By Duncan Bucknell
It’s all very well for external consultants to talk about what’s needed in IP Strategy. Most IP Strategy is done in-house, with internal clients and with considerable personal risk.
Here are 6 qualities we’ve noticed in those operating at a very high level as in-house IP Strategists. Thank you to those brilliant internal IP Strategists that we work alongside.
They make decisions
Uncertainty is everywhere in IP Strategy, particularly for those faced with the practical realities of the in-house environment. At the end of the day, you are going to have to make a call and justify it to your senior executives. The best in-house IP Strategists demonstrate excellence at knowing when to make that call, and how to back it up.
They gather and interpret the right information
One of the hallmarks of excellence in Strategy is the ability to gather and utilize intelligence. In today’s world there is an overload of information. The best in-house IP Strategists know where and when to get the information they need to inform their decisions.
They are good at identifying the likely range of future events
While it’s not quite predicting the future, at times, top in-house IP Strategists seem to know what’s coming. Of course, this is more about experience and understanding the range of likely possibilities than crystal ball gazing. Their information handling skills adds to this ‘sixth sense’. Of course, the very best have strategic moves ready for those times when they are wrong as well.
They are thinkers
The best in-house IP Strategists challenge assumptions and ideas and test them constantly. This leads to some brilliant moments from a professional perspective for us, as we debate and refine the approach and thinking alongside such clients. The very best are of course not only challenging the views of external consultants, but also their own.
They never stop evolving their approaches
The best in-house IP Strategists never forget that what worked today will not necessarily work tomorrow. They need to keep their senses tuned to the environment and for ways to improve and evolve their approach. This is often why we are brought in on engagements for new clients.
They understand the broader landscape within and outside their companies
The best in-house IP Strategists understand that to be effective they have to garner support internally, convince people of their views, and help others to get their own jobs done. The very best are socially and politically astute and take this to another level when dealing with other actors in a scenario, including competitors, suppliers, customers, collaborators and so on.
What would you add?
ipstrategy.com 
Leave a Reply