At Invokers, we have carved out a niche for ourselves as facilitators of innovation of core enterprise processes. We assist our customers in tackling their organizational pain points and challenges and we help them formulate strategies for moving forwards in new and groundbreaking ways by means of digital solutions that rethink the way they do business. For a long time, Design Thinking has been our mindset and toolbox when hunting for solutions balancing The Market (jobs, pains and gains), The Value Proposition and adjusting the Technology (and resources) as needed while constantly measuring, learning and building.
Navigating a mine field
Our approach paves the way for a design-led transformation. And we know from experience that this process is hard and alienating to many global organizations. Moving from one set of beliefs and onto a new approach and a different way of thinking will in most cases create friction and uncertainty in the organization. Operating in this transforming space is in many cases like entering a mine field. Whether you embark on the journey relying solely on your own resources, or you seek support and guidance from people like us to pilot the uncharted waters – you will in almost all cases be entering a mine field. Try not to cut corners and become a victim of the elusive and tempting promise made by new and heavy promoted Agile Frameworks – there is no green pill – be mindful of the process and accept that there is no quick fix.
When working with customers entering the transforming space, we often find that politics, hidden agendas and conflict of interests surfaces and need addressing in order for us to explore new ideas together. As designers, we need to be able to enter the organizational mine field with an open mind to establish and function in multi-disciplinary teams that are capable of radical collaboration across seniority levels and work domains.
To negotiate conflicts and establish highly functioning teams, we have acknowledged the need for us to be mentally fit. Our work is at times exhausting, as we explore possibilities of innovation through empathy (observation) and reframing (redefining challenge based on observations).
Mental fitness is key for us – our consultants need to be on top to deliver the right amount of challenge and push-back to the process in order to establish a common bias towards action, willingness to fail fast, which is key to innovation, and a mindfulness of the process which in many organizations are anxiety provoking in a company culture where failure is not an option.
Our success with facilitating innovative processes initially depends on our mental fitness. We have to be mentally fit to deliver on the characteristics of Design Thinking that fuel innovation.
Mental workout routine
It all begins with a strong and solid foundation. Our success with facilitating innovative processes initially depends on our mental fitness. We have to be mentally fit to deliver on the characteristics of Design Thinking that fuel innovation. Therefore, we are making it an active organizational priority in Invokers. To be able to facilitate innovation through curiosity and iteration, we work to strengthen our individual resilience in collaboration with Center for Mental Robusthed and Velliv Foreningen.
Last week, we gathered for three days having a seminar in Middelfart for a thorough introduction to tools and techniques that we will add to our daily routine – this program is especially designed to help us build and maintain a solid core of mental fitness. I will dive into the four central themes from this process during in the weeks to come.
- How do we exercise our mental fitness
- Mental fitness and The Effective Team
- Psychological Safety
- The Effective Team and Design Thinking
Stay tuned!