SMEs and innovation

SMEs are often thought of as innovative, dynamic and fast-paced organisations. So, how can you develop and demonstrate your evidence for being an innovative thinker or thriving in an environment of innovation?

You might think that you’re either innovative or you’re not, but that is not the case. Innovation can be learned.

Writing in an article for Times Higher Education, Cheung and Yiu (2023), state the following:

‘To be innovative, one needs to abandon judgement, be open to all possibilities, have the confidence and courage to adopt a trial-and-error approach, and embrace failure on the path to success.’

The authors go on to explain that innovative thinking can be learned through experimentation and exploration.

It can often feel daunting to say ‘I’m creative’ or ‘I have innovative ideas’, especially in an interview with people who are more experienced in their field than you are. But if you can back that up with evidence of how you’ve been creative or innovative, you’ll start to feel more comfortable.

Which skills contribute to innovation?

The first step is to break innovation down into the relevant skills that play a part:

• Creativity – looking at problems from a different perspective, trying to find new solutions.
• Analysis – using research and data to identify issues and consider the validity of ideas.
• Empathy – being able to put yourself in the shoes of others and to understand their experiences and perspectives.
• Adaptability – responding quickly and flexibly when changes or crises arise.
• Confidence – having the self-confidence to ask questions and suggest changes.
• Collaboration – being able to share and build on ideas with others, taking ideas from one sector and developing them in another.

You may well have used many of these skills when doing group work during your degree course. What role did you generally take in those groups? Did you have lots of ideas, or were you the analyst? Were you good at adapting to the ideas of others and building on them collaboratively? You could also ask yourself these questions in relation to other areas of your life such as when you’ve been working or volunteering, or even when making plans with friends or family.

Author of Re-Think Innovation, Carla Johnson describes six different types of innovators, explaining that we are all innovative in different ways:

• Strategists – good at planning and understanding how an idea could progress to market.
• Provocateurs – constantly pushing the envelope and challenging the status quo.
• Psychologists – gaining inspiration from their understanding of/empathy for their customers.
• Collaborators – reaching across departments and connecting the right people.
• Culture Shapers – painting a picture and helping people believe in an idea.
• Orchestrators – manoeuvring through any politics that might get in the way of an idea.

You might be someone who plays more than one of those roles depending on the environment or situation you find yourself in.

Once you’ve identified the type of innovator you are and the part you play in creating, developing and supporting innovative ideas – the more confident you will feel when discussing your experience with potential employers. While employers might not know the terminology that Brown suggests, you can use that as a guide.

Over to you

Spend some time reflecting on which type of innovator you are. Do either of these lists help you to better understand the role you might play in being innovative? Share your thoughts in the comments if you wish to.