IRDG Annual Conference 2018: Leading Innovation for Business Growth

Business Growth

Events

Solutions used:

Business Growth
Events

This week, InvoiceFair’s founding team Helen Cahill CEO and Peter Brady CFO attended the IRDG Annual Conference at the Lyrath Estate, Kilkenny. This flagship event is an executive gathering of IRDG members ranging from large MNCs, SMEs and Representative bodies including Enterprise Ireland who in partnership with 15 Institute of Technologies nationwide have established a network of technology gateways working in the industry. The event was a great opportunity for delegates to take time out to reflect on their own businesses and how innovation can be a catalyst to drive growth.

Working Capital Innovation

Exhibiting at this event InvoiceFair was reinforcing how powerful innovation can be within the finance departments of companies. Our team met a wide range of exciting businesses all interested in the InvoiceFair model and how our solutions could give them a competitive edge in their respective markets. InvoiceFair can provide companies, across all sectors, access to an alternative source of funding enabling them to fund their business while innovating at their own speed.

A thought-provoking event, IRDG curated a panel of speakers focused on the theme ‘Leading Innovation for Business Growth’. Ranging from various fields of expertise the presentations were focused on bringing innovation to different elements of your business. The topics discussed included design thinking, the internet of things, innovative leadership, creativity and workplace culture.

Design Thinking and authentic leadership

Some of the most compelling and important topics of the day were leadership and creating a workplace culture that can invigorate your business. The audience of business leaders were reminded that people are at the core of innovation and ultimately the success of any business.

Holly O’Driscoll, former Global Design Thinking leader at Procter & Gamble and Dr Gareth Jones, an expert in leadership from the IE University in Madrid, both gave the audience food for thought on what actual competencies and traits define a great leader. Gareth shared the importance of authenticity in leadership and shared that being a great leader is a learned skill that takes time to master. Holly stressed the importance of having the appropriate conditions in place before innovation can truly develop within an organisation. She talked about the three Cs – It is the role of a leader to promote Curiosity, Courage and Candour within the organisation and that this will result in teams openly and confidently pushing through the limits to innovate. Furthermore, applying the concepts of design thinking ‘Empathise, Define, Ideate, Prototype and Test’ can be used to drive this innovation within your business.

As the event came to a close, the audience felt inspired as they were told that effective leaders use their emotions to liberate the energy of others and as Dr Gareth Jones said to strive to: