In professional services, the word innovation can make people switch off.
It sounds expensive, time-consuming, and far removed from the day-to-day work of clients and delivery.
But most firms don’t lack creativity — they lack structure for it.
The best ideas often appear in corridor conversations, client meetings, or mentoring chats, and then vanish because nobody captures or builds on them.
This is where HR and L&D can help.
You can create space for new ideas without needing an away day, a big budget, or sticky notes on every wall.
Better questions make better conversations
Before you think about structure, start with the right questions.
These prompts work well with partner groups and leadership teams — they’re open, practical, and easy to adapt.
Understanding the Present
- What’s working well that we might be taking for granted?
- Where are we solving the same problem again and again?
- What’s starting to feel outdated — in our services, processes, or habits?
Seeing from the Client’s Perspective
- What are clients asking for now that they weren’t a year ago?
- If you were our client, what would frustrate you most?
- What would we do differently if we were starting this firm today?
Looking Ahead
- What will our clients need next, even if they don’t see it yet?
- What would we do if we weren’t tied to how things are done now?
- What one bold move could change how we work or grow?
Turning Ideas into Action
- What’s one small experiment we could try in the next month?
- Who needs to be involved for it to work?
- How will we know if it’s made a difference?
How to make ideation sessions work
The aim isn’t to make people “be more creative.”
It’s to give them a structured way to step out of delivery mode and think differently — without it feeling like a gimmick.
Before the session
Do:
- Start with one clear question (e.g. How can we deepen client relationships in 2026?)
- Mix the group — not just partners. Associates and business services often see things leaders don’t.
- Share a short brief so people arrive with context and ideas already forming.
Don’t:
- Call it a “brainstorm.” Try strategy conversation or fresh thinking session.
- Overfill the room — six to eight people is enough for a real discussion.
During the session
Do:
- Begin with something positive: What’s one thing that’s gone well this quarter?
It builds energy and psychological safety. - Capture ideas visually — whiteboard, Miro, or even just a shared document.
- Keep idea generation and evaluation separate — collect first, sort later.
Don’t:
- Let the most senior person speak first.
- Jump straight to “will this work?” before exploring the idea properly.
After the session
Do:
- End with One Action, One Owner, One Timeframe.
- Share a short summary or photo of the ideas within 24 hours.
- Check in a month later: What moved forward? What stalled? What changed?
Don’t:
- File the notes away. Following up is what makes people believe the process is worthwhile.
The role of HR and L&D
You don’t have to run these sessions yourself — your role is to make them easy for others to lead well.
Provide tools and prompts that give structure without slowing momentum.
A simple Fresh Thinking Canvas works well. Four boxes are all you need:
- What’s working well?
- What’s frustrating or outdated?
- What are clients telling us — directly or indirectly?
- What one small experiment will we try next?
Using AI to make ideation easier
Once the ideas are on the table, the hardest part is often what happens next — turning notes into something people can act on.
This is where AI can quietly help.
Summarising the outcomes
After a session, you’re often left with pages of notes or photos of post-its.
A chat-based AI tool can help summarise them into clear themes and next steps.
Example prompt:
“Summarise these notes into three key themes, quick wins, and longer-term ideas.”
“Write a one-page summary of our brainstorming session in a professional, neutral tone.”
It’s still the team’s ideas — just organised faster so they can move forward.
Scenario planning and reflection
AI can also help leaders test assumptions or imagine different futures.
Example prompt:
“If our top three clients changed their model in the next two years, what new needs might they have?”
“What opportunities or risks could arise if our main service area became automated?”
It’s not about predicting the future — it’s about widening the view quickly.
A useful way to spot possibilities before committing time to research or external input.
The principle
AI shouldn’t replace the conversation — it should help leaders spend less time sorting through notes, and more time developing the ideas that matter.
About the Fresh Thinking in Professional Services program
This article draws on themes from Fresh Thinking in Professional Services — a program that helps firms make curiosity, innovation, and reflection part of everyday work.
It supports HR and L&D leaders to:
- Build leadership habits that spark new ideas.
- Help partners move from “delivery mode” to “discovery mode.”
- Create space for collaboration, experimentation, and growth.
If you’d like to explore how the program could work in your firm, you can read more here.
