Book excerpt: A framework for achieving superior rates of organic growth Achieving superior growth through innovation is a top strategic priority for all companies. Yet most management teams struggle to reach their firm's ambitious growth targets and suffer slow growth. What distinguishes these growth laggards from growth leaders like IBM, Nike, LEGO, American Express, Amazon, and Samsung that realize their full potential for growth? Wharton professor George S. Day shows that growth leaders use their innovation prowess to accelerate their growth at a faster rate. In this essential guide, Day reveals how to build this prowess by combining discipline in growth-seeking activities with an organizational ability to innovate. Day shows managers how to set a growth strategy that is realistic while still stretching the organization; search for the best growth opportunities along the full spectrum of 14 growth pathways; aim their growth-seeking activities toward the creation of new customer value; learn to profit from the uncertainty of innovation by successfully assessing and containing risk; build the organizational muscle to implement an ambitious growth strategy; and move faster from ideas to impact. With the strategies, processes, and methods discussed in Innovation Prowess, leaders can build a tested and comprehensive strategy for driving organic growth year after year. The Wharton Executive Essentials Series The Wharton Executive Essentials series from Wharton Digital Press brings the ideas of the Wharton School's thought leaders to you wherever you are. Inspired by Wharton's Executive Education program, each book is authored by globally renowned faculty and offers a quick-reading, penetrating, and comprehensive summary of the knowledge leaders need to excel in today's competitive business environment and capture tomorrow's opportunities.