Holmes Is Not Our Man.

Which fictional detective is the true innovator?

Sherlock Holmes is an easy analogy to lean into when we discuss innovation. A problem is discovered, all the clues are there waiting to be assembled, step by logical step, into a coherent story. Once you arrive with ease at an explanation, your solution will fit perfectly with the facts.

An elegant solution will, in hindsight, be an obvious solution. All that is required is the right mind to gather the facts and put the puzzle together. My name is Innovator, and it is my business to know what other people don’t know.

However, I’ve changed my mind about which fictional detective we should imitate should we ever hope to innovate.

But before I offer an alternative, Holmes may yet offer us some clues on how we should behave should we wish to solve difficult problems with clever ideas.

We might wish to imitate Holmes, and yet Holmes and his imitators are not particularly agreeable characters. To accompany his fearless intelligence, Holmes is described as an eccentric, compulsive, single minded obsessive. Holmes is portrayed as arrogant and will exhibit derision to those who don’t possess his skill.

He may rebuff praise, but his willingness to allow the police to take credit for his work may simply be an…