How your CX can help fight climate change.
When Joe Sutter was faced with a difficult problem, he got to do what all of us dream of doing...he got to assign his problem to someone else. He was approached by his bosses to create the world’s first jumbo jet, and he was stumped. So he went against his basic instincts and approached his fellow Boeing engineers, customers, and stakeholders, and asked for help.
Joe put trust in others, and innovation ensued. And that’s what we need to facilitate with our customers as well. Danielle Harris, Managing Director of Engagement & Innovation at Elemental Excelerator, is doing just that. She and her team work with climate startups to address climate change—which automatically demands a high level of trust. Let’s find out how she does it.
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"The reality is climate change is coming and we need climate solutions." - Danielle Harris
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Time Stamps
* (0:00) What it took to get the first jumbo jet off the ground
* (5:46) What is Elemental Excelerator?
* (9:04) Who are their cohorts?
* (13:08) The nuances of customer relationships
* (16:18) The technological valley of death
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Sponsor
This podcast is presented by Oracle CX.
Hear more executive perspectives on CX transformation at Oracle.com/cx/perspectives
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Links
Connect with Danielle on LinkedIn
Check out Elemental Excelerator
Narrator:
Joe sat slumped over in the small corner of a dark office. He searched over pages and pages of airplane sketches...begging for inspiration to strike. He kept hearing his boss’s demands in his head...the new plane had to accommodate more people than ever, yet be faster and cheaper than those before it....Joe was at a loss.
It couldn’t be done. As chief engineer of the project, Joe was always the guy with the answers. He knew planes inside and out. During the 1960s he’d been a key player in making the airplane industry, well...take off. But this request had finally stumped him. A part of him wished he could just pawn the problem off to someone else. But....wait...could he??
In an industry that routinely defies nature, Joe decided to defy another long held principle: he would share his struggle with his clients, and the top-secret plans right along with it. Full transparency. He was stumped and needed the help, consequences be damned. Joe went to his entire engineering staff, his customers, and stakeholders with his hands in the air—asking for help and hoping for inspiration.
He put his trust in his peers to figure out a way to solve the problem he was facing. Representatives from PanAm, Japan Airlines, and Lufthansa rolled up their shirt sleeves and got to work. The first crowdsourced airplane was being designed right before his eyes.
When their designs inevitably got leaked to the competition, Joe’s team wasn’t even phased. There was so much progress already being made that no one would be able to beat them to market.
By putting his trust in those around him, Joe enabled the team to build the world’s first jumbo jet: the Boeing 747, in an unprecedented 16 months. 50,000 people contributed over 10 million labor hours to the project. It was the epitome of human innovation at the time, and redefined air travel for decades to come.
This legacy of trust continues at Boeing to this day. And it’s a lesson that CX leaders everywhere can draw from in their own quest for lasting innovation.
Hi folks, this is your captain speaking. Welcome to today’s episode. The flight crew will be making their final walk through the cabin, so please place your seatbacks and tray tables in their full upright and locked position. We’ve got clear skies and a quick flight ahead of us, and we should have you to your destination ahead of schedule. So sit back, relax, and enjoy your flight.
Welcome to Often Imitated, a podcast about remarkable experiences from the past, and how they inspire people to create great customer experiences today.
This episode is about how innovation moves at the speed of trust. Whether it’s with your customers or your cohorts, trust is an essential element to every functioning relationship. In this episode, we’ll hear from Danielle Harris, Managing Director of Engagement & Innovation at Elemental Excelerator, about how they’re bringing together diverse groups of people to combat the timely issue of climate change. But first, a word from our sponsors.
Often Imitated is brought to you by the generous support of our friends at Oracle. Make every interaction matter with Oracle Advertising and CX. Connect all your data and empower your entire business to deliver exceptional customer experiences from acquisition…to retention…and everything in between. Hear more executive perspectives on CX transformation at oracle.com/cx.
Narrator: The “Queen of the Skies,” as the Boeing 747 came to be known, was a staggering achievement. Taking just over 2 years from conception to completion, it weighed in at a whopping 735,000 pounds. It had a tail as tall as a six-story building and a wing span longer than the Wright Brothers first flight. It could hold over 400 passengers, had a range of 5,290 miles, and reached speeds of up to 650 miles per hour. One aeronautics professor described it as “one of the great engineering wonders of the world, like the pyramids of Egypt, the Eiffel Tower or the Panama Canal.”
But the accomplishment was as much a feat of people-management as it was engineering. Joe knew that when trust is high, speed goes up and cost goes down. When trust is low, the opposite occurs. So he entrusted everyone: engineers, suppliers, customers, mechanics, secretaries and administrators to carry the ball forward.
Today, after fifty years of flying, the Boeing 747 is being phased out. It’s too big and less fuel-efficient than its modern counterparts. And probably just as well, in a time where travelers are becoming more conscious of greenhouse gas emissions. But just like building the world’s biggest airliner, speedy solutions to the world’s toughest climate issues require relationship-building and trust.
Today, we’re talking with one key person working to foster these relationships. Danielle Harris, Managing Director of Engagement and Innovation at Elemental Excelerator starts by sharing a little bit about what Elemental Excelerator is.
Elemental Excelerator is a global non-profit that invests in startups that are working to solve climate change. Over the last decade they have awarded almost 50 million dollars to over 130 startups.
Danielle: So I like to think of it as elemental is a guide into the unknown of. Um, and we're really illuminating a path forward and it feels like a pretty like doom and gloom narrative around climate change.
Um, and so basically climate change is real. I think we all agree after the summer of fires here in California. Um, and so with the. And there seems to be a need for solutions, right. Um, how do we stop, um, producing the amount of greenhouse gases that we currently have? And what elemental does is we find the best and brightest, um, Founders that are building technologies that are, um, basically solving that exact problem.
And so if you do is we create a platform to elevate those technologies and support them to grow and scale within the market. Um, and a big thing is like why entrepreneurs and why technology and the reality. They are best suited to really meet the, the urgency of the challenge. Like climate change is time sensitive.
Um, and so they're in a position. Tech is in a position to create solutions and rapidly.
We provide coaching for staff. Um, we also provide capital of course. Um, but the big thing, um, I think that makes elemental unique is deployments. We support deployments of these technologies with real customers and real GE geographies, um, with the focus of sharing out the deployments, that one, these technologies work, um, and that they're being used with, um, real.
Narrator: Joe Sutter’s team of 4,500 engineers working on the Boeing 747 came to be known as “The Incredibles” for their tireless work ethic. Danielle is bringing together her own group of incredible people working tirelessly to tackle a monumental challenge.
Danielle: So I used to manage the, um, the mobility portfolio. Um, I have about 10 years of transportation experience. Um, but my current role is now as managing director of engagement and innovation at elemental. And what does that mean? Exactly. Um, and I will say it's a little bit ambitious. But the way that I look at it as I'm shepherding people to the table.
So elemental facilitates a really large table of extremely diverse groups. All of whom play a really unique role in combating climate change. And my role is to make sure that that table is as diverse and full as it needs to be. Um, and it's really to focus on. The facts, like make sure everyone knows their role in the fight against climate change.
Um, I kind of think of it as like I'm assembling the Avengers, um, and making sure like we have all the skills that we need, but most of all, all of those groups know each other trust. Each other are kind of able to get to know each other. Able to go through conflict and difficult conversations, uh, so that we can really rise to the occasion of fighting climate change.
Narrator: Whether you think of them as The Avengers or The Incredibles, trust here is key. Dare I say it’s their greatest superpower. So who are these people Danielle is bringing to the table?
Danielle: Of course, our climate startups. Um, so those are startups specifically in mobility, water, um, energy. It's the circular economy and agriculture. So there's five of them. Um, and the reason we focus on those five or those are the biggest systems contributing to greenhouse gases. Um, and then the other folks within our ecosystem, of course, there's their customers.
So those are large corporates, big industry, um, governments, regulators, um, and then. Somebody that's really unique that we bring to the table is community-based organizations. Um, we really focus on folks that are kind of boots on the ground, advocating for what we call, uh, frontline communities. And that's for the fact that when we make these types of.
They're happening within, within neighborhoods with real people. And we want to make sure that they're responding to the needs of the people and those communities. The other people that we bring are policy makers and regulators, um, making sure that they're aware that these technologies exist, um, and the benefits that they can have.
And then also. They're they're unique. Um, and existing policies may not relate well to them. So wanting to make sure that they're aware of them and can incorporate them in future policies and bills.
Narrator: Elemental currently has 136 companies in their portfolio, and Danielle says the application process is a lot like online dating. First they “swipe right” on the companies they are interested in, then they chat a little more, and finally they meet up for coffee. The courting process takes about nine months, and of the 600 to 800 applications they receive, only 15 to 20 are selected to join the accelerator. And like dating, timing is everything. The climate tech space faces unique challenges that other start-ups don’t, so Elemental Excelerator needs to find the best and brightest companies who really need their help in this calendar year.
Danielle: So tech is really hard and we like, we don't like to say, but the reality is climate tech is extremely. Um, I would say a typical VC has an expectation of, you know, you're going to 10 X, this and it's going to happen within the next 18 months. Um, and climate tech is very different.
It takes patient capital. Um, and it's the understanding that these companies are going into some of the biggest in like historically interesting. Industries and they're extremely regulated. Um, and so being able to change those markets is like a huge disruption. Um, and so you're thinking about kind of like a David and Goliath type of situation.
Um, and so what elemental does is one realize what that challenges, um, It's not the same as other tech startups. And so when we want to create a community for them, and, uh, we host something called CEO summit. Um, it's kind of like summer camp for tech founders, uh, climate tech founders. And so, uh, February, 2020, just before the pandemic, we bought 81 founders to Honda Malley.
Um, and for them to just have a release and kind of have that. Oh, you're doing this too. And we both have the similar challenge that this is really hard and very few people understand. Um, and we call that, um, elemental is really big on peer to peer learning and having a community of practice. And we realize elemental doesn't have all of the answers.
However, when we put the entire brain trust of our portfolio together, we're able to solve a lot. Um, So that's one thing is we create a community and a lot of it seems really soft and fuzzy, but sometimes those are the things that matter.
Narrator: Elemental isn’t just giving startups money. The accelerator provides them with access to people like Danielle who have a keen understanding of policy and government. And this is much needed help because Elemental’s portfolio companies are often selling to the government. With long sales cycles, lots of red tape, and hoops to jump through.
Danielle: Policy is really focused on the other things that we don't. Um, as somebody that was in government for 10 years, it's intentionally written that way. So that there's accountability and liability is very clear. Um, however, I think it's a lot harder to say what you want.
Um, I relate a lot of this to like being in a relationship, right? Like you're like, I hate when you leave dishes in the sink, I hate when you like throw all your clothes on the floor. Right. Um, I hate when you leave a seat up, however, it's. It's so much better when you say the things that you do want like put the dishes in the dishwasher, hang up your clothes.
Um, and so I think a lot of what elemental is focused on doing is guiding not only startups through innovation and getting to market, but also taking our corporate, um, and government partners and really shaping, like, what is the thing that you do? You know, and like, what are the outcomes that you want?
And a bigger question is what is the amount of risk you're willing to take on to really get to those outcomes? And can we have a small deployment that really addresses the things that you're interested as well as a startup?
Narrator: Working with the government, trust is everything. And the most important outcomes affected by trust are speed and cost. In the economics of trust, low trust kills the speed of innovation and drives up the cost. But when relationships are rooted in trust, Danielle and her team see their companies thrive.
Danielle: I feel like as an elemental or like amazingly positive and happy go lucky because we get to see these technologies and their infancy. So we see, we have, uh, uh, uh, poles of what the future could be like. Um, an example would be, we just had the launch of amp there last year.
Um, they they're, they have a hybrid electric. Um, and their project was to fly, um, in Mali Hawaii, um, to Hanna, um, from Kahului airport. And so. For folks that are familiar, the road to HANA is, is, is a tourist attraction to an extent, but it's also a real challenge in terms of getting food and medical services to that side of the island.
Um, and so being able to put a hybrid electric plane on a commercial route is a really big deal, um, because of the amount of greenhouse gases that aviation puts into our air. And you got to think about. Pre COVID everybody just wanted to travel all the time and fly. And so there's just so much more air travel that was happening.
Um, and so just to see this, this little hybrid electric plane take off, it really gave you an idea. We could have more people flying. And I think that's a good thing because people are getting, hopefully getting more diverse perspectives. It just shouldn't have to come at a cost of our environment. Um, and I will say like, just seeing the plane fly and, and listening to, um, the founder, Kevin, talk about, you know, Three years ago, five years ago, I'm just carrying around a model playing to investor meetings and people are thinking I'm crazy.
Narrator: By the way, Joe Sutter did the same thing when pitching the 747 to PanAm. So, what are some of the most common challenges that Danielle’s companies face?
Danielle: So we elemental is really focused on addressing these. Like we call it the technological valley of death, the commercialization valley of death and the market valley of death. And so one of them is, uh, the technical one is you're developing the technology and the business model at the same time.
Um, and so. Just having capital to be, to sustain you in a moment where you're not, not having any revenue is very difficult. Right? And so we, we need, we need funds to incubate these types of technologies. Um, and so. Figuring that piece out is really difficult in the first place. Um, and then the commercialization valley of death is really where elemental, um, focuses.
I think a lot of this is like as a transportation planner in my previous life, I always had this aspiration of working for the airport. Um, and so. Of listing at SFO. It always said that you need aviation experience. And I was like, how am I supposed to get aviation experience? If you guys never let me in.
Right. And the same thing is true for our technologies. Customers are like, well, where have you done this before? And you're like, well, we need someone to deploy with, could it be you? And they're like, we'd really like to see this hat, like have some type of reference or something like that. Um, and so elemental.
Um, a lot of what our funding is. It's a deer risks and deployments, and we also kind of shepherd the project along, um, as kind of one is project managers, but also is kind of like innovation facilitators.
Narrator: For her final thoughts, Danielle reminded us that for CX leaders, trust and honesty go hand in hand.
Danielle: Something that I think about, especially during the pandemic is they were talking about great political leaders. Um, and what made them great. Was there the constituents trusted. Because they were transparent. Um, and they prepared them for the worst. Um, and Churchill was one of those, those leaders. And so something that's really big about innovation is yes, it's sexy and it's fun and it's exciting, but you have to be willing to fall forward.
You have to be. Ready for that moment that you're not going to get it right. That you might have a ruffle and communication with your community organization or your corporate partner. Um, and time is money and that's what makes things really stressful. Um, and having, having an investor that really wants results.
Right? And so something that I think is, is a little bit. Less tangible as is resiliency within the entire ecosystem, like a shared understanding that we all want these technologies to thrive and we're all willing to bend and be a little bit more nimble, um, to make sure that they have a chance. And so that, that goes to like our government and corporate.
Procurement willing to move a little faster, you know, um, I constituents willing for there to be a little bit of a moment that. Maybe when scooters hit, hit the sidewalk, it's, it's not going to be the end of the world. Right. Um, and policymakers to be like, let's test this out for a little bit, you know, um, and really thinking of it that way.
Um, because the reality is climate change is coming and we need climate solutions. Like. Continue to like hit big industry over the head with all of these taxes and regulations and fines for not meeting targets, if we're not providing them the solutions to make it happen. So I think that's one of the realizations is as everybody getting on the same page.
Narrator: Combating climate change is the issue of our generation. Whether we succeed or fail will depend in large part on trust. For CX leaders, it all starts with cultivating strong relationships. With everyone rowing in the same direction towards a unified goal, we can tackle monumental challenges much faster than if we’re paddling solo.
As we work on trusting our cohorts, innovation will follow. So find a way to extend an olive branch to your customers. Clue them into your processes and see how you can solve pain points together. It’s bound to improve your situation. As we know, “a rising tide lifts all boats.” Which we’re all for in terms of metaphors. Even though we’re anti rising sea levels in general.
And so in this moment in time, we’ll just hope all the boats are in this together.
This podcast is brought to you by the generous support of our friends at Oracle. Make every interaction matter with Oracle Advertising and CX. Connect all your data and empower your entire business to deliver exceptional customer experiences from acquisition…to retention…and everything in between. Hear more executive perspectives on CX transformation at oracle.com/cx.
This is your host, Ian Faison, CEO of Caspian Studios. Thank you for listening to another episode of Often Imitated. If you like what you’re hearing, tell one friend. This podcast was narrated by me, Ian Faison, written by Ben Oddo, and produced and edited by Mackey Wilson, Ezra Bakker Trupiano, and Jon Libbey. You can learn more about our team and check out our brand new awesome website! at CaspianStudios.com.