Innovate for Africa is a program with a mission to create the next generation of innovators and entrepreneurs in Africa while supporting existing innovators, strengthening the whole innovation ecosystem. It consists of an innovative-driven team who believe that by aspiring innovators cum fellows and tooling them with the right skills, confidence, and a supportive network and connecting them with start-ups, both current and aspiring entrepreneurs have a higher probability of succeeding. Our facilitators were team of Intellectuals with seasoned professionals from Harvard School of Education, and Sloan School of Management.
During the Innovation readiness training for January Cycle fellows, these facilitators including some dedicated trailblazers were on deck to put the January 2021 fellows on the rudiments of the program to achieve the objectives of the program.
The program was a virtual-based program with a mix of on-demand lesson materials and resources to build fellows with the needed skills to solve Africa’s challenges through innovation.
While we are of different values and virtues, the first thing I learnt during the training was knowing my business chemistry style - the PI - which was a mix of being a Pioneer and an integrator. This in turn means - I value possibilities, and spark energy and imaginations. I am a creative thinker who thinks big risks can bring great things with being spontaneous, adaptable and outgoing. Of course, I value connection and draws team together. I am empathic, diplomatic and relationship oriented.
I also learnt:
The Power of Personal Branding
Have you ever tried googling yourself? If yes, who do you see? What do you see? Are you the first person to show up in the search results? Do you show up at all? If yes again, what type of content is emphasized? How many times do you see yourself? Where do you see it? What sources do your name appeared on? If you could give constructive and oriented feedback to those questions - thumb up. But if you are flaring and blurring in yours, then there is an exigent need in restructuring and reinventing your online presence. Please, don't be swayed. I am here with you. This is what personal branding is all about.
In the corporate world, for one to thrive, one needs to understand the art and science of professionalism. And that was virtually what was reeled out as the core of personal branding. Leveraging the digital media to curate an innovation oriented professional profile has to be underscored especially in a clime of ours. Something tells me you are nodding your head in affirmative. Of course, that is the truth. The ability to provide constructive answers to the - who, what, where, and how questions - are pointers to your strong online presence.
With this, I outlined my personal mission statement; distinguished myself; planned my transition narrative; and leveraged digital media in promoting myself. Also, I was able to create a better professional portfolio using the wix platform like this one you are reading on.
Strategic Analysis
Here, i was able to understood the concept of using systems thinking framework to map out all the systems, processes, and flows internally and externally affecting an organization. With this learning path, I was able to view systems from a broader perspective that includes the seeing of overall structures, patterns, and cycles in systems, rather than seeing only specific events in a system.
Using Jumia as a case study, I was able to learn, unlearn, and understand how major stakeholders interacts through the context of their organisational history; their group composition; and the formal structure of the said organisation. The SWOT (Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities, and Threats) analytical method was helpful in determining the internal processes - strengths and weaknesses - of the organisation, while the STEEPLE (Social, Technological, Economic, Environmental, Political, Leagal, and Ethical) method was in turn an importance in diagnosing the external processes - opportunities and threats - part of it.
Through the knowledge gained and the understanding gotten from system thinking, I could easily conduct strategic analysis; define strategy and its roadmap; and implement strategy without breaking the ice. Yes! That is it.
Design Thinking
If I should whisper to you that creativity is a process of creating novel, surprising, and valuable outcomes. Will you agree? What if I say that it is possible to use a wide range of idea creation techniques to brainstorm with divergent thinking. Will you still agree? Of course, that is it. With design thinking, I could utilized experimentation to refine and improve ideas. I could view failure as an opportunity to learn and innovate. That is growth mindset. I could prioritized critical problems and identify root causes. I could also utilize analytical strategies to determine the best medium to research relevant information. And I was opportune to work collaboratively with my team and other fellows during the hackathon process.
Hard Skills Lab
Here, I was in the data analysis class working on a real time project for IFA (in an attempt to model the African countries with the best innovative ecosystem where IFA can operate). In order of ranking and goodness-of-fit test conducted, results from the Anlaysis revealed that South Africa, Kenya, Nigeria, Egypt and Ghana were significantly the perfect countries for IFA programs.
Walking through the Interview Process
In preparation towards a meet and greet with the IFA startups during matchup day, the IFA team worked the fellows through interview processes such as having the right resumé and being ready for likely interview questions most especially the traditional and behavioural question style. As suggested by them, It is best to always speak at a moderate pace, remain calm and be prepared.
The Guest Speaking Session
The Innovative experience won't be complete without the ever striking guest speakers who graced the synchronous part of the training. These Guest speakers are masters of their own art, sharpening our entrepreneurial mindset towards the development and future of Africa
Forgetting the words of Fehintolu Olaogun of CredPal will be a great disaster. He said as quoted "it is easy writing long letter, but it is more difficult writing a short letter." On hearing that, those words struck a proximate region of my hippocampus. I paused and reflected on it. It was indeed powerful.
Or is it the madam of Social Lender, Faith Adesemowo? She was explicit and exquisite in her thoughts. Hitting every hurdles with already experience tags. I like that words of her "no one is for everyone." Like seriously! Those words got me thinking for minutes.
Efosa Ojomo, the sustainability and innovation guru. The one who says "Not all enterprise is for profit making, but all enterprise is started with money." I shouted in the silence of voice. What a distinct talk with no barrier.
The design thinking Project offered me a wide latitude to express ingenuity, learn and share ideas during the innovation readiness program. It was simply my best experience so far as an innovator.