There are moments to treasure in innovation workshops – and this was one for me.I was in Dubai, working with a large group of British Airways people from around the world, together with some Club World customers. We were in the process of brainstorming ways in which BA could transform that part of the airplane, giving itself a real competitive advantage. (See blogpost 16 March 2012, “How long haul business class was transformed”, http://rogerneill.blogspot.co.uk/2012_03_01_archive.html )
Somehow or other, in mid-flow, there emerged a group whine about the food and drink kart. “It’s absolutely awful… it takes up the whole aisle… it looks awful… it’s hard to handle… and if you want to go to the bathroom while it’s there ‒ no chance.”
This seemed to go rolling on, one criticism following another in an apparently endless stream.
Then I noticed that a hand went up at the back, rather tentatively at first, then a little more assertively. “Yes, Fred.” Shamefully I forget his real name. “What would you like to add?”
“Well,” said Fred, “me and my team designed that kart twenty five years ago. It’s really just a box with a lot of shelves. And people have complained about it ever since. But no one seems to have found a way to improve on it.”
There was a hush around the room as everyone took this in. It seemed to me that people had realised that here was a man who, with his team, had created a genuine innovation, what’s more one that had stood the test of time. There was a slight but definite sense of shame about all that whinging.
And then, slowly, the applause started. They all stood up and applauded.
Quite right too!
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