SME and ETI managers want more time for their quest for inspiration.

The Bpifrance study of 500 executives reveals that the leaders of SMEs and mid-caps devote on average only 10% of their time to activities related to the search for inspiration, although they would ideally like to spend twice as much. This gap reflects a significant frustration, with managers perceiving inspiration not only as a competitive lever (37% of respondents) but also as a duty attached to their role (33%).

Direct exchanges and professional events are the preferred sources of inspiration.

SME and mid-caps managers prefer direct interaction, such as discussions with experts and attendance at professional events, to gather relevant ideas. Nearly 45% of the managers questioned find these exchanges more useful than academic resources for identifying innovative practices. Furthermore, 38% turn to their professional networks at events to obtain practical advice, while only 7% prefer to read specialist studies.

Reading and social networks are major tools for monitoring trends.

The executives surveyed read regularly to keep abreast of current trends, with 67% saying they read several times a week. They mainly turn to press articles (57%), followed by works of fiction (18%) and essays (10%). Social networks also play a key role in their monitoring, with 65% of executives consulting them several times a week. This monitoring enables them not only to keep abreast of changes in society and the market, but also to gather useful information to anticipate entrepreneurial challenges.

Inspiration for managers can come at any time and from a variety of sources.

In addition to time spent reading or attending events, SME and mid-caps managers are constantly on the lookout for new ideas, whether through informal discussions, news reports or day-to-day observations. Their minds are constantly on the alert, ready to pick up on any ideas that could feed into their company’s strategic thinking.

To find out more (in French): Trouver l’inspiration en tant que chef d’entreprise : entre manque de temps et pratiques variées (bpifrance.fr)