Partner innovation and learning is a key skill for building successful and sustainable collaborations. However, many people have some common misconceptions about what it entails and how to do it effectively. In this article, we will debunk some of these myths and provide some tips on how to foster a culture of innovation and learning with your partners.
One of the most common misconceptions about partner innovation and learning is that it is only relevant for large-scale or complex projects that require cutting-edge solutions. However, innovation can happen at any level and in any context, as long as you are open to experimenting, adapting, and learning from your partners. Innovation is not a one-time event, but a continuous process that involves testing new ideas, collecting feedback, and making improvements. You can apply innovation principles to any aspect of your partnership, such as communication, governance, delivery, or evaluation.
? Recognize that innovation thrives in collaborative environments, understanding that partnerships bring external perspectives, expertise, and resources that fuel creativity and progress. ? Embrace the reciprocal nature of learning in partnerships, acknowledging that organizations can gain valuable insights and knowledge from their partners, fostering a culture of continuous learning and improvement. ? Build strong relationships based on trust, open communication, and collaboration, understanding that these elements are foundational for successful partner innovation and learning initiatives, and approaching partnerships as strategic collaborations rather than transactional relationships.
Innovation happens at and beyond the edges of what's considered the status quo. That also means that innovation rarely happens in 'centres' or in big projects. The most inspiring innovation at an organisational level often comes from people identifying, grappling with and solving unsexy work and fighting to continuously express the reason and value for for addressing that opportunity. Bottom line: Look at or beyond the edges of today's work to find the opportunities to innovate, they don't live at the centre of today's focus.
Continuing ahead, Innovation can and should happen at all levels, all impact levers and with all sets of partners. Take it as a pilot for the D Day and try your strategies and plans in small projects and with the learning of the same make things perfect in the other big projects.
This is one hundred percent a myth. I feel having continuous brainstorming session should take place after each stage in the project phase to collaborate with internal team or the stakeholders to understand if there is room for improvement for the procedures or processes which are currently in place. Feedbacks should be taken from the stakeholders to understand what can be improved or changed to cross the finish line with less errors. I think these things should be performed for all projects it should not matter whether it is a big project or a small project. Each project should be thought of as an opportunity for innovation!
On the contrary, I have found that more innovation can come from small projects with small budgets. Because of your limitations, you are forced to think differently and think out of the box.
Another common misconception about partner innovation and learning is that it is only useful when things go wrong or when you encounter challenges or risks. However, learning is not just a reactive or corrective measure, but a proactive and preventive one. Learning is essential for understanding your partners' needs, expectations, and perspectives, as well as for identifying opportunities, best practices, and lessons learned. Learning is not only about finding solutions, but also about asking questions, sharing insights, and creating value. You can foster a learning culture with your partners by establishing clear goals, indicators, and feedback mechanisms, as well as by celebrating successes and acknowledging failures.
Co-Founder & CCO @ Arkiter | Cut through the noise with smarter tech assessments
Continuous learning is the bedrock of innovation - and your Partnerships will dry up fast if your ears and eyes aren’t open! Stay curious, not just when things go wrong - but to beat your own best records and seek opportunities to always improve. At Arkiter, we have our own ideas about how we might envision changing the world of tech interviews, but our Partners so often have unique angles into big questions we hadn’t yet considered. By understanding the unique landscapes of our valued Partners more deeply, we anticipate broader game-changers to not just ‘solve’ their current HR tech needs but to truly approach tech hiring with the revolutionary mindset of a true market disrupter.
Consider learning not only as a reaction to past experiences but as a strategic tool to anticipate and shape future challenges and opportunities, thereby redefining it as a cornerstone of visionary partnership planning.
Continuous learning in partnership projects is crucial for staying innovative and meeting evolving needs. It enables teams to adapt to new trends and technologies, ensuring strategies remain relevant and effective. This approach enhances adaptability, boosts problem-solving skills, and deepens insights into partner needs, leading to stronger relationships and superior outcomes. By prioritizing learning, organizations can deliver consistent value and maintain a competitive edge in the fast-paced business environment, ultimately elevating the success of their partnership projects.
A third common misconception about partner innovation and learning is that they are isolated or independent activities that depend on the skills or capacities of individual partners. However, innovation and learning are collaborative and interdependent activities that require the involvement and contribution of all partners. Innovation and learning are not just about generating or acquiring knowledge, but also about exchanging and applying it. You can enhance your innovation and learning potential with your partners by building trust, respect, and mutual understanding, as well as by leveraging the diversity and complementarity of your skills, experiences, and resources.
The myth that innovation and learning are solely individual pursuits overlooks the power of collaboration. In my experience with corporate innovation, the most groundbreaking ideas often emerge from collective effort. Teams that share knowledge and challenge each other's thinking create a fertile ground for innovation. This collaborative approach accelerates learning and drives more nuanced, comprehensive solutions. Acknowledging that innovation thrives in a communal setting, not in isolation, is key to fostering an environment where creativity and learning flourish, leading to more impactful and sustainable outcomes.
Learning leads to innovation and innovation ends with a failure to learn. I love statements that open with, 'Wasn't it wild that we learned [X], when we tried to do [Y]'. If your organisation feels stalled on it's learning loop, talk to a grade school teacher about the techniques they now use to inspire a learning loop in children. It might help to reboot your organisation's innovation mojo.
A fourth common misconception about partner innovation and learning is that they are optional or extra activities that can be added or removed depending on the availability of time, money, or interest. However, innovation and learning are integral and essential activities that should be embedded and aligned with your partnership strategy, objectives, and operations. Innovation and learning are not just nice-to-have, but must-have elements that can improve your partnership performance, quality, and impact. You can prioritize and integrate innovation and learning with your partners by allocating adequate resources, incentives, and support, as well as by monitoring and evaluating your progress and outcomes.
In my world of B2B SaaS, especially as successful HR tech newcomers, innovation and learning is essential and in our very DNA. To remain at the cutting edge of the tech hiring industry, we need to position ourselves at the vanguard which requires continual curiosity and innovation (as well as doing away with our own confirmation bias.) Continuous innovation is a non-negotiable for us as it will be for many people reading these articles.
Imagine how partnerships might evolve if innovation and learning were not seen as optional extras but as the core around which all activities and strategies revolve, fundamentally altering the approach to collaborative success.
Dispelling the notion that innovation and learning are optional extras, it's essential to recognize their core role in professional growth and success. These elements aren't merely add-ons but foundational to staying competitive and relevant. However, the extent to which individuals engage with innovation and learning is significantly influenced by their ambitions and personality. Professionals driven by a desire to lead, improve, and make an impact are more likely to embrace these practices actively. Thus, while innovation and learning are indispensable across the board, their adoption and implementation vary, reflecting personal motivations and career aspirations.
A fifth common misconception about partner innovation and learning is that they are static or fixed activities that follow a predetermined or standardized approach or method. However, innovation and learning are dynamic and flexible activities that adapt to the changing needs, contexts, and opportunities of your partnership. Innovation and learning are not just about following a recipe, but about creating your own. You can customize and optimize your innovation and learning processes with your partners by experimenting with different tools, techniques, and formats, as well as by reviewing and revising your assumptions, hypotheses, and results.
Co-Founder & CCO @ Arkiter | Cut through the noise with smarter tech assessments
Innovation and Learning are as fluid as the tech talent market itself. In my company, and especially when it comes to our Partnerships with key tech hirers, we embrace agility and experimentation instead to create optimal tech hiring environments for each sector. We continually update our Tech Interview and Prescreening offerings to reflect the most critical HR trends and significant technological advances, and these emerging changes are gradual and continual. (Does anyone actually believe these myths, like “Innovation is Static” or are they simply straw-men!?)
Innovation and learning are neither static nor fixed; they are dynamic processes that thrive on a growth mindset, a concept popularized by Carol Dweck in "Mindset." This approach emphasizes the belief that abilities and intelligence can be developed through dedication and hard work. Embracing a growth mindset encourages continuous improvement, adaptability, and the pursuit of learning, making innovation an ongoing journey rather than a destination. It challenges the notion of fixed capabilities, advocating instead for the potential within each individual to evolve, innovate, and learn in response to changing environments and challenges.
A sixth common misconception about partner innovation and learning is that they are ends in themselves, or that they are the ultimate goals or outcomes of your partnership. However, innovation and learning are means to an end, or that they are the enablers or drivers of your partnership success and sustainability. Innovation and learning are not just about producing or consuming knowledge, but about using it to create positive change. You can maximize the value and impact of your innovation and learning efforts with your partners by aligning them with your shared vision, mission, and values, as well as by communicating and disseminating them to your stakeholders and beneficiaries.
At Arkiter, and hopefully for most of the other companies here, we view innovation (and necessarily learning) as a means to a transformative end. However they are means with intrinsic value too. But here, I&L drive us towards our goal: transforming tech talent pipelines into strategic assets for companies to give them an edge against their competition. Our tech assessments platform does not innovate for the sake of it but to deliver tangible long term value to our partners in their quest for the best tech hires.
Reflect on the deeper mission that drives the partnership's efforts in innovation and learning, questioning how these activities can be directed to ensure they contribute to a more meaningful and impactful end goal.
Routines and rituals are critical to innovation and learning. Have a hypothesis (the best guess with the available data), design sound experiments, execute each experiment and invest time understanding and communicating what happened, and repeat. Hand-waving will attract attention but it won't lead to innovation. And one last thing, demonstrating why something failed is just as valuable as demonstrating why something succeeded. Both lead to learning, momentum and progress.