Building A Culture Of Innovation

How to get everyone thinking outside the box 🧠🧠

Hiya Innovator 😎😎

Aaahh, the weekend!

A time to relax, unwind and bring back all the vibes…..

Happy Saturday to you and yours! 🥰🥰

Ok, strap in! Things are about to get a little bit serious around here…

In today's ever-evolving tech world, being innovative is no longer a nice-to-have, it's part of the survival toolkit of any organisation 💪💪

Different companies have different names for it: Self-starter, Independent thinking, Ideation process, Brainstorming, Thinking outside the box….. on and on…

The idea is to make room for and have access to a constant stream of fresh perspectives that reflect and tend to the needs of your various product users. Doing this basically gets everyone in the company involved, but in reality, the opposite usually happens 😢😢

There are several reasons why this happens, but today, the spotlight is on how to make innovation a part of your company’s culture ⬇️⬇️

1. Leave The Door Open: This can apply literally and figuratively.

   On the literal end, there are stats that prove that an open-floor office plan helps to improve employer-employee relationships, ‘cos with this, nothing looks hidden away or inaccessible. Aaand when people feel seen, there’s a higher chance of initiating and maintaining conversations that’ll spark ideas [Boardroom meetings just left the conversation…👀 ]

   Figuratively, you can let your team members know that there’s always an opportunity to present their ideas on improvements, even if they think that it’s not good enough yet. If a direct conversation on those ideas might not be possible (depending on the size of your company), you can use other methods like anonymous/named suggestion boxes, innovation challenges for teams, or even a voting system! 😉

   Walking the talk of inclusion and community in your company is not a day’s job, but if you must start somewhere, any one of these can fly.

2. Honesty Is Your Best Policy: Yeah, yeah, it’s cliché, but it’s still a party favourite for a reason 😋😋

   Most of the times, people don’t contribute as often as they should because they are afraid that their ideas will be stolen, rebranded and repackaged, without being given credit for it. It happens a lot! 🙄🙄

   You can reverse this by setting up a reward/recognition system, like the good ol’ fashioned ‘Employee of the month’ badge, or a bonus system for teams that start, finish and implement a new idea together. Doing this will go hand-in-hand with open and honest communication too, for constructive criticism and feedback on some ideas that are a little bit iffy

   For sure, there’ll always be disgruntled people that’ll never be impressed by that level of transparency, but when there’s no foul-play and the majority attest to it, you’re good to go!

3. Lead The Way, Dear Innovator: People are more likely to do what you do, rather than what you say. Alsoooo, this might probably apply more to children, but let’s pretend like you’ve not seen this… 🤭🤭👀

   Anyhoo, for every time that there’s a requirement from your team members to do more, make sure that you’re on 10x of that on your end. Always show your workings! 💪

   This will help to promote a company culture that values continuous learning and improvement, and also encourage employees to step outside their comfort zones, learn new skills, and adapt to changes around them.

Remember, creating a culture of innovation is an ongoing process. By implementing these strategies and adapting them to your specific company culture, you can create an environment where creativity explodes, new ideas take root, and eventually, your company will become an innovation powerhouse

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June is all about Partnerships!!

You don’t want to be anywhere else on the 22nd of June, 2024 if it’s not at the Africa Technology Expo (ATE)! As the technical partner for this event, we’re all giddy in our seats and excited to show you what we have in store 🤭🤭

This collaboration brings you amazing opportunities like the Gamma Programme and Pitch Battleground:

Gamma Programme:

• 40 African startup founders and innovators will be selected for:

  • A chance to compete in the Pitch Battleground!

  • A thrilling "Pitch in 30 words" challenge.

  • Free co-working space for one month.

  • An exclusive 50% discount on an exhibition booth at ATE!

Pitch Battleground:

• 10 top startups will be chosen based on innovation, market awareness, and their potential impact.

• This is your chance to shine and connect with a growing African tech community!

Your ticket to greatness is here, apply now!! Join us in shaping the future of African tech!

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We’ll leave you with this:

According to Elbert Hubbard, one machine can do the work of fifty ordinary men but no machine can do the work of one extraordinary man, so be extraordinary today and onwards! ✨✨