With the market becoming increasingly competitive, organizations are constantly under the pressure to innovate to meet the ever-changing customer demands. To manage this pressure, it is important for innovation leaders like yourself to develop an innovative mindset in the company. This is where innovation leadership training comes in. From building a forum for new ideas to improving core skills, training can help your team members reach their full potential.
Training programs can be a great way to build innovation leadership capacities in an organization. It provides your team members with the tools they need to identify and leverage new opportunities when they arise, making your organization more agile. To learn how to do so, here are 5 tips on how you can develop innovation leadership by training your team members.
How to Build Innovation Leadership through Training?
Developing innovation and leadership skills is not just about going to a conference, listening to a speaker for an hour, and then getting back to work. There is more than what meets the eye when it comes to developing these skills — and you cannot just expect them to come naturally.
Do you want your team members to be confident, creative problem-solvers with a willingness to take risks? It takes intentional effort and regular practice to hone these abilities so they become second nature. Let’s explore how you can make it happen!
1. Mentorship Programs
Business leaders understand the importance of collaboration. Mentorship programs are a great way for innovation managers to help foster that spirit. Networks of mentors can provide valuable advice and insight to their proteges, helping them learn from their own mistakes, and avoid making the same errors in the future.
A good mentor program aids employees feel more connected to the organization. It gives them a chance to ask questions, provide feedback, and work with other leaders to improve their skills and discover new avenues. These programs boost morale, encourage collaborative thinking, and provide valuable insight and advice for employees who are eager to make their mark on the organization. By mentoring junior employees, you give them the tools they need to succeed, and have a stronger team in the long run.
2. Rotating Team Members
If your company has been growing for a while, you will know how it can be difficult to track down the source of new ideas. New products and services often come from unexpected places and people. This means it can be hard to track and pin them down. For this reason, it is a good idea to assign a rotating team member responsible for monitoring and tracking innovation opportunities. Thus, everyone in the company will know who to approach if they have an idea to contribute. This will help you better organize the process of tracking down new innovation opportunities.
Dutch beer brewer Heineken leverages this idea to boost employee engagement. Its rotation program allows freshers to rotate through various departments like packaging, product development, brewing, quality assurance, and packaging. At the end of the program, employees have the option to select and join the department that suits their interests the best.
3. Digital Skills Training
As technology advances, new opportunities for innovation are emerging. This means people who want to innovate need to have a certain level of digital skill. If your employees have been with the company for a long time and have been in a non-digital field, it might be hard for them to make the transition to digital innovation. This is where digital skills training can help.
You can offer online courses that teach your employees the skills they need to transition to digital workflows. Hence, employees gradually shift into a more modern and relevant role in the company. For example, you can train them how to effectively use innovation scouting solutions like the one that we at StartUs Insights offer for identifying emerging technologies and leveraging them for the company’s benefit.
4. Everyday Innovation Practices
When it comes to innovation training, you cannot expect to do one training session and be done. You have to make innovation a part of your culture and everyday workflow. This way, people will not only understand innovation better but will be actively engaged in the process. For instance, when coming up with ideas for new products, try to involve everyone in your organization. Organize brainstorming sessions where anyone can contribute their ideas. As a result, people will be more engaged in the process and will take ownership of the ideas.
Track Innovation Leadership Training Progress
Beyond scheduling the right events and courses, you need to make sure your team members are benefiting from them. For example, you can consider using some key performance indicators (KPIs) to track their progress. Now, you tell us — are you conducting innovation leadership training within your team? How is it working out for you? Get in touch & let us know!
