A Brand of Innovation the meaning and versatility of a brand promise. Soliciting feedback does not mean sur- rendering a unique point of view but offers clues on effective next steps--whether they take a project in a new direction or improve support for staying on course. It puts current reasoning to the test and generates stronger arguments going forward. 33 Leading Although contemporary innovators should understand their limits in determining the fate of brands, they have not lost their ability to shape opinion. I think it is a mistake to con- fuse the need to listen with abdication. Managers still have the power to make informed judgements. They still have the means to influence people to see things they would not otherwise see. However, like all opinion-leaders, they need to plant ideas for growth. They need to have a vision and be savvy about how to establish and adapt it through feedback. A final thought on promising A promise is a tricky thing. When does a promisor have the right to break or revise one? When promisees say it is okay? If we take the metaphor of a promise seriously in brand- ing, this is what liaising, listening, and leading would aim for. There is another view that promisors can change their mind because the promise was temporary, dynamic, and elastic. Maybe this is where more brands are headed? Innovation becomes less of a project and more of a process. Companies and customers might agree on a `constant beta version' mindset. Change comes as no surprise, and customers grant