Course Introduction

This Oxford Management Centre Innovation for Results training course is designed to provide leaders and mangers with the skills and insights they need to create a results-focused innovation culture for their teams, for their business units or for the entire organisation. In the 21^st century, the ability to innovate is not merely a ‘nice to have’, but an essential prerequisite for remaining relevant and competitive. Yet around half of all innovation efforts fail to add genuine value to the organisation, and the main cause usually lies with two underlying issues: either the innovation effort isn’t aligned with the goals and objectives of the business, or the execution fails to deliver against the required standards.

In this intense 5-day training course, leaders and managers will discover tools, techniques and approaches that will help them harness the immense power of creativity and innovativeness. They will learn how to drive powerful, game-changing solutions to business challenges, foster a culture of agility and problem-solving, and unlock the vast potential for creativity and innovation that resides within their employee base.

This Innovation for Results training course will highlight:

• What innovation and creativity really is – and why it is essential to remain relevant
• How to drive breakthrough-innovations for business results
• The innovation roadmap - from ideation to application
• Methods for unlocking the creative power that lies within your organisation
• How to tap into your own ‘Innovator’s DNA’

Objectives

At the end of this Innovation for Results training course, you will have learned how to:

• Generate the conditions that unlock your people’s creativity
• Apply leadership behaviours that lead to game-changing innovation
• Discover approaches for generating ideation and blue-sky thinking
• Learn problem-solving and decision-making techniques
• Drive a customer-centric approach to innovation

Training Methodology

This Innovation for Results training course utilises a blended learning approach, and it employs a variety of adult learning techniques such as action learning, group discussions, video case studies and self-reflection exercises. The resulting variety helps delegates to stay engaged throughout the training course, feel challenged and draw quick wins for their own development. It also ensures delegates will receive opportunities to link their learning to the real-world challenges they face back in the workplace

Organisational Impact

Organisations of those who attend this Innovation for Results training course will benefit in a number of ways:

• Increased competitiveness and ability to achieve results
• Leveraging innovation to drive business outcomes
• Ability to generate innovative, customer-centric solutions
• Higher staff engagement and productivity
• Managers and leaders who know how to unlock the innovative potential of your employees
• Increased potential for differentiation and unique positioning

Personal Impact

Attendees of this Innovation for Results training course will benefit in a variety of ways:

• Enhanced career prospects due to higher ability to create value for the organisation
• Successfully unlock innovation and creativity in your team
• Learn about ideation, solution-generation and solution-selling
• Discover approaches to solve problems and reach effective decisions
• Become a leader / manager who helps propel the organisation forward
• Begin to build your reputation as an innovative game-changer

Who Should Attend?

This Innovation for Results training course is suitable for a wide range of professionals but will greatly benefit:

• Managers and Leaders at all levels
• Client Relationship Managers
• Operational, Technical and Product Managers
• HR / L&D Managers
• Team, Functional and Divisional Leaders
• Individuals tasked with driving innovation

Course Outline

DAY 1:

Creating the Foundation for a Culture of Innovation

• What is innovation? What is creativity?
• Innovation and the modern organisation
• Leadership styles and their impact on innovation
• The Leader as Innovation Gatekeeper
• Leveraging diversity and multiple perspectives
• Managing Creative People
• Giving Effective Feedback

DAY 2:

Techniques for Unlocking Innovation and Creative Thinking

• Fostering Psychological Safety
• Ideation, Experimentation and Trial
• Techniques for getting to the root of the challenge
• Approaches for generating options and solutions
• Innovation and Decision Making
• Coaching as a tool to drive innovation

DAY 3:

Delivering Client-Centric Innovation

• The role of innovation in solving client problems
• Overcoming barriers to client-centric innovation
• Game-changers: how innovation drives organisational success
• Innovation Management
• Disruptive versus Incremental Innovation
• Viability, Practicality and Scalability

DAY 4:

Agile Innovation

• What is ‘agile’?
• Linear and sequential innovation
• Building agile innovation routines
• Sprints and Scrums
• Bringing the ‘Fall Forward Fast’ mantra to life
• The Systemic Loop
• Agile Innovation Evaluation

DAY 5:

Championing Innovation and Creativity

• Who needs to know?
• Overcoming top-down bureaucratic barriers to innovation
• Generating Buy-In and Selling Your Ideas
• Building Your Coalition
• Stakeholder Analysis
• Breaking Down Silos
• Course conclusion and next steps