On April 6 we had a long and fruitful day with the Swedish Association for Innovation Management Professionals. We had a long day starting with the association’s annual meeting where a new board was elected and there were many discussions about the association’s way forward. Many of the discussions were prolific and productive, but as always when there are too many smart people in the room many of them became “academic” and time-consuming. Still, they were interesting and touched upon relevant and important topics.
Secondly we had a members’ meeting and the association presented the portfolio of ongoing activities. Personally I am involved in three of the activities.
An innovation manager certification program
The association in collaboration with RISE has received funding from VINNOVA to investigate, develop and evaluate Sweden’s first model for certifying innovation managers. Novelty Quest is one of the members with the responsibility of developing a pilot training program for certification candidates. The program shall be a three-day effort and prepare the participants For the certification exam. I am responsible for the innovation management training program on behalf of Novelty Quest with the first course scheduled to May 17-19 to be conducted in collaboration with Påhlmans Business School. (If anyone is interested in joining the certification course you will have to contact Innovationsledarna.)
A introductory course in innovation management
There is also a project for quality assurance of a training course called “introduction to innovation management”. I am leading Novelty Quest’s participation in this project that is also run in collaboration with Påhlmans Business School. The first launch of the program – consisting of five modules over a period of six months – was originally scheduled for late 2016, but due to unfortunate circumstances we had to postpone it to this upcoming fall. I will return to you with further information once the dates have been finalised. (You can read more about the full program here.)
A mentorship program for innovation managers
I will also be one of ten innovation management mentors who are taking on some more “junior” innovation managers with the purpose to coach them and to share experience. I am very much looking forward to this and I am having my first phone meeting with my mentee in about ten days. I think this will be a thrilling experience for everybody involved in the mentorship program!
