6 Things to Consider When Looking for an Innovation Partner
If you haven’t worked with an innovation agency yet, the idea of what we do can be a little confusing. Even some of my friends and family still don’t understand exactly what I do! Some think we run focus groups (we do that too, but it’s not our main mission). In a nutshell, an innovation agency leads teams through a process that gets them to think more creatively, helps teams identify meaningful challenges to solve, and helps teams come up with unique and compelling solutions.
Every team is different, but based on our experience and what we’ve heard from clients, there are 6 things you should think about when looking for an innovation partner.
1. A partner who will challenge you, not just say yes to everything you say.
While it’s always nice to be agreed with, you’re not paying an agency to just agree with you. You’re paying them to think independently and remain objective. On the other hand, you don’t want people who will just argue with you for argument’s sake. It’s about listening, processing, and bringing up things that might be in your blind-spot, or making sure you are not just working to confirm what you already think and that you are considering alternatives that might lead to better solutions. While we avoid the “yes, but,” we are not “yes men (or yes women, or yes people).”
2. A partner who will teach you something.
You know the saying, give a person a fish and they’ll eat for a day, teach them how to fish and they’ll eat forever. In addition to doing the work, and getting the output you are looking for, an agency should demonstrate and teach you the tools and techniques you need to continue thinking innovatively after your engagement has ended. This learning can be specific and formal. For example, we teach all of our clients Forness® mindset, a mindset for creativity that combats Negativity Bias. Or, this learning can be informal. For example, we lead teams through a variety of creative exercises to stretch thinking during ideation. As we do this, we provide step-by-step instructions on how to use stimulus to generate ideas. Practicing the techniques we show our clients sticks with them, and they are able to use some of the activities later on in their other workstreams. So, whether it’s direct or indirect learning, you should leave with something you can use in your other innovation efforts.
3. A partner who is flexible and can think on their feet.
Working in innovation can be hectic. Objectives from within the organization can change on a dime, new external information can come to light, and even “ahas” and lightbulbs can affect the direction a team wants to head. It’s important to know that you are working with partners who can flex with you and won’t get frazzled doing it. I once set up a project that was all about nutrition for babies and young toddlers and during the morning of the first day, the team decided that it could actually be for kids up to age 18. We had the walls plastered with pictures of babies. We flexed, adjusted the plan and got the team what they realized they wanted. The key is to be the type of partner who is not wed to the plan and understands that it’s more important to get the team what they need than it is to execute everything you already had planned out.
4. A partner who will give you room to think.
There’s a lot of brain power that goes into innovation. You have to process new information, utilize stimuli, draw from existing knowledge, and navigate team dynamics. We are of the belief that separating process from content gives teams the room to breathe and focus in on the information, ideas and concepts that come out of an innovation project. A partner that handles every bit of the process and does the heavy lifting can give you that permission to focus on the topic 100%, which drives engagement, opens up space in the brain, and leads to more innovative thinking.
5. A partner who will help you stretch further than what you would on your own.
It’s important to stretch beyond your comfort zone when working in innovation. That’s easier said than done. It can be so hard to force yourself to let go and allow crazy ideas to emerge. Crazy ideas can be scary, but not if you acknowledge they are just stimuli to get you to your final output. In other words, saying a crazy idea out loud does not mean you are launching it. Instead, it will help you think of something new to consider. Having an agency to guide you and push you in new directions is key to eventually landing on great new ideas to pursue. And, if you allow them to challenge you, you’ll be more likely to reach uncharted territory.
6. A partner who will keep it fun and energetic.
On the surface, this may not seem to be the most important factor in choosing an agency, however, these workshops are long! It’s super important to ensure everyone is fully engaged and having a good time so they can reach their creative potential during the sessions. Some factors that can have a positive impact on energy are the choice of venue, mixing up partners and groups throughout the day, ensuring we aren’t sitting for hours on end, and even having great food and snacks! Active engagement is what you should strive for, and the energy of the group can make all the difference.
Whether you do a lot of work in innovation or a little, finding the right agency can make things go a lot smoother and have a great impact. Hopefully these 6 factors will help you find the right partner for your journey.