These days new jobs are occurring constantly. Due to the dynamic technology changes the people’s mind are having a difficult time embracing new positions, since they have proven method of work and the new and unfamiliar seems a little scary and risky.
However, whether we admit or not, the new jobs are here. One of the most recent job position is innovation consultant. When you hear/read the word consultant you unconsciously relate it to Deloitte’s, PwC’s or KMPG’s type of work. But the first word— innovation is something that can be confusing when you try to describe your work.
Inspired by recent events we decided to break down and explain what innovation consultancy really means and what do innovation consultants really do. Our main goal — we help organizations regain their inner entrepreneurial spirit. Every firm started thanks to an idea. The founder(s) had an idea about a product or service that offer unique value and differentially. Over time, as the business grows, the focus is put on keeping the existing business afloat and innovating is not considered as a priority. Our job here is to remind them that they were innovators once and they should keep innovating if they want their business to sustainably grow. We do this by creating a strategic mission about the importance and relevance of innovation and together with the executive team, we help them communicate this through the entire organization.
Second, we help them create a future orientation. This is the crucial turning point for organizations to take the leading position and define the needs of their potential customers and reach them before others do.
Just like William Gibson has said: “ The future is here, it’s just not widely distributed.”
In other words, with a little effort we can predict what will happen, how that will affect our products, services, customers, etc. Next, we can create products and services that will provide a chance to take the leader’s position on the market.
Third, we create a conduit for ideas. In many organizations, there’s a lack of sharing and generating ideas. But the problem aren’t the ideas, but their processing. Today, organizations have almost everything automated, which makes the process of ideas very difficult to implement. Many people just give up since they think there is no way to present new ideas and move them into commercialization. The role of innovation consultancy is to help the teams to find the great ideas that are “out there”.
Innovation consultants are storytellers. Since our young age we were told different stories to remember the important life lessons within the story. That’s why we decided to go with a story, since it’s easer to present the core values and insights about a certain product or service to the customers. Also, innovation consultants need to try to encourage the clients to balance requirements and expectations between day — to — day activities and innovating. We all know where the main revenue comes from, that’s why being innovative isn’t an easy task, every executive team needs to keep in mind both sides.
The challenges are fun and exciting. Of course, every job has its ups and downs, but the opportunities to meet new people, learn new things and constantly improve yourself are the key point when it comes to innovation consultancy.
