I am awash in reading about innovation.  I’ve presented synopses of great books on innovation.  I’ve thought about it, tried to get better at it (not enough), and am fully persuaded that the future belongs to those who innovate well.

But…  “I’m an innovator” does not mean that it is time to ignore/jettison the tried and true practices that have always mattered.

Like – don’t forget respect, and remember to always be polite.

Buried in one of the stories in All The Devils Are Here, about a man who rose to the top, is a great one sentence reminder of what helped him get there.  The story is about David Maxwell, who served as chief executive of Fannie Mae.  Here is the sentence:

Maxwell was gracious and charming – the sort of man who sent handwritten notes, opened his office door to all his employees, and took boxes of books with him to read on vacation – but he was also incredibly tough, with blue eyes that could turn steely cold.  He did not tolerate mediocrity.

He did much right, but, yes, he did not do other things as well.  But, it’s the first part of that sentence that grabbed me:  “gracious; charming; handwritten notes; boxes of books.”

Getting the basics right.  In your rush to innovate, don’t forget to pay attention to the basics.