Leadership for Innovation. Creating Change in Organizations

This three-day workshop shows participants strategies and tools for creative leadership and post-hierarchical management. We will explore the structures, processes and mindsets that can be established or changed to built organizational cultures that sustain continuous innovation.

The digital transformation is fueled by innovative products and services. It also gave customers a stronger voice, continues to break down barriers both inside and between the organizations and their stakeholders and greatly accelerated the pace of change. To keep up with this development, organizations have to innovate their structures and processes. Additionally, young knowledge workers and creatives want to "work differently". Members of the so-called Generation Y demand work that is fun and meaningful.

Yet, traditional management approaches are mainly focused on efficiency. Many leadership styles are limited when it comes to directing and enabling creative teams towards innovation.

In this three day workshop, participants are introduced to different strategies and tools for creative leadership. We explore which structures and processes enable teams to collaborate effectively and thrive in complexity. We reflect upon circumstances that enable or block innovation in the digital age. Attendees are enabled to evaluate different management approaches and choose leadership models that fit their organization.

Methods

• Culture quest tour through Berlin to discover different styles of leadership and innovation
• Short introduction to Design
• Thinking as an approach to innovate and manage complexity
• Analogies and metaphors as a way to develop new structures 
• Decision making and collaboration tools for creative teams
• Post-hierarchical management to facilitate change in organizations
  
• Cultural Hacking as a way to implement an innovation-friendly organizational culture

Formats

During the workshop, we will visit different organizations in Berlin: start-ups, NGOs and agencies. With that culture quest tour, we want to compare and learn from different management models and derive insights for your own organizations. The coaches will give short inputs and use their own experiences in developing their own innovative company as examples. Mainly, participants will work in teams on specific challenges and hands-on exercises. We offer special team-building exercises and collaboration tools that attendees can use within their own organizations. The workshop does not provide attendees with specific "recipes" to directly implement in their organizations. Tools and methods for innovation are discussed but not taught in-depth in the class. The workshop rather aims at enabling participants to evaluate their working culture and work towards the changes that fit themselves, their teams and their organizations.

Course leader

Dark Horse Innovation: The coaches are co-founders of Dark Horse Innovation. The Berlin-based agency develops user-centered services and products and helps clients to build and maintain a collaborative, innovation-friendly working culture.

Target group

This workshop is for young and experienced professionals, aspiring or serial entrepreneurs, members of Generation Y or generation X, managers or employees. Leadership experiences in diverse organizations are welcomed but not necessary. Participants should be curious, willing to collaborate with others and passionate about their field of expertise.