Success Beyond Financial Gains: The Journey of an Innovator

7 May.2021

8 min.

To be a winner, it isn't mandatory to make each and every idea successful in the proper (financial) meaning of the word. Success can have many different meanings for people.

Roland Donner is Sustainable Development Manager and Change Ambassador at Siemens Energy, based in the German town called Mülheim an der Ruhr.

He's also the 'CEO of his own idea' and therefore, a proud RedBox alumnus of the KICKBOX Intrapreneurship program.

Even though his original business model was not feasible, it was a highly inspiring experience for him. Taking part in the program has, and still does have an effect on his work routine.

Discover more about Roland's learnings from taking part in the KICKBOX program in this blogpost.

RedBox Phase: Validation Phase

The idea which Roland submitted to the program, was that of installing solar roofs on all Siemens Energy buildings, starting with the 680 square-meters of the German branch located at Mülheim an der Ruhr, in order to produce green power for operating the company’s machines.

This idea arose from both from his roles in social responsibility and sustainability at Siemens Energy. The company’s declared climate protection goals are to run 100% green electricity by 2023 and a climate-neutral balance for all operations all over the world by the year 2030.

Roland was already familiar with the KICKBOX program and loved the idea of being able to pursue an idea in the context of an innovation management program. He had encountered the concept during an in-house fair and shortly after, Siemens Energy launched KICKBOX globally.

During 2020, Roland came up with his idea, but was at first hesitant whether this idea was really 'KICKBOX-worthy'. His thought was, 'If this idea is achievable, I will take this chance!'

Roland smirks while remembering this initial period. 'I was all alone with this idea. My friends and colleagues were quite skeptical at first and pointed out that solar panels were not really our company’s core business – and inventive Roland comes along with such an idea.'

Roland has always been very creative throughout his life. While he's been working for Siemens for almost 30 years, he is also an autodidact, an actor, a painter, a talk show host, and a cabaret artist. Some might say that he's a jack of all trades.

Roland then proposed his idea to the Siemens Energy KICKBOX team, after which he was encouraged to continue, by receiving a RedBox.

The Process

After receiving the RedBox, Roland met his KICKBOX coach who provided helpful tips and motivated him. Thanks to the KICKBOX program, Roland was now able to dedicate himself to the photovoltaic project during 20% of his working hours. Plus, he received a lot of support from work colleagues and managers. They all embraced the RedBox project, because they recognized that they were integral to a pivotal transformation process and could reap the rewards of the company's ongoing positive evolution.

After meeting many experts, Roland was able to greatly expand his knowledge regarding sustainable energies and learned a lot about the costs involved and the possibilities of photovoltaic systems.

At the same time, both his professional and service network transformed and grew steadily, and he gained several insights concerning the universal Kickbox methodology which teaches innovators to focus not only on the idea itself, but also on many other topics.

The journey was a challenging one. Roland had to clarify some major points such as static problems, a land register entry and a veto from the Siemens Real Estate department, before realizing that his initial idea was just not feasible. Unfortunately, Roland had to retire his idea and his hopes of pursuing a BlueBox, after what had been an intensive validation cycle.

Embracing the Value of Real-World Experiences

Despite this setback, Roland is not disappointed at all. He sums it up, 'Above all, I realized how important it is to concentrate on the problem itself, to mercilessly question who my customer is, and to know exactly how they will benefit from my solution. All of this cannot be achieved by reading a chapter in an innovation textbook. It can only be internalized when you gain experiences that touch you personally.'

The Journey Isn't Over

And it’s not over yet. Roland’s project has transformed: in some way or form, it continues to make waves around the globe. Roland has received calls from India, Oman, and California, by people asking for help and seeking his advice, after they heard about his idea and adapted it to their circumstances.

Roland rejoices, 'It’s really fascinating and a great opportunity to support people. I created a kind of open place where we can discuss and evaluate projects. My idea spans the world like a gigantic, friendly octopus.'

Roland enjoyed his time partaking in the KICKBOX program. He appreciated the extensive personal and professional lessons from his KICKBOX coaches – so much so that he is now also a KICKBOX networking expert regarding topics around photovoltaics.

He also played a role in the construction of a charging station for electric cars on the company premises, and is already preparing a new RedBox project with the support of his colleagues from Berlin, Ludwigsfelde, and Nuremberg.

A Career Highlight

'The entire journey was - and still is a highlight in my career,' says Roland. 'Although the solar panel idea was actually not a success, it’s all about making the world a better place. And we at Siemens Energy are indeed well on our way. We are taking a turn for the better. A transformation takes time and when we have kindred spirits at our side then everything is possible!'

With all these innovative projects, Siemens will surely achieve its ambitious goals by 2030. Siemens will show both its clients and 90.000 employees all over the world that a change is indeed possible – even in big companies and also thanks to the KICKBOX program.

'Well, I know that it’s a rocky path and surely not easy, but I know that it is right,' confirms Roland, 'and the whole KICKBOX-thing surely actuated a lot.'

Who is the KICKBOX Program for?

Roland Donner is truly enthusiastic about this program. He recommends it to all people who are passionate about leaving the world a better place.

'During my artistic career, I developed an ability to quickly get a feeling whether there is something special slumbering in the people I talk to. And if I notice something special, I ask them directly if they have already heard about KICKBOX.', says Roland.

A last piece of advice which Roland has for all prospective Kickboxers: 'Be creative, adapt, and grow with challenges.'

Comic strip of 'The Rick Thunder Story' by Innovator and Kickboxer Roland Donner

Roland's artistic side, combine with the deep imprint which the KICKBOX journey left on him, inspired him to craft a KICKBOX comic which he named 'The Rick Thunder Story'.

Innovators require the the right innovation management tools to make their ideas a reality. KICKBOX Intrapreneurship provides adequate tools and methods to guide innovators along their innovation journey. Contact us to find out more, or to schedule a free demo.

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