/68ezC9w
Brick by Brick: https://amzn.eu/d/3q3IsiX
Power of Little Ideas: https://amzn.eu/d/69Zq7Uq

Guest
David Robertson:  https://www.linkedin.com/in/davidchrobertson/

Hosts

Dave Chapman: https://www.linkedin.com/in/chapmandr/

Sjouke Zaal: https://www.linkedin.com/in/sjoukjezaal/

Rob Kernahan: https://www.linkedin.com/in/rob-kernahan/

Production
Marcel Van Der Burg: https://www.linkedin.com/in/marcel-van-der-burg-99a655/
Dave Chapman: https://www.linkedin.com/in/chapmandr/

Sound
Ben Corbett: https://www.linkedin.com/in/ben-corbett-3b6a11135/