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 the BA-ThinkTank is an integrated part of the BA-Meetup Have you ever had a tough problem for which you couldn't easily find a solution? In a time where the industry is still limping, the Think Tank may be the most desired industry dialogue. A Think Tank is a discussion form that is new to this industry. New ideas are more imaginative, original and creative when "hatched" in the company of a group of people who are willing to take on the challenge of being instrumental in making significant changes. Change happens all the time. Things are becoming increasingly complex. The pressure is on the industry to come up with new ideas and new ways. The ThinkTank is an instrument in finding leadership for change. What is the BA-ThinkTank about? The BA-ThinkTank is best characterized in terms of a process rather than a structure and therefore defined as a process for in-depth consideration of issues and challenges whose relevance reaches beyond the individual persons, businesses, operations, associations, and time frames. The Think-Tank will intensively discuss how a future generation of aviation professionals and operations may handle interdisciplinary matters in an ideal manner. It will suggest a pragmatic framework to improve synergy, enhance knowledge sharing and collaboration. It will foster innovation. Who needs it? Innovation is the number one contributor to growth. How do you find new ideas, new ways; how to be innovative? Responding to change and a need to innovate require an approach that goes beyond conventionalist thinking and discussion. If we continue to think the way we always do, we would not come up with anything new, would we? Leaders usually break rules of traditional thinking; fearlessly challenging conventional wisdom, unthinking and rethinking ideas and solutions. Starting Point "If we could create Business Aviation from point zero, without obstructions or distractions, how would we set it up and what would it look like?" We have to create our own future. We have to be proactive. We learned from the past experiences but we have to move on decisively. Any trick of the trade will be used to move forward from the starting point of the Think Tank: Challenging, Redefining, Adapting, Modifying, Magnifying, Minifying, Substituting, Rearranging, Reversing, Combining, Infusing, etc. We will create benchmarks and determine best practices. We must have the courage to do things in a new and better way to make a difference. That is kind of leadership that must come out of this BA-ThinkTank. BA-ThinkTank schedule Wednesday, Nov. 2, 2:00 pm - 3:30 pm Think Tank Session 1 (90 minutes) 20 min presentation on the rules of engagement, and to identify and introduce the essentials for discussion. 70 minutes of interactive discussions Thursday, Nov. 3, 2:00 pm - 3:30 pm Think Tank Session 2 (90 minutes) 10 minute summary of preceding session of Wednesday 80 minutes interactive discussions Friday Nov. 4, 9:00 am - 12:45 Think Tank Session 3 (90 minutes) 9:00 am - 10:30 am 10 minute summary of preceding session of Thursday 80 minutes of interactive discussions Coffee break 10:30 am - 11:15 am Think Tank Session 4 (90 minutes) 11:15 am - 12:45 pm 60 minutes of concluding discussions 30 minute summary of benchmarks and recommendations to the industry Why can't it be done in one day? The BA-ThinkTank is a very serious meeting and it has be done in a serious way. The sessions are for participants gathered to jointly discuss matters. When there is no scheduled session, these participants will still discuss things and kick ideas around either one-on-one or in small groups. It is not wise to organize these small-scale discussions, because participants have to, and will find each other to discuss things. Mind you that these small gatherings do not need reserved rooms, since the venue is very spacious such that there a large variety of locations (eight restaurants and bars plus lounge areas) to sit down. There are a number of terraces outside the hotel. Mind that Daytona Beach Florida at the time of the conference still has 72F/22C degree temperatures. So, it is like an event where a treaty is negotiated. There are formal meetings (the sessions) and then there are discussions "in the corridors". Expected is that the unorganized individualized discussions provide the content that will be brought in for discussion at large in the next session. "Sleeping on it", when the next session is on the following day, is important in the process of molding ideas. Who are the leading panel members? Each panel will be composed of independent thinking professionals and they may become known as leaders of thought in the industry. The panel will have representatives of different sectors of the industry. The panel members may vary in each one of the four sessions. The panel has the function to guide and lead the discussion so that it will progress according to its objectives. The panel members are not the opinion leaders who determine the outcome of the ThinkTank, but they are leaders of thought who will inspire and motivate participants to be involved. The contributions, be it comments or ideas, will come from all in attendance. The panel will avoid distractions, getting carried away, or losing the direction. Are the panel members on the speakers list of the BA-Meetup? No! Not necessarily and no, not likely. The ThinkTank does not have speakers as such.So,in principle, all attending and participating in the Think Tank can raise their voice and express their opinion, and they should. The more practical and operational views, the better it is. The panel will lead in the thinking process and guide it. The one thing that needs to be avoided that the results become unbalanced and lean too much to one side of interests. All angles of the industry activities should be considered if want to accomplish the Think Tank goal. What outcome is expected? The conclusion of this BA-ThinkTank will become a fictive benchmark or role model after which players in the industry may remodel and improve their current operations or activities. The outcome of this Think-Tank will also become a referral or focus point for future discussions and activities within the business aviation industry. The BA-Meetup clearly distances itself from the theme Future of Aviation as it is has been used often during other conferences. There it usually it became a series of presentations of predictions using statistics and assumptions and a string of reactions to issues that were unpopular. Who should participate? Any thinkable segment and function of the industry should be represented to get input from all possible perspectives or directions. Also, they all have an interest or concern in the outcome. What type of participants will contribute best and who will get most out it? The right attitude and characteristics of a participant will determine the success of participating in the BA-ThinkTank. The naming of the types of participants below may appear akward at first, but the description is to the point. * Innovator -the change leader; receptive to new ideas and continuously seeking challenges. * Achiever - performs successfully with effort, despite difficulty, and breaking rules if necessary. * Opportunist - a prepared mind to take advantage of the unpredictable and the unexpected, and to be effectively 'lucky'. * Individualist - a master of his own thought; nonconfom, unique, and pursuing new ideas. * Strategist - knows the direction and lines up the resources to get a leading edge. New resources and new ways of lining up, meaning better chances. * Breakthrough Specialist - finds obstacles that others were unable to find and removes them fast with a sometimes unconventional, yet appropriate solution. * Alchemist - committed to transformation of something common into something special. * Artist - whose work shows exceptional creative ability and value by virtue of imagination. Why is the BA-ThinkTank part of the BA-Meetup and not a stand-alone? The shortest explanation may be that it makes sense and economic sense to attend two events in one location. There is more about it though. The BA-Meetup offers sessions for a wide range of professionals. The BA-ThinkTank also attracts a wide range of professionals. Three days of just brainstorming would be exhausting and counterproductive. The BA-Meetup offers a series of sessions that are of pertinence and informative also to ThinkTank attendees once they are on location anyway. A number of BA-Meetup attendees will not be interested in a Thinktank. So, during the event there will be parallel sessions to satisfy all interests. Another important point is the opportunity of networking between those coming for the regular sessions and those especially for the Think Tank. But they are all professionals from the same industry. Therefore the mix of BA-ThinkTank and BA-Meetup may create an ideal situation and opportunities for all participants. What are the organizational challenges? A Think Tank was never organized in this industry before. Therefore it is a pioneer's job. The word Think Tank may mean different things to different people. In setting up the Think Tank the main consideration was and will always be "Optimization of what the industry as a whole but also individuals and business in the industry gets out of the results of the BA-ThinkTank". It is highly interactive. The concerns and ideas brought forward will cover a wide range of industry activities. Emphasis will be put on innovation and creativity. There will be a quest for virtual benchmarks and best practices. This will not be a conventional way of conferencing. Thus the challenge will be very much how to manage the ThinkTank proceedings. For sure, there will be another BA-ThinkTank after this one, evolving from the experiences of the first one in Daytona Beach. I consider the BA-ThinkTank to be a project in progress; always subject to improvements. For questions, comments and suggestion, please feel free to contact me Cdr. Bud Slabbaert
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