Imagine being the best Innovation Manager in 2024, here's what I should do:
1. 🏦 Learn about finance. I know it's controversial, but in the long run, having basic knowledge about finance will help you have better conversations with your board and management. In the end, innovation should also drive financial results.
2. 📄 Create a solid innovation strategy (if you don't have one). It should clarify
- Why you innovate
- The domains you will focus on
- How you will capture the value of your innovations
- A clear governance system so people judge the innovations based on your strategy and facts instead of risk-averse opinions.
3. 🖥️ Don't hop on every new technology trend that will evolve in 2024. Focus on your strategy; that will cost you enough energy and resources already 😉
4. 📝 Controversial to what I wrote - start experimenting with AI in your daily tasks. I'm still surprised by how it helps me in my day-to-day tasks.
5. ⚙️ Start building two to three habits.
My suggestions:
- Talk to 3 to 5 potential customers every week. This is a goldmine for everything you do.
- Do a deep dive into successful companies every month (this will help you to learn all the mechanics that made them successful
- Read 30 minutes a day (If you want book suggestions, feel free to DM me)
- Start writing every week. It helps to clarify and communicate your thoughts better.
6. 💰 Don't be too keen to accept big innovation budgets; stay lean and prove small (commercial) successes first. The rest will come later.
Innovation is not about luck.
A good process, proper stakeholder management and getting to the radical truth will get you miles ahead of the others.
Have an innovative 2024 🎇
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Don't create unicorns,
Let's breed blue whales.
🐋
