PROF. DR. SILKE N. FINKEN
PROF. DR. SILKE N. FINKEN:
Professor for Innovation Management & Keynote speaker
My extensive experience in strategy consulting, innovation management, and research and teaching provide a unique overall perspective on the challenges companies face in fostering innovative ideas and future-proofing their strategy:
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As a project leader at Bain & Company, I supported companies in various industries in their growth and strategy projects
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As Head of Innovation Management at DZ BANK's Transaction Banking, I introduced innovation processes and methods in the organization, established a culture fostering and promoting innovation, and developed new products and business ideas for various customer groups with my team
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As a professor of innovation management, I now share these experiences with executives and companies, and also continuously research new developments in the field of innovation management and strategy development
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As a keynote speaker, I have been speaking regularly at conferences (Euroforum, Bankverlag, BankingClub, Flemings, ...) or internal company events. I am active as a podcast and interviewexpert, lead strategy and innovation workshops for companies and chair expert and industry conferences. I also have been awarded "best speaker" at various international conferences
My experiences in- and outside of companies allow me to give valuable impulses, point out new perspectives and initiate sparks for internal development and change. This also includes thought-provoking impulses that nudge people to leave their comfort zone but are difficult to voice from an internal position. But only challenging the status quo allows employees and teams to grow and develop in the long run.
My approach
Structure and creativity, analytically supported evolution and disruption - for me, reconciling these opposites is part of successfully aligning organizations and business models with future opportunities and challenges. A resilient and sustainable future-orientation and successful innovation management require a triad of strategy, culture and the right tools:
Structure and creativity, analytically supported evolution and disruption - for me, reconciling these opposites is part of successfully aligning organizations and business models with future opportunities and challenges. A resilient and sustainable future-orientation and successful innovation management require a triad of strategy, culture and the right tools:
Strategy:
We live in very dynamic and volatile times. Managers must therefore continuously ask themselves: What are the critical emerging trends and changes? Which opportunities and risks arise? How do we have to adapt our strategy and business model?
Culture:
The goal is to promote innovative and entrepreneurial behavior. To achieve this, managers must create a culture in which people dare to express even unconventional and disruptive ideas and are then willing to lead the resulting projects. This also includes dealing constructively with failure and actively learning from mistakes. Trust and personal responsibility are important foundations - for each individual and for the entire organization. Without such a culture there can be no substantial innovation.
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Methods/Tools:
Innovative methods help to establish a good innovation culture and foster promising ideas. Approaches such as design thinking combine structure and creativity and facilitate collaboration between different characters and roles. But they also quickly test and challenge ideas and obtain valuable customer feedback to focus important resources on the most promising ideas.
Let's get to know each other personally
As a former consultant, I focus on results and the most important consequences: what do trends and changes mean precisely for an industry, a company, a team, or a manager? As an innovator, I question and challenge existing rules and barriers and consistently look beyond the status quo. As a keynote speaker and trainer, I communicate success-critical topics in a lively and inspiring way, show new perspectives and motivate my participants to go beyond previous boundaries and grow out of their comfort zone.
