What are some ways to help a coachee develop a strategic mindset for innovation?

1 Assess their current mindset

The first step is to understand where your coachee is in terms of their mindset and how it affects their innovation potential. You can use various tools and frameworks, such as the Innovation Mindset Assessment (IMA), to measure how they perceive their own creativity, risk-taking, curiosity, and learning orientation. You can also ask them to reflect on their past experiences with innovation, both successful and unsuccessful, and how they influenced their beliefs and behaviors. By assessing their current mindset, you can identify their strengths and areas for improvement, as well as any limiting assumptions or biases that may hinder their innovation.

3 Encourage them to explore and experiment

The third step is to encourage your coachee to explore and experiment with different ideas, approaches, and methods, without fearing failure or judgment. You can use various strategies, such as the SCAMPER method, the Brainstorming technique, or the Design Thinking process, to help them generate, evaluate, and test their ideas in a systematic and iterative way. You can also help them create a safe and supportive environment, where they can share their ideas, get feedback, and learn from others. By encouraging them to explore and experiment, you can help them develop a more curious and playful mindset, as well as a more resilient and adaptive behavior.

5 Inspire them to share and scale their innovation

The fifth step is to inspire your coachee to share and scale their innovation, by communicating their vision, value proposition, and impact to their stakeholders, such as their team, organization, or market. You can use various skills, such as storytelling, pitching, or prototyping, to help them craft and deliver a compelling and convincing message, that showcases their innovation and its benefits. You can also help them identify and leverage the resources, networks, and partnerships, that can help them scale and sustain their innovation. By inspiring them to share and scale their innovation, you can help them develop a more visionary and influential mindset, as well as a more collaborative and entrepreneurial behavior.

6 Support them throughout their innovation journey

The sixth and final step is to support your coachee throughout their innovation journey, by providing them with ongoing guidance, feedback, and encouragement. You can use various methods, such as coaching sessions, check-ins, or follow-ups, to help them monitor their progress, overcome their challenges, and celebrate their achievements. You can also help them maintain their motivation, enthusiasm, and passion for innovation, by reminding them of their purpose, values, and goals. By supporting them throughout their innovation journey, you can help them develop a more strategic and innovative mindset, as well as a more successful and fulfilling career.

7 Here’s what else to consider

This is a space to share examples, stories, or insights that don’t fit into any of the previous sections. What else would you like to add?