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Roll call: ‘Innovation 101’ webinar to build innovation skills

Written by , Innovation Advisor

Can everyone have innovation skills?

Some are born innovators, some achieve innovation and some have innovation thrust upon them.

That’s how that quote goes, right?

When it comes to understanding the current state of public sector innovation, maybe this (adapted) quote isn’t too far from the mark (my apologies to Shakespeare).

Our experience has shown us that, sure, some people do have a flair for the new and the different. Maybe they are the natural innovators who can easily ferret out chances to make change. Others innovate because they have to; they are finding work-arounds or better ways of working because their situation demands it. For others, the context and situation is such that innovation is necessary because something just has to give.

While innovation born of any of these circumstances may be legitimate and achieve great outcomes, what we at OPSI are most interested in is systematic innovation. The kind where every public servant has innovation skills, capabilities and the opportunity to innovate. The kind where innovation is business-as-usual, rather than an aberration. To have this, every public servant needs innovation skills and the chance to use them.

We believe you don’t have to be a natural born innovator to do your job well. Nor should you have to wait until a policy fails or service delivery breaks down to advocate for new ways to go about a problem. You shouldn’t sit back until the last minute to test a new approach to an issue that seems to be looming on your department’s horizon. In fact, it’s probably better if you don’t.

Join our webinar on innovation skills

OPSI believes, one is not born, but rather becomes, an innovator (my apologies to de Beauvoir).

You can become an innovator by learning good problem solving methods, processes, techniques and approaches that can work across a variety of issues, contexts and scenarios. You can learn to pick up on signals that show new approaches may be needed and to find ways of understanding if a new approach is working.

Innovation isn’t magic and it’s not an empty buzzword. It is a skill and everyone can and should develop it.

Our webinar will help build your innovation skills

This is why we’re running our inaugural Innovation Skills 101 webinar. We want to encourage and help new innovators develop their understanding and practice of public sector innovation and do so in a supportive environment.

Register to attend this webinar if you are:

  • New to public sector innovation and are curious about what it means
  • Want practical tips on how to start innovating in your current context
  • Need some advice about how to better frame a problem or issue to spark a more innovative (rather than business-as-usual) response
  • Would like to connect with other new innovators during the webinar and after, in a tailored online community, to ask questions and get support

If this sounds like you, sign up. If it sounds like someone you know, tell them and encourage them to take part.

The webinar will take place June 26 2018 16h00 Europe Summer Time (Paris, GMT +02:00). Registration is open until the webinar takes place. Hope to connect with you then!
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