Get it done! The power of the coach in an innovation program

30 young people, 6 propositions, 3 months, 1 unique opportunity to pitch to the industry during the Impact Event: the stakes are high at the Youth Innovation Program (JIP). The Dutch Association for Insurers and MakerLab recently organized the 8th edition of this event. The goal? Expanding the network and learning to innovate from an expert.

Six groups of enthusiastic young people from the insurance industry worked on their proposition under the guidance of a MakerLab coach. The role of the coach is crucial to success. How do you ensure that at the end of those three months there is actually something to present to the movers & shakers in the insurance world?

We talked about it with MakerLabs program lead Jornt van Dijk and Jesse Owie, who organized this latest edition of the JIP from the Insurance Association.

What should I imagine about the JIP?

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Jesse: 'In five days spread over three months, participants will work in groups to come up with an innovation together. Sector wide, so not a proposition that only one particular insurer will benefit from.'

Jornt: 'It is a kind of stretched design sprint, where we from MakerLab partly teach but also really coach a group through an initial innovation problem. Not just listening, doing.'

What do you get out of it as a participant?

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Jesse: 'Personally, I find the network you build very valuable, as well as the experience. In my work I now recognize situations: oh yes, I learned that here. The foundation has been laid.'

Jornt: "Exactly. At the end they understand why we go through such a process in a certain way; I see that as the biggest result. If an idea jumps out at an insurer and you have someone from our program nearby who recognizes it and dares to take it up, thanks to the JIP, you get innovation traction. Look, and this is how good ideas get to the market!

What are the most important qualities and tips of a good innovation coach?

1. Make it small

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Jesse: "The theme this time was: insurance for everything and everyone. Under that, in turn, there are sub-themes, such as "the vulnerable of the future" and "virtual property," for example. So it's very broad.'

Jornt: "At the beginning there is always a lot of enthusiasm; they formulate the biggest problems they want to solve. We have to contain that, because we only have five days. Moreover, with these kinds of big topics you quickly end up in endless discussions, where our brains can no longer distinguish where to go. There is just too much information. Simplifying that and thus creating a little bit of progress is our job.'

Jesse: "It's important that the topics are relevant to the insurance world, but besides that, it's also nice if you can test and experiment.

Jornt: 'The best themes are new, relevant trends that people actually have an image of. You understand what is happening and therefore you can dream about it, brainstorm, experiment, and the insurance world finds it interesting.'

2. Listen first and then ask (the right!) questions

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Jesse: 'The most important quality of a coach is that he must be a good listener and know what the needs are within the group and which way people are thinking. A good coach makes you look at things in a different way by asking questions.'

Jornt: "That's right. Innovation is an incredibly social profession; you have to be able to sense why someone is saying something in a group discussion. Only then can you maintain the atmosphere and give the process a push in the right direction.'

3. Keep the ball rolling and in the air

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Jornt: "If things are a little slower, I try to keep the energy going. In innovation, it's not that one person is more right than another - we all don't know yet. We have to choose from a group process.'

Jesse: 'If you've spent a lot of time working out a thought, sometimes it's hard to let go of something. That's when a coach's expertise comes in.'

Jornt: "You, as the coach, are the innovation partner. If we don't know it already, the group certainly won't move forward. You also need a certain kind of decisiveness. If necessary, you have to have the courage to tie the knot.'

4. A piece of unburdening

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Jesse: "As a participant, you sometimes forget that the coaches also do a lot for you in addition to conveying information. If a certain design is needed, for example a logo or a presentation, they have the skills to set it up more professionally. That saves so much time.

Jornt: "Good to hear! It's satisfying when you can add value to a process. What are they talking about? Can I do something with this? Do they need help? When you see a group flourish thanks to the methods and knowledge you brought, that's cool.'

5. It's allowed to be really fun

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Jornt: "Don't forget: these are young insurers. They come to learn something, but also for fun and to network. It should remain a bit light-hearted. That they look back and think: I really had fun.'

Jesse: "We always get more applications than we have room for. Everyone is so enthusiastic... The bond you build is strong - that network is in there forever. Many people want to come back in subsequent years to mentor or to watch at the Impact Event.'

6. End with a bang

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Jesse: 'What has stayed with me most as a participant is the Impact Event at the end where you present your idea to a room full of people from the industry. Even the management sits there.'

Jornt: "We hang relatively high value on the pitch, for the information they were able to gather in that short time. It's a good exercise to present your story as if you were asking for millions in funding. That requires you to be able to convince people of your point of view. A piece of ownership.

Jesse: "Yes, the coaches definitely have a role in that. How do you make sure that you say the right things when you make a pitch like that? That you don't say too much, that the structure is right and that you project the right message? It is typical of the JIP that everyone wants to do the pitch. Everyone is involved and enthusiastic.'

Jornt: "What also strikes me is that there is a curve of emotions with participants. They start enthusiastically, then a bit of realism sinks in, but they always end on a high note. Full of enthusiasm when they have run an experiment and find some form of proof. And then a pitch like that is really the stunner. Super fun to see.