Secure your innovation capability

Innovation and renewal are of critical importance for companies and other organizations in all sectors. This is true for both private and public organizations. However, many organizations are not satisfied with their innovation performance. Ad hoc and episodic efforts are not enough.

Typically, organizations underestimate what it takes to get innovation activities right. To deal with this challenge, they must seek proactive and systematic ways of working to innovate more effectively, boost innovation capabilities and to secure long-term relevance and even survival.

Innovation management professionals are emerging

A systems approach to innovation management can help to consider all the factors necessary to successfully drive innovation activities. Examples are a clear strategic direction, purposeful leadership, well-defined innovation processes, tools and methods, roles and responsibilities, attention to organizational culture, innovation skills, adaptable structures, and measurements for innovation performance. Taking a holistic view will increase the likelihood of reaching organizational and business goals and of realizing value for users, customers, partners, and citizens.

To address this challenge, a new multifaceted profession is taking shape. Innovation management professionals are responsible for, or actively contributing to, leading and organizing of innovation efforts and increased innovation capabilities in a company or any other organization.

This means creating the right conditions for innovation to happen – from incremental to radical. Responsibilities can include developing innovation strategies, setting up innovation processes, facilitating innovation initiatives, coaching innovators and teams, developing competences, driving culture, and facilitating partnerships and collaborations.

Towards a proactive and systematic way of working

Most managers agree that innovation activities are key to reach goals, today and in the future. As a decision-maker you can choose whether innovation efforts will be reactive and ad-hoc or proactive and systematic. If you choose the latter, you need people who can professionally manage the work. As a matter of fact, all companies and other organizations in Sweden need innovation management professionals!

The job is inspiring but also very demanding. There is a general lack of awareness about the new role and the job can be tough and sometimes lonely. Innovationsledarna, the Association for Innovation Management Professionals in Sweden, is bringing together new and experienced professionals that have this new job. The purpose is to develop the profession, establish the discipline in organizations, and to support the development of its members. Together we can make a bigger difference!