The largest business breakthroughs often did not have their origin in boardrooms or official conferences – some came out of simple talkings around an office water cooler and this is proof that creativity strikes from the strangest places.
The Post-it Note Revolution
One day in 1974, Art Fry, a scientist at 3M and lifelong choral singer was chatting with colleague Spencer Silver near the water cooler of their office asking if he had any ways to apply some adhesive properties. Fry said he got tired of bookmarks falling out of his hymnal while singing in choir practice. The idea for one of arguably the greatest billion dollar product lines was had in a casual conversation like that. For Office Water Coolers Swansea, visit https://www.waterforyou.net/bottled-office-water-coolers-wales/swansea
Southwest Airlines Takes Flight
Southwest Airlines was conceived as a concept in an informal conversation between Rollin King and Herb Kelleher at an Air West airlines cocktail party in San Antonio on June 18, 1966. On a napkin, King drew out the airline’s innovative point-to-point route system and how they could undercut major carriers with lower fares for flying without frills.
The Birth of Federal Express
The whole overnight concept that fueled Fred Smith actually started with offhand conversations among colleagues over at Yale. His business plan received a C from his economics professor, but those casual campus brainstorming sessions eventually spawned the express delivery industry.
These moments remind us that the breakthrough concepts arise when genius minds are shooting the breeze in a casual manner, thus making every water cooler discussion potentially mythical.