There is just nothing more important for innovation success than a hot project.

No matter how great your ambition, how deep and sincere the top management support, how motivated the team, individual projects are ultimately where the innovation rubber meets the road.

If you're confident that you have one or two sure fire winners in the pipeline, support 'em. Pour fuel on the fire. But if you sense that the ideas are ordinary, that the teams aren't really pumped up, or that everyone is just going through the motions, watch out- you're in trouble.