How do you bring external talent into your innovation ecosystem?

Defining a clear purpose for the organisation which correlates with the business strategy and development opportunities for the external talent is what will attract them, when they see what is in for them and they are contributing to the purpose of the organisation in a successful way.

Drawing from my own experience, I recall a scenario where a company seamlessly integrated external experts to drive innovation. What stood out was their proactive approach to forming cross-functional teams that combined internal subject-matter experts with external talents possessing niche skills. This blend not only accelerated problem-solving but also led to novel ideas that transcended conventional boundaries.

Once your innovation goals are clearly defined, tailor your job descriptions accordingly. Specify not just the technical skills required but also emphasize the alignment with your innovation objectives. This precision attracts candidates who not only possess the necessary expertise but also share a vision for the specific innovation goals you aim to achieve, streamlining the selection process.

I have absolute clarity on what market needs. I even think one step forward and develop a product that is ahead of the curve. Will be built with a smart technology, sharp algorithm, playful and extremely enticing. And I am super excited to see my idea taking shape as a product. The passion in me is real and revolutionary. I need to uphold this ground, truthfully and connect people with complete honesty. People not only love to be the part of a great product and but eager to play an important character in the story that has wider reach. You need to be a great story teller and make people resonate with the same passion you have as a creator. BET ON THE TRUST, THAT TIES.

Within the context of integrating external talent into an innovation ecosystem, concept of creating a seamless onboarding experience also has an immense importance. Recognizing that external talents bring fresh perspectives and skills, the emphasis on facilitating a smooth transition resonates. By streamlining administrative processes and providing comprehensive orientation, organizations can ensure that newcomers hit the ground running, accelerating their contributions.

Participate in conferences and events related to your innovation goals. These gatherings not only expose your organization to a diverse pool of external talent but also allow you to witness firsthand the latest trends and breakthroughs. Engaging with participants provides a real-time understanding of their expertise, fostering connections with individuals whose skills align seamlessly with your innovation objectives.

Make sure that you are diversifying where you are identifying and sourcing external talent and not solely relying on one or two resources. Really also consider local outreach in addition to national or international outreach, as well. Broaden the scope of where you are identifying and sourcing talent by researching what your competitors are doing, benchmarking the marketplace, and, most importantly, ensuring a successful candidate experience.

Make it fun, make it attractive! Lots of innovation comes from an ecosystem, rather than centralized programs, which in isolation are slower and lack diversity of thinking. To build that new approach to innovation, it is essential to make the system 'open' to external contributions, and that happens only if the people leading innovation in an organization are incentivised to look outside creatively, and work as catalysts attracting partners, leveraging all sorts of knowledge base, from consultants to spin-offs, to freelancers, using modern and enticing approaches like bootcamps, or online calls to action. Bottom line: innovators need to learn from business development and sales people, rather than working closed door in their lab.

Develop customizable contract templates that can be tailored to the specific needs of each collaboration. Having a standardized yet adaptable framework streamlines the agreement process, making it more efficient for both parties.

If agreements are to be practiced, then make sure that they are clear, concise, and defined so that all parties know and understand what the conditions are. Protecting intellectual property is important, however make sure that agreements are flexible and not too restrictive to talent.

The employee experience is the key factor, what are different ways we are engaging with the talent to help them unleash their potential and passion. Helping our employees to have a growth mindset to be able know what they can learn and contribute today and the excitement to experience , and learning more from everyone, every where and everyday.

When bringing in new talent to enhance your innovative culture, focus on integration and engagement. Start by immersing them in your innovation stories and vision from day one. Encourage cross-departmental collaboration, involve them in innovation challenges, and provide mentorship opportunities. Recognize and reward their innovative contributions, and keep the door open for their feedback and suggestions to continuously improve your innovation culture. This way, you'll not only integrate them smoothly but also tap into their fresh perspectives to drive innovation forward.

There is a fine balance of maintaining successful and interactive employee and candidate experience programs so that internal and external talent are both experiencing positive experiences throughout the employment life cycle. This includes making sure that you are providing tools, resources, and guidance to ensure that all people are successful. Also, listening to your people by providing surveys or having town hall or 1-on-1 meetings and acting on feedback from others is of the upmost importance.

Providing a specific aspect or process to be innovated helps provide a focus for the individuals. This also allows the team to: * Look for excess steps or processes * Follow the process from start to finish * Look at tools or systems that can maximize efficiency * Observe the workflow multiple times to truly understand the process * Ask the team member questions about the process for better understanding. * Go through the process themselves Being able to experience the process in this manner will allow the external talent a fully integrated understanding of how or why certain changes could be beneficial.

This is where a behavioural assessment is useful, especially as it provides objectivity in terms of relational alignment between both parties irrespective of the functional competence at stake. This makes it easier for talent integration into the innovation ecosystem. Both parties are driven by a mutual interest to innovate based on shared values.

Celebrating the growth stories of employees, inspires the other newer minds, hearing their challenges and way to navigate with things open up boundaries for others. While the grass is always not green however what matters is to break the glass ceiling by yourself, by knowing your strengths and utilising them to reach your goals one by one. This should be authentic , something to learn and be happy and enjoy and not a competition for self to add on more stress and negativity.

Absolutely make sure that you are celebrating the wins both big and small and recognizing and rewarding people for their hard work and commitment. This truly helps define the culture that you want to be and maintain: a culture of being people 1st.

It’s not surprising to see small startups coming up with innovative products and services as against bigger enterprises with larger resources and talent pool. Simply because for one(big enterprises) innovation is a matter of growth while for the other(startups) it’s a question of survival. If bigger organisations can identify and frame their challenges relative to their existing capacity, and invite solutions from prospective employees instead of the management consulting firms, it’ll serve a dual purpose: 1. Getting innovative solutions to real challenges 2. Getting talent with innovative mindset that thrives in problem solving

I agree with what Ms. Dogra says below and believe that sometimes bigger enterprises are not as flexible about considering change. This can be attributed to the company being successful and not seeing a need for change. Allowing a culture that rewards innovation by showcasing associates' ideas about their roles that create an impact is a great way to show the team that you are listening to them and that their input to the company is valued.