Unleashing idea management: KIROI step 7 for managers

At the centre of modern corporate management is the Idea management as a decisive lever for sustainable innovation and employee retention. Managers in particular are required to actively shape and support this process. KIROI Step 7 offers a pioneering approach that transforms the classic suggestion scheme into a lively, company-wide innovation network. In this article, you will learn how you as a manager can use KIROI Step 7 to optimise your Idea management and thus leverage real potential for change.

KIROI Step 7: A holistic support concept for idea management

The seventh step in the KIROI concept understands Idea management as a continuous, integrative process. The aim is not just to record individual suggestions, but to network the innovative power of all areas of the company in a sustainable way. The entire process of developing and realising ideas is systematically supported through targeted guidance. This creates a dynamic interplay of impetus, feedback and implementation.

For example, a chemical company promotes dialogue between the laboratory and production via moderated workshops so that product improvements from the field are immediately fed back to the development team. Similarly, a mechanical engineering company digitally networks its customer service and sales departments so that customer feedback is directly integrated into innovation meetings. And a medium-sized IT company organises regular ideas cafés to discuss unconventional solutions across departments.

The change from a suggestion scheme to a culture of innovation

Many managers report that traditional suggestion schemes often only work selectively. Ideas often remain unprocessed or lose visibility. This is precisely where KIROI Step 7 comes in: By defining clear responsibilities and establishing regular feedback cycles, it creates transparency and motivation. This helps teams to actively develop and implement their suggestions.

One example is a telecommunications provider that uses digital platforms to bundle and evaluate ideas from all areas and present their progress transparently. An automotive supplier, on the other hand, involves managers in permanent review rounds so that adjustments to the process can be made quickly. At the same time, a healthcare provider promotes a climate of openness where experimental approaches are also expressly desired and supported.

Fields of action for managers in idea management

Managers take on key roles in the implementation of KIROI Step 7. Their core tasks include, Idea management as an integral part of the corporate culture and to actively support it. The following areas of action are central to this:

• Clear communication of goals and expectations: This creates orientation and motivates employees to contribute their suggestions. For example, a service provider uses the SMART method to define goals in order to formulate realistic targets for its innovation projects.
• Promotion of cross-departmental co-operation: Network different competences in a targeted manner in order to utilise synergies. A producer organises cross-divisional innovation teams that look at challenges from multiple perspectives.
• Introduction of transparent assessments and feedback processes: These strengthen trust in the process and enable continuous improvements. One software company, for example, uses scoring models to objectively select ideas and provides timely feedback to the submitters.
• Systematic use of digital tools: Software solutions facilitate the recording, evaluation and tracking of ideas. For example, a logistics company uses a cloud-based platform that keeps everyone involved up to date at all times.
• Support through coaching and moderation: External or internal coaches support the removal of blockages and the promotion of creativity. Through transruption coaching, a financial services provider experiences how teams develop new perspectives and overcome barriers to innovation.

BEST PRACTICE with one customer (name hidden due to NDA contract) The managers of a manufacturing company integrated KIROI Step 7 as a fixed process component in their annual planning. Regular design sprints and feedback loops made it possible to validate cross-departmental ideas more quickly and implement concrete pilot projects. The employees reported greater appreciation and a noticeable innovation dynamic.

Practical tips for unleashing idea management

In order to successfully implement KIROI step 7, managers should consider the following impulses:

• Create space for dialogue, for example through regular innovation meetings or digital platforms.
• Strengthen employees' personal responsibility and encourage their participation across departmental boundaries.
• Use proven evaluation tools such as SWOT analyses to prioritise ideas transparently.
• Encourage experimentation and learn from failures rather than sanctioning them.
• Build bridges between strategy and operational implementation by setting measurable goals and constantly reviewing them.

Companies from a wide range of sectors, such as the automotive supply industry, healthcare and information technology, report improved agility, faster implementation and greater employee satisfaction thanks to a well-implemented Idea management.

My analysis

KIROI step 7 impressively demonstrates how Idea management can grow beyond the traditional collection of suggestions into a continuous, integrative process. Managers play a central role here as facilitators and enablers. Through clear structures, transparent communication and targeted support, they sustainably develop the creativity of their teams. In this way, individual ideas become sustainable innovations that make companies future-proof. The diverse examples from various industries illustrate how universally effective this rethink is. This is how Idea management is not only becoming more relevant, but is also becoming a decisive success factor in modern organisational development.

Further links from the text above:

Idea management as a management tool
KIROI step 7 for company-wide innovation
Idea management - Wikipedia
Rethinking idea management: KIROI step 7 for sustainable innovation
KIROI step 7: Rethink idea management across the organisation

For more information and if you have any questions, please contact Contact us or read more blog posts on the topic Artificial intelligence here.