Episode #10: The Nine Step Innovation Process

Why do leaders in Japan need a clear innovation process?

In busy organisations, leaders in 日本企業 (Japanese companies) and 外資系企業 (foreign-owned multinational companies) often have no time to think deeply. Many still act as if “the leader knows everything, just follow orders”. This slows innovation and demotivates teams.

Modern business in 東京 (Tokyo) and across Japan needs a different approach. Leaders must draw on the full brainpower of the whole team, not just their own experience. Yet many companies, even tech firms, have separate R&D activities but no clear, end-to-end innovation process.

A simple 9-step process helps leaders move from “good intentions” to concrete, trackable innovation results.

Mini-summary:
Innovation fails without a clear process. Leaders must shift from “I know best” to “we solve this together” using a structured, repeatable approach.

1. Visualisation: What should our ideal future look like?

Leaders start by defining the “should be”: the ideal future state.
You imagine how all parts of the corporate “machine” work together to deliver better time, cost, and quality.

• Ask: “What would success look like in clear, simple terms?”

• Be careful: If you choose the wrong target, you may hit it perfectly—and still fail.

Effect: Clear visualisation gives everyone the same picture of success.

2. Fact finding: Where are we today?

Next, you define the “as is”: your current reality.

• Collect data, numbers, and examples to understand your true starting point.

• This makes later measurement possible and makes brainstorming easier, because everyone has the same facts.

Effect: Facts turn vague ideas into concrete problems you can solve.

3. Problem or opportunity finding: What is really blocking us?

Now you compare “as is” vs “should be”.

• Ask: “Why aren’t we there already? What is holding us back?”

• List all problems and opportunities, then prioritise them.

• A useful question is: “In what way can we…?” — this opens thinking without blame.

Remember: Busy leaders cannot do everything. You must choose the single most important issue to focus on first.

Mini-summary (Steps 1–3):
Define the ideal future, understand the current reality, and prioritise the most important problem or opportunity. This creates a sharp, shared focus for innovation.

4. Idea finding: How do we open up creativity?

With the goal, facts, and key problem clear, you start generating ideas.

Here you use Green Light Thinking:

• Aim for quantity, not quality, at first.

• No judging, no criticising, no eye-rolling. Even “crazy” ideas are welcome.

• Ask people to write ideas silently first, then share.

• Use a skilled facilitator to make sure everyone speaks, not only the loudest voices.

Even a “stupid” idea can trigger a brilliant one in someone else. Do not kill ideas too early.

5. Solution finding: How do we pick the best ideas?

After you have many ideas, you switch to Red Light Thinking:

• Now you evaluate and judge ideas.

• Methods might include:

  • Simple voting

  • Clear criteria (must-have vs nice-to-have)

  • Leader decision, depending on culture and urgency

Company culture in 日本企業 (Japanese companies) and 外資系企業 (foreign-owned companies) will influence whether you rely more on consensus or on decisive direction.

Mini-summary (Steps 4–5):
First, open the funnel with Green Light Thinking to get many ideas. Then, narrow it with Red Light Thinking to select the few high-impact solutions.

6. Acceptance finding: How do we secure support from decision makers?

An idea may be free, but execution costs time, money, and people. Before doing detailed work:

• Involve senior leaders early.

• Decide whether to run a pilot or go full-scale.

• Do not invest more effort until key stakeholders agree.

Effect: Early buy-in prevents later resistance and wasted work.

7. Implementation: How do we turn ideas into concrete action?

Now you move from plan to execution.

• Create a short, written plan.

• Assign names to each task.

• Set clear timelines with deadlines.

• Keep it simple, but explicit: who does what by when?

This is where リーダーシップ研修 (leadership training) and 営業研修 (sales training) style discipline helps: clear accountability and follow-through.

8. Follow up: How do we make sure things actually happen?

Good intentions are not enough.

• Schedule follow-up meetings at 30, 60, and 90 days.

• Check progress against the plan.

• Hold people accountable and remove roadblocks quickly.

Without follow-up, projects drift and slowly die.

Mini-summary (Steps 6–8):
Get sponsorship, turn ideas into a clear action plan, and use structured follow-up to keep execution on track.

9. Evaluation: Did we really achieve our goal?

If you started with a clear “as is” and “should be”, you can now evaluate:

• Did we reach the target?

• What changed in time, cost, quality, or customer impact?

• Should we continue as is, stop, or modify for even better results?

This step is where プレゼンテーション研修 (presentation training) and エグゼクティブ・コーチング (executive coaching) support leaders in telling the story, learning from it, and scaling success.

Always ask:
“Do we continue, stop, or improve the approach for greater success?”

Mini-summary (Step 9):
Use clear data and goals to decide whether to continue, stop, or adjust. Learning from each project makes your innovation process stronger over time.

For both 日本企業 (Japanese companies) and 外資系企業 (foreign-owned companies) in 東京 (Tokyo):

• It gives leaders a fast and clear structure for innovation.

• It encourages team-based idea generation, not top-down orders.

• It fits with リーダーシップ研修 (leadership training), 営業研修 (sales training), プレゼンテーション研修 (presentation training), エグゼクティブ・コーチング (executive coaching), and DEI研修 (DEI training) by building shared language and habits.

This 9-step method turns innovation from a random event into a repeatable competitive advantage.

Mini-summary:
By following this process, companies in Japan can tap into the full power of their people and leave competitors wondering how they move so fast.

• Innovation needs a simple, clear, 9-step process, not just “good ideas”.

• Start with a sharp picture of the ideal future and the current reality, then prioritise the most important problem.

• Use Green Light Thinking to generate many ideas, and Red Light Thinking to choose the best ones.

• Secure senior buy-in, execute with clear owners and timelines, follow up at 30/60/90 days, and evaluate results to keep improving.

Founded in the U.S. in 1912, Dale Carnegie Training has supported individuals and companies worldwide for over a century in leadership, sales, presentation, executive coaching, and DEI. Our Tokyo office, established in 1963, has been empowering both Japanese and multinational corporate clients ever since, helping them apply practical innovation processes like this 9-step method to win in the Japan market and beyond.