What is the Kickbox Method?
The Kickbox method is a bottom-up innovation management method and methodology that aims to engage employees in the innovation process while simultaneously creating valuable business cases.
It was first introduced by Mark Randall, former Chief Strategist and VP of Creativity at Adobe, in 2013. This method of bottom-up innovation has since supported over 1000 companies in their innovative practices. The Kickbox methodology is open-source, and we at rready have built on and expanded the original program to form the KICKBOX Intrapreneurship program.
The KICKBOX program enables every employee to take an active role in the company's innovation process by submitting and validating their own ideas. No gates are set at the beginning of the process and every participant has the chance to prove that their idea can be valuable to the company.
Who Can Use the Kickbox Method?
While the Kickbox method is primarily used by large organizations, who may need help recapturing their initial entrepreneurial spirit, it can also be used by mid-sized companies. It is used by multi-nationals, educational institutions, government agencies, nonprofits etc. to generate a greater volume of ideas, create a culture of innovation, and make innovation a part of the company's DNA.
Organizations that adopt this innovation method, do so because it is a decentralized, scalable, and ‘fail-safe’ approach to innovation. It also promotes increased employee engagement through gamified elements, encourages intrapreneurship, and allows employees to work on their ideas whenever creativity strikes.
What is the Process of KICKBOX Intrapreneurship?
The most successful companies of the future will be those that leverage emerging technologies to drive their innovation efforts at scale. KICKBOX Intrapreneurship is a powerful program that helps organizations to fully embrace the Kickbox method.
Kickbox’s polarizing core principles are collective group intelligence versus individual action and responsibility. Meanwhile, it celebrates the fact that the organization already has the personnel to innovate and take the organization to new heights.
KICKBOX helps take the process to new heights, by having the innovator complete three key stages as detailed below:
RedBox: Validation Phase
The RedBox phase lasts two months. The goal here is for the Innovator (also referred to as Kickboxer) to validate his idea and its potential. Therefore, they receive a 1,000 CHF budget, 20% of their working time, access to internal and external experts and much more. Eventually, the Kickboxer has to convince a sponsor with a pitch presentation, to secure entry to the next phase.
BlueBox: Pilot
If the Kickboxer manages to find a sponsor, the four-month BlueBox phase starts. With a budget of CHF 10,000-50,000, they will run a pilot with real customers. They will additionally get access to coaching sessions, sprint workshops and many useful innovation modules.
GoldBox: Implementation Phase
After the innovator has proven that there is real business potential behind their idea, the GoldBox phase starts. They have created their dream job and now work full-time on the project. This can be within a line organization or in the form of a corporate spin-off for example.
Driving Employee-led Innovation
Through KICKBOX Intrapreneurship, numerous organizations successfully harness the innovative power of their employees. The hands-on, gamified process, makes innovation accessible to anyone, regardless of their position or innovative expertise. Beyond the business impact this can have for organizations in realizing new products, services, or process improvements, the learning effect for the innovators themselves is tremendous. This helps to cultivate a culture of innovation and creativity, enabling companies to continue driving innovation forward.
If you want to learn more about KICKBOX Intrapreneurship and the Kickbox method, as well as how to start implementing it in your company, contact the rready team today.
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