How can you improve your team's innovation with external partnerships?

Combination of expertise and fresh set of eyes from within teams in the organisations brings about a completely new perspective and innovative ideas

External perspective is the key to keep growing . We are always encouraged to think outside the box; and the best way to do that is to network/communicate with partners and colleagues outside your daily network. They can help you understand new thoughts, processes, tools which might further help to solve an existing problem or create an innovative solution to reduce manual processes.

External perspective is a fresh set of eyes to enhance or to add to your innovation. They challenge your "this is the way things are done" perspective and help you focus on what could be holding you back from achieving that innovation and be successful.

In my career, I have learned more than any coursework. Connecting with others outside my employer - through organizations like ASUG and IHRIM - brought new perspectives, ideas, and capabilities - and further enriched my work life. I brought new solutions back to my employer that increased our capabilities and the return on our SAP investment. I highly recommend volunteering with associations and organizations. This isn’t book knowledge - this is creative thinking, collaboration, a genuine example of two heads being better than one.

Strategic partnerships offer each company involved the chance to reduce expenses and increase business. A good?strategic partner is a company that either offers services you can use within your own company or that you can offer to your customers and clients while offering your own services to their customers. These partnerships can expand your customer base, brand awareness, overall reach and service functionality.

Back in the early days of working in a youth venture / start up, there was a lot of room to grow. And fail. It was the best environment for innovation. So we reached out to all kinds of external partners. Big brands. Boutique agencies. Non-profit. Government organisations. The whole point was to stretch ourselves and let our creativity shine. External partners were willing to work with us since we had a reservoir of ideas and creativity. So get out there and keep approaching a variety of partners and offer them with what they don’t have. And sooner or later you will land something.

Depending on your industry, you will often want to search our external partners when you are lacking expertise or resources internally to complete work. In the game industry, the most successful products test externally early and often. Whether it's market research, focus testing, or bringing influencers into the fold for an announcement, there is a lot that can be done if you are comfortable with looking outside your office walls.

Specially Clients!, Your level of knowledge of the business grows 10 times when you talk with clients and understand their point of view. Recently, we had a project where we expend too much time, and when we went with the client, they give us a lot of feed back and the reasons our projects won’t have success if we present of the way we have.

Collectively external partners can provide a more holistic solution to customers that otherwise wouldn't benefit - more than the sum of their parts.

Great insights! The range of external partners available for innovation projects is indeed diverse, and choosing the right ones can significantly impact the success of your initiatives. Each type of partner brings unique perspectives and resources to the table. It's crucial to carefully assess your needs and objectives to identify the most suitable partners for your specific project. Collaboration with customers, suppliers, competitors, academics, and nonprofits can open up exciting possibilities and drive innovation in various ways. It's all about finding the right fit and building mutually beneficial relationships. #Innovation #ExternalPartnerships #Collaboration

I used to visit other teams to observe their methods and engage with their leaders. When my team identified or suggested that certain approaches could benefit us, and that we possessed valuable know-how beneficial for other teams, I initiated discussions. Curiosity indeed opens numerous doors.

In government setup the best way to look for external partnership is advertisement through newspaper.Depends upon the cost of work bids are invited from interested candidates .

This is, in my opinion, the hardest part. Sometimes it can be hard to know where to look for the right partner to fit your needs. For example, at a previous company, we desparately needed to update our regional corporate website and the internal team was overburdened with all of our existing and upcoming websites. It took nearly a year to gather candidates, evaluate their capabilities, and their unique view of what we wanted. I'm not a fan of RFPs, nothing sours a fledgling external partnership like asking either of you to work for free.

Always be on the lookout for external partnerships. Seek out connections and actively explore opportunities to work together.

Innovation Quest: Start by identifying your team's innovation gaps, like hidden puzzles waiting to be solved. Innovation Explorer: Venture into the wild world of networking events, online platforms, and referrals as if you're on an exploration mission. Partner Compatibility Check: Just like astrologers match birth charts, ensure your potential partners' goals and values align with your team's cosmic innovation alignment.

Having covered Germany's rebranding campaign during the 2006 FIFA World Cup and leading South Africa's brand ambassador program for the 2010 FIFA World Cup, I experienced firsthand how powerful partnerships can shape experiences and redefine brands. I've had the privilege of interviewing 250 business and public leaders on the future of leadership. The consensus? Strategic partnerships are not just a ‘nice-to-have’, they are a ‘MUST-HAVE’. Being able to forge and maintain strategic partnerships whilst actively seeking the input of your partners, involving them in decision-making processes, and fostering a culture of teamwork will be a critical skill for the leaders of tomorrow.

Cultivating external partnerships is akin to nurturing meaningful relationships. It goes beyond mere professional interactions, emphasizing genuine human connection and camaraderie. While working on large-scale events like IIFA, I encountered immense talent. Yet, it was in the small moments, like casual chats during breaks, that the essence of true partnership shone through. Even though each of us had distinct roles, we consistently went the extra mile to support one another, ensuring exceptional project outcomes. Those bonds remain strong to this day, and I'm confident about who would be by my side in future ventures.

In dynamic sectors like event management, integrating inputs from both internal teams and external partners is vital for innovation. During events like IIFA, casual chats led to collective problem-solving. A sound mixer might suggest lighting adjustments, while a choreographer could provide set design feedback. This synergy fosters diverse viewpoints and a sense of ownership. A memorable instance was when a newcomer artist introduced a novel stage concept, turning the show into a sensation. Embracing external insights ensures projects not only shine in the present but also foster lasting, collaborative relationships for the future.

There is a difference between an external partner and a vendor. An external partner becomes integrated into your business because there core values align with your company's, they have been a reliable vendor, both parties have taken the time to understand each other's business and the value delivered to each party. You must treat them like a true valued member of your team, be willing to discuss sensitive and confidential items and know why each party needs to purchase or sell their product or service at the price presented. A partnership delivers a mutual benefit to both parties. The external partner learns a tremendous amount about your business and in turn shares the knowledge, skills, and experience.

Integrating external partnerships into the innovation process injects new perspectives and creative ideas, enriching the problem-solving landscape. It's essential to align these inputs with an organization's core values and standards to ensure the resulting innovations remain true to their mission. Moreover, such partnerships provide a valuable opportunity to absorb the expertise and skills of external collaborators, which can significantly enhance the team's ability to tackle innovation challenges effectively. Lastly, evaluating the impact of these partnerships is crucial to measure their value in terms of innovation performance and results, ultimately contributing to the organization's overall success.

recently I started to talk with a group of startups companies, and I learn too much of this group. once I learn something I try to organize a talk or webinar with my team and the startup in order to have a “training” I recommend try to reach a couple of start ups and will feel that “wow moment” that everybody need to start something.