The Insider's Guide to Innovation at Microsoft - by Dean Carignan & Joann Garbin (Hardcover)

Book Synopsis

In this unique guide, you're not just reading about innovation--you're learning how to do it from the people behind some of the biggest breakthroughs of the last 50 years at one of the most influential and valuable companies in the world.

Are there innovation truisms that hold from one initiative to the next? Are there strategies that appear again and again in the success stories of businesses as varied as gaming and cloud infrastructure? Are there behaviors common to creative leadership in every role, from research to sales? And if these patterns exist, could they be distilled into teachable practices? These are the questions Dean Carignan and JoAnn Garbin, two senior innovation leaders at Microsoft, set out to answer.

The Insider's Guide to Innovation at Microsoft reveals the patterns behind Microsoft's biggest wins and losses--from the Xbox revolution to the Windows Mobile miss and the unexpected rise of Bing in AI. Based on dozens of interviews only fellow "Microsofties" could secure, this book shares behind-the-scenes stories brimming with insights and proven practices that transcend time and technology.

Review Quotes

"The Insider's Guide to Innovation at Microsoft could easily be titled 'The Insider's Guide to Making Amazing Things Happen Anywhere.' It offers a rare, behind-the-scenes dissection of how one of the world's most successful companies activates the kind of entrepreneurial spirit and behavior needed to achieve transformative results."--Kaihan Krippendorff, Founder, Outthinker Networks and author of Driving Innovation from Within: a Guide for Internal Entrepreneurs

"[It's] not just a collection of success stories; it is a comprehensive guide to building an innovative culture that prioritizes both technological advancement and social good. Whether you are an entrepreneur, a C-suite member or a changemaker, this book will inspire you to integrate purpose into your innovation strategies and build a legacy of profitable positive impact."--Susan McPherson, Founder and CEO of McPherson Strategies, Author of The Lost Art of Connecting

"Given all the books written about innovation, you would think it was a solved problem. Far from it! What Carignan and Garbin's new book offers is a true insider's perspective from one of the most successful innovators of all time. They center their approach on the people--the innovators, the incumbents, the resistors, and all who comprise the village it takes to innovate... Don't deny yourself the joy of curling up with this one when contemplating your next big move."--Rita McGrath, Professor of Management at Columbia Business School and author of Seeing Around Corners: How to Spot Inflection Points in Business Before They Happen

"Microsoft has defied age and gravity, entering new businesses with the agility and ferocity of much younger competitors. How do they do it? The Insider's Guide takes you on a tour of what worked, what didn't, and most importantly what the company has learned along the way about innovation."--Safi Bahcall, author of the national bestseller Loonshots

"My time at Microsoft was marked by rapid transition: from Balmer to Satya, license to usage, disk to download, on-prem to online. But Microsoft has always been evolving, often in ways not seen by the public...until now. Carignan and Garbin have collected case studies from across Microsoft eras to open the curtain on what makes the world's most fundamental tech company so successful."--Matt Wallaert, MattWallaert.com, Founder at BeSci.io, Author of Start At The End: How to build products that create change

"Similar to the way Blue Ocean Shift guides the implementation of Blue Ocean Strategy, The Insider's Guide to Innovation at Microsoft unlocks the innovation playbook at the heart of Microsoft."--Renée Mauborgne, Professor of Strategy and Co-Director of the INSEAD Blue Ocean Strategy Institute, coauthor of Blue Ocean Strategy, Blue Ocean Shift and Beyond Disruption

"The gods must be crazy: I'm giving a blurb to a book about innovation at Microsoft. But this book provides a comprehensive look into the mechanisms and mindsets that have driven Microsoft's continuous reinvention and sustainability. By revealing insider strategies and first-hand insights, this guide equips readers with the tactics Microsoft has used to enhance its edge, influence, and market cap."--Guy Kawasaki, Chief evangelist of Canva, former chief evangelist of Apple, and host of the Remarkable People podcast

"This book delves into how Microsoft has transformed its entire value chain, from organizational structures to customer engagement strategies, to drive sustained innovation and create significant value. It is a compelling read for anyone looking to understand how to build a robust innovation strategy."--Gary P. Pisano, the Harry E. Figgie Jr. Professor of Business Administration at the Harvard Business School and author of Creative Construction: The DNA of Sustained Innovation

"This isn't just a book--it's your golden ticket to Microsoft's factory of creativity and constant learning. Full of case studies on how to innovate well, you'll need not just one, but two highlighters. If you're ready to dive into a world of self-disruption where innovation is as natural as breathing, come on in, the water's fine! Crisp, clear, captivating."--Whitney Johnson, bestselling author of Disrupt Yourself, CEO, Disruption Advisors, co-founder of Clayton Christensen's Disruptive Innovation Fund

About the Author

Dean Carignan's career spans international economic development, startup ventures, and strategic roles in technology. An alumnus of Georgetown University and INSEAD, he was a charter member of McKinsey & Company's advanced technology practice. During his 20 years at Microsoft, he has guided new businesses--including the early internet division, Xbox, and multiple AI efforts--through the critical growth phases to their first billion dollars in revenue. Most recently, Dean has focused on leading AI innovations within Microsoft Research and the Office of the Chief Scientist. His intrapreneurial spirit, deep institutional knowledge, and expansive internal network made the behind-the-scenes perspective of The Insider's Guide to Innovation at Microsoft possible.

JoAnn Garbin is a sustainability and technology entrepreneur with a 25-year track record of leading teams "from nothing to something to scale," creating numerous innovative products and profitable businesses. During her tenure as Director of Innovation in Microsoft's cloud business, she guided her team in developing billion-dollar opportunities, including the Regenerative Datacenter of the Future. In 2024, she founded Regenerous Labs, a collaboration committed to creating cross-sector transformations. JoAnn is an active alumnus of Villanova University, where she studied mechanical engineering and philosophy. Her fresh eyes and thought leadership were instrumental in driving novel insights into The Insider's Guide to Innovation at Microsoft.