Uncovering the human perspective behind organizational strategies.

In today's newsletter, we're diving deeper into the subject of stakeholder management, specifically when it comes to preparing for scenario building.

Scenario building is a crucial milestone in the process of understanding which problems the innovation team wants to solve within an organization, and it's a key aspect of the total ecosystem of innovation.

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In my podcast episode 163, I went into more detail about the different phases of this ecosystem, so if you're interested in learning more, be sure to check that episode out.

The focus of today's newsletter is on how to gather internal strategies for your organization. This may sound simple, but when it comes to human innovation, it's important to take a deeper approach. In this post, I'll be discussing how to gather internal strategies and approach the process with a human perspective.

Every larger organization has a variety of strategies in place. For example, you may have a business strategy, a sales strategy, a market development strategy, a product development strategy, a sustainability strategy, and an innovation strategy. To get prepared for scenario workshops, which I highly recommend, the first step is to go and gather all the strategies that are in place. Create a list of all the different strategies, as well as any strategic initiatives that are currently in progress.

Once you have this list, it's important to go deeper. Look for roadmaps and identify the owners of each strategy. Who is responsible for the sales strategy? Who is responsible for the brand strategy? Knowing the owners of each strategy will be crucial when it comes time to meet with stakeholders.

To truly understand a strategy, it's important to read through it and take notes. As you read, ask yourself what are the key points that you, as the innovator, need to understand. Also, make note of any questions you have. Once you have your notes, book meetings with stakeholders to discuss the strategy and ask questions.

It's important to meet with several stakeholders when it comes to a specific strategy, as multiple people may be involved. Key stakeholders are important, but it can also be helpful to meet with contributors. These are people who have contributed to the strategy in some way and can provide a more granular level of information.

When meeting with stakeholders, be sure to ask about their vision for the future of the strategy, and how they see it contributing to the business landscape. Additionally, it can be helpful to understand the political landscape at the time the strategy was being developed, as well as any key influencers or individuals who may have been against the strategy.

Gathering internal strategies and approaching the process with a human perspective is a crucial step in stakeholder management. But, as we dive deeper into the subject, it's important to remember that this is more than just a task to check off your list. These stakeholder interviews are opportunities for you to truly engage with your colleagues, learn about their challenges and gain insights into who they are as individuals.

One way to make the most of this information is by updating your "stakeholder record." Think of it as a CRM for your stakeholders, where you keep all relevant information. This can include details as seemingly small as the names of their pets or their preferred type of drink. While these may seem like banal details, they can make a big difference in building a network of stakeholder champions.

If you are interested in an even deeper version listen to my podcast episode 206 where I shared this approach in my discussion.

Learn more here

Have questions?

Feel free to reach out I am happy to help.

Podcasts to innovate:

In this podcast episode I interview Anthony Mongiello who is CEO of the Bulles and Apes Project a Web 3 NFT Project.

In our conversation, Anthony shares his insights on the benefits of Web3 for businesses and individuals, and also talks about the Bulls and Apes Universe, NFTs, and an exciting venture opportunity for NFT holders.

Get ready to learn about the future of human innovation and Web 3 with Anthony Mongiello and have a listen to this episode.

Have a listen

Videos that touched a nerve:

If you want to build a 10X environment to reinvent your organization this is a quick video you should watch.

The internal immune system is working against you from day one so you have to find the right setup and ways of working that help you to succeed.

Watch it here

Books that help me innovate:

Creativity Inc. by Ed Catmull

2016 I looked to build an outside in perspective towards IKEA and get inspired by the brightest companies and innovative thinkers.

I stumbled on this book and found out an amazing way how they run braintrust meetings. This is a great approach everyone who wants to do things differently should have a read about.

More about the book here

Thank you for reading.

If you have a question or would like me to explain a specific topic in one of the future newsletters let me know.

That’s it for today.

And don’t forget to Innovate the human way

Jens

P.S.

If you have any question around the human innovation frameworks I work with, please contact me. I am happy to share.

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