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Why Get Certified?

Check out the benefits of innovation certification by the Global Innovation Management Institute

IMPROVED JOB READINESS

GIM Institute certified innovation professionals are able to successfully lead efforts in ambiguous, uncertain and fast moving environments. Apply the tools and concepts you learned to find new growth opportunities. Moreover, we continually update and improve our content to ensure that our certifications reflect the current skills, knowledge and best practices you need to succeed, and stay current as the profession changes.

GLOBAL RECOGNITION

GIM Institute credential are the only one designed specifically for innovation and to be globally recognized. Our global standards have created a clear and consistent pathway for innovation professionals around the world. Moreover, we have been working with universities, corporations, industry associations and governments to spread the adoption of the standards around the world.

LIKE-MINDED COMMUNITY

GIM Institute certifications entitle candidates access to the GIM Institute’s network of certified professionals around the world. Connect to and learn from certificate holders. Find new ways to solve innovation challenges or further your career.

UNIVERSAL INNOVATION SKILLS

Our certifications are not based on one specific industry or methodology. Our certifications are relevant worldwide, giving professionals the recognition and flexibility to use their knowledge, skills and competencies anywhere regardless of job responsibilities or career levels, and are transferable between companies, industries and geographic locations.

INCREASED MARKETABILITY

Distinguish yourself from others. Candidates certified by GIM Institute represent a unique cadre of trained innovators with the proven innovation ability to understand and manage innovation across and beyond the organization.

STEP BY STEP

Self-audit Option

  • Acquire annual license of GIMI Audit Tool for organizations (here)
  • Conduct the innovation audit for your organization
  • Within 4 weeks time, GIM Institute reviews the audit results, provides you with recommendations on how to improve your innovation strategy, capacity & discipline, and assess the right level of GIMI OMC certification for your organization
  • Acquire Organization Maturity Certification (GIMI OMC), for $2500 per level
BECOME A GIMI

GIMI certified auditors

  • Contact GIM Institute to recommend you the 3rd-party GIMI auditor, based on your industry and location.
  • Receive the proposal from the 3rd-party auditor on audit price and deliverables
  • Within 4 weeks time, GIM Institute reviews the audit results, provides you with recommendations on how to improve your innovation strategy, capacity & discipline, and assess the right level of Organization
  • Maturity Certification (GIMI OMC) for your organization
    Acquire GIMI Organization Maturity Certification (GIMI OMC), for $2500 per level

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Our innovation certifications and programs are designed for anyone interested in becoming certified in innovation as a business discipline, from creative minds to innovation professionals to business leaders mastered in innovation management.

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Our innovation certifications and programs are designed for anyone interested in becoming certified in innovation as a business discipline, from creative minds to innovation professionals to business leaders mastered in innovation management.

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GIMI Ambassadors are passionate innovators who believe in GIMI’s values and mission, and promote their adoption in different communities worldwide

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Certified Training Partners

GIMI Certified Training Providers (CTPs) are training providers, consulting companies or organizations that we have approved to offer training in Innovation Management and issue professional development credits to meet the continuing education requirements needed by GIMI credential holders.

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GIMI partners with universities to deliver custom-designed world-class programs for Undergraduate, Graduate and Executive Education students.

Steps to become a Partner

GIM Institute Committee conducts a due diligence screening to every application to ensure compliance to the criteria set for each partnership. The committee reevaluates the partnership status every year and performs random audits to guarantee high quality standards.

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Apply for our partnership program by answering all questions on the application form below.

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We will review your application, analysing criteria and requirements.

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We will get back to you as soon as possible using the email address provided, usually within 1-2 business days not counting weekends or U.S. holidays.

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The Transformative Experience of GIMI’s Catalyst Training at Innova Latam

As part of Innova Latam, the premier event for innovation in Latin America, over 100 passionate individuals had the privilege of kickstarting their innovation journey with GIMI’s exclusive Catalyst training program. At this exhilarating level, our fearless leaders delved deep into the fascinating world of innovation, unraveling its secrets and immersing themselves in creative problem-solving techniques. It’s not just about ‘what is innovation?’ but discovering the ‘how’ behind turning ideas into practical solutions.

This gathering was not just an event; it was a profound immersion into the very heart of innovation. From understanding the fundamentals to unlocking creative potential, each participant embarked on a transformative journey. It was more than training; it was an experience that ignited the spark of innovation in every curious mind.

GIMI is not just about teaching but inspiring and empowering the creativity of those ready to lead change. Join us as we explore together the exciting journey from idea conception to tangible solutions. Let’s innovate together with GIMI at the epicenter of the creative revolution in Innova Latam!

Dr. Hitendra Patel
CEO of GIMI

For the Love of Generalists

pol·y·math

/ˈpälēˌmaTH/

noun
1. a person of wide-ranging nowledge or learning. a Renaissance polymath

Many people know a polymath or two, and it is likely that you know one, or if you are an innovator, you may be one. A polymath is often referred to as a Renaissance person and is known for being an individual with a wide range of knowledge and expertise in various fields of study. What differentiates a polymath is that they excel in multiple disciplines, which can include science, art, humanities, business and more. Polymaths can generally be identified by their intellectual curiosity, creativity, and ability to synthesize knowledge from different domains to make significant contributions to innovation. Unfortunately, they can also be difficult to work with.

To better understand polymaths, let’s take a moment to look at some of the famous polymaths throughout history:

Leonardo da Vinci (1452-1519): Leonardo da Vinci is perhaps the most famous and iconic polymath in history. He was a painter, sculptor, architect, anatomist, engineer, and inventor. He famously painted the Mona Lisa and the Last Supper. A trip to the Leonardo da Vinci Museum in Florence is a trip any aspiring innovator must experience. He is credited with inventing the parachute and an early attempt at a helicopter (air screw). He was interested in war machines and architecture as well as bridges. Something most of will notice however is that many of his inventions were either never completed or were in process at the time of his death. Failure to complete projects is one of the unfortunate byproducts of the polymath since they are interested in so many things that they sometimes move on to one or more project, only coming back to their original project months or years later, if at all.

One of the most important contributors to western thought and science was Aristotle (384-322 BCE). Most people identify Aristotle as a famous philosopher, be he also dabbled in ethics, biology, physics and metaphysics. Many might respond by pointing out that there wasn’t much to know about biology in those days anyways, so why is that impressive? Consider that while the entire Great Library at Alexandria might have contained 20 Gbs of data, and that prior learning (standing on the shoulders of giants as academics put it), meant that he had little or no prior information from which to draw. His knowledge of biology was generally original and Aristotle’s’ zoology and the classification of species was his greatest contribution to the history of biology. Aristotle’s biological work was the first known attempt to classify animals into groups according to their behavior and, most importantly, by the similarities and differences between their physiologies. Aristotle’s ideas were generally rejected when he first introduced them, but as well know, they were eventually accepted and embraced by the world.

In the western hemisphere, a famous early polymath was Benjamin Franklin (1706-1790). Depending on how you view the world, he was the “guy that discovered electricity”, a politician, or a writer. He created the lighting rod, bifocals and was one of the most influential contributors to the US constitutional convention. What most people do not know is that Franklin also had his own media empire, and he was a postmaster, politician, firefighter, musician, and expert swimmer, among many things. Also, the British, after Franklin endorsed revolution against the crown, considered him a dangerous traitor with a price on his head. Given he was a polymath he also had problems including neglect of his wife, Deborah, and his estrangement from his illegitimate son, William. His writings, too, have been derided for what critics consider their strait-laced Puritanism and materialism. Each of these downsides might be attributed to being a polymath. We seldom hear stories of strong intimate relationships in polymaths. In fact, many polymaths can be short with people who “cannot keep up with them” intellectually.

Obviously, there are many more polymaths we could discuss, but in the name of brevity, we will save them for a book.

As mentioned earlier in this article, polymaths are individuals with expertise in multiple diverse fields. As such, and in a vacuum they tend to be the “prototype innovator”. The key word being “in a vacuum”. Consider that a polymath on your innovation team means that you likely have someone who can understand many perspectives, departments, and viewpoints. As most innovation managers understand, one of the most challenging aspects of innovation is pulling together a diverse team that can represent multiple disciplines while considering upstream suppliers and downstream customers. Accordingly, the rest of this article will discuss the challenges of employing these prototype innovators.

Polymaths have divergent interests, meaning that they have many. A challenge for this type is that they might frequently shift their attention from one filed to another. In certain contexts, this can be bad, but in others, it is part of the innovation process. When one of these people starts to pursue an idea, it’s best to check in with them (with an open mind) to understand what they are pursuing and why. If it seems to even make a bit of sense, let them run with it since it is likely they are pursuing a hunch.

Polymaths can be difficult to work with in a collaborative effort. When trying to find these people, it’s best to evaluate how humble the person might be. Polymaths can be frustrating to specialists because they tend to have strong opinions in multiple areas that may clash with the domain experts. While this may be annoying to some domain experts, the whole idea of innovation is to challenge assumptions and standard operating procedures. Remind your experts that this individual is tasked with challenging convention and the ends might just justify the means.

Organizations that have discovered the power of the polymath sometimes have unreasonable expectations. It is important to remember that just because an individual can do physics, math, and political science, they may not have the ability to play an instrument. The polymath excels in many disciplines, but that does not mean they excel in all disciplines. Accordingly, as the supervisor of a polymath, it is important to understand where they are strong and weak and plug the holes in their knowledge. The polymath will love this since they are always wanting to learn new things.

The typical polymath is a perfectionist. From an innovation perspective, this can be deadly. Innovators know that one of the key drivers to innovation is getting to market before others. Too much attention to detail sometimes means that others beat you to market. We see in software these days that getting the product out and then fixing the known and unknown issues later is a viable strategy since it has become the norm. Supervising your polymath therefore means that you will need to challenge yourself to stay one step ahead and learn to “herd cats”.

Overwhelming curiosity can be a bit off putting for some because of a tendency to lose focus on projects or goals when the next shiny object presents itself. The constant need to explore new ideas or interests can make it challenging to complete tasks for this individual. The effective manager will find a way to manage this individual differently than the normal employee. It’s best to develop a trusting relationship that honors both the needs of the polymath as well as the project. Frequent communications and a sincere respect for the polymath will help develop a collaborative relationship versus a command-and-control relationship.

Specialization is a challenge for the polymath. In a world with so many things to see, do and learn, the polymath tends to be someone who has a hard time picking just one thing to do. Some might call this a generalist, which has become a bit of a dirty word in the current business world. In fact, this is the hardest part of life for the true polymath; being a generalist in a specialist world. The irony is that many of us are looking for generalists who can see the business wholistically, but when we hire an accountant or engineer, we want them to be the best accountant or engineer available. In fact, many universities in the last 20 years have decidedly moved to training more specialists, making the generalist a relic of the past. However, an innovator, in most cases, needs to be a generalist to represent the many constituents in design, manufacturing and sales.

Polymaths tend to converse in multiple specialized languages in a single conversation, jumping from hard science, to social science, to marketing, and back to physics. For this reason, people either can’t follow them in a conversation or they label them as “know-it-alls” and are turned off by them. Most polymaths can relate to people labeling them as liars because they can’t possibly be fluent in so many disparate disciplines. This can lead to the polymath suppressing their knowledge for fear that they will not be believed when they speak of things they know.

Polymaths can be lonely as only a small portion of the population are like minded. Individuals with which to have meaningful discussions are hard to find for these people and they have been known to become frustrated when others don’t seem to grasp what they perceive is knowledge that everyone should have.

Polymaths are susceptible to burnout since having so much to learn and do can lead to spreading themselves too thin. A well-managed polymath can be the most important tool in your innovation toolbelt, but they tend to overwork themselves. As a manager of a polymath, the best thing you can do to them is ignore the fact that they will work extra hours and chase most ideas down the deepest rabbit hole and push them to take time off and pursue activities that are not specific to work.

In conclusion, polymaths can bring unique strengths to the innovation table, including an extraordinary ability to think critically and creatively. They see connections between different fields and innovate in unexpected ways. Their diverse expertise can be a tremendous asset in interdisciplinary projects, problem solving, and fostering a holistic perspective on complex issues. To manage or work effectively with a polymath, it’s important to recognize their strengths and find ways to harness their talents while helping them find ways to harness their talents while helping them manage their various interests and commitments.


October 31, 2023

Dr. Brett Trusko
Director, Board of GIMI-IAOIP
Editor-in-Chief
International Journal of Innovation Science

GIMI Announces Merger Agreement with IAOIP, Forging the Ultimate Global Leader in Innovation

The synergies between IAOIP and GIMI will position the new organization as the absolute leader in innovation management certification and training. The new organization will provide a comprehensive suite of innovation management certification programs and training courses that will help organizations around the world drive innovation excellence. The concentration of thought leaders, journals, career posts etc. will also provide an unparalleled opportunity for members to stay up-to-date on the latest trends in innovation management.

The merger is expected to close in the third quarter of 2023, subject to customary closing conditions.

"This merger is an exciting opportunity to serve bigger/broader audience, as 2 organizations combine their strengths and drive innovative solutions globally - to corporates, government, academia, and nonprofits. We are thrilled to join forces to create an even more impactful global leader and impactful network in innovation thought leadership, management, certification and training".
Dr. Brett Trusko
CEO of IAOIP
"The merger will enable us to offer an even more comprehensive suite of innovation management certification programs, training courses, job postings, and academic journals to clients around the world. We are excited about the opportunities this merger presents for our clients and look forward to working together with IAOIP to drive innovation excellence."
Dr. Hitendra Patel
CEO of GIMI

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GIMI Foresight Program

The Certification is strongly anchored in understanding challenges as major growth steppingstones for the future and it focuses on evidence-based future foresight, with uncertainties at its core, preventing variables that influence the medium and long term futures to be kept on a leash by traditional ways of thinking.

1 Scoping

Design and Frame the Picture

  • Audience, Teams, and Experts
  • Attitudes and Work
  • Environment
  • Key Factors
  • Focal Issue
  • Time Horizon
2 Scanning

Understand and Capture the Horizon

  • Trends and Megatrends
  • Uncertainties and Pre-determined
  • Elements
  • Weak Signals and Emergent Issues
  • Wild Cards and Strategic Surprises
  • Black Swans and Black Elephants
3 Scenarios

Get a deep understanding of the innovation mindset of your people and how to successfully leverage them across the business to drive innovation initiatives.

4 Thinking and Executing

Recommendations on how to achieve better business results through building innovation capability through accelerator programs and workshops.

Strategic Innovation Insight Report

The Strategic Organizational Innovation Report is based on the Organizational Innovation Diagnostic Survey, stakeholder meetings and the individual Innovation Mindset assessment data. With these data combined we will provide insight into the organizational innovation strengths, gaps and roadblocks to help the organization reach its full innovation potential.

1 Innovation Strengths and Roadblocks

Providing detailed insights about the perception of innovation in the business, your challenges, the innovation styles, and how these link to your overall innovation strategy.

2 Leverage Innovation Profiles

Get a deep understanding of the innovation mindset of your people and how to successfully leverage them across the business to drive innovation initiatives.

3 Recommendations & Innovation Acceleration
Recommendations on how to achieve better business results through building innovation capability through accelerator programs and workshops.

Join our community of innovators to stay on top of the most relevant innovation content. We will give you a complementary Glossary to start the way!

GIMI’s Innovation Glossary provides a universal lexicon of innovation. It will serve as a compass to guide you through the vast landscape of innovation