At the start of the movie Skyfall, James Bond meets his new quartermaster in the National Portrait Gallery in London for an exchange of gadgetry and pleasantries. The casting choice of Q—portrayed by Ben Whishaw—was a departure from previous Bond adaptations. Both the character and actor were considerably younger than the titular protagonist of Ian Fleming’s novels.
The screenwriters zeroed in on the age difference and produced a moment of on-screen brilliance between Bond and Q. As they gaze at J.M.W. Turner’s iconic oil painting, Bond starts questioning the boyish quartermaster’s competence. Q, unfazed by the criticism, dryly quips: “Age is no guarantee of efficiency.” To which Bond responds in kind, “And youth is no guarantee of innovation.”
Organizations in pursuit of innovation and efficiency can learn a lot from this playful banter. It raises the questions, does age matter? Does being young give you an innovation advantage? And, is there a positive correlation between organizational longevity and efficiency?
The stereotypes surrounding youth and innovation
Before we can answer these questions, we need to delve deeper into Bond and Q’s exchange. Their one-liners are laden with cultural baggage as old as humankind itself, reflecting the classic tropes of the wise elder and the enterprising youth. Yet, Bond and Q are inverting these stereotypes. Both suggest that neither the young nor the old can claim an inherent monopoly on innovation or efficiency.
At the organizational level, this implies that an established institution rich with legacy can be every bit as innovative as a young startup intent on disruption. Conversely, new entrants can also be as efficient—if not more so—than longtime industry incumbents.
If the ensuing friendship between Bond and Q is any indication, abandoning the idea that only the young can be innovative opens the door for new and exciting business opportunities for those who’ve been around for a while, those who’ve only recently begun to make their mark, and everyone in between.
Let’s examine one opportunity in more detail: strategy development. Organizations of all types and ages routinely make one or several critical mistakes when launching their strategy process.
