McIntire's third annual spring symposium featured Patricia Kluge, Robert Mondavi, and Jeffrey C. Walker, as well as leaders from the winemaking, hospitality, banking, aviation, and entertainment industries.

Some of America’s most creative minds in such diverse industries as winemaking, hospitality, banking, aviation, and entertainment came together at the University of Virginia to share ideas April 26, 2002, as part of the Center for Growth Enterprises' third annual spring symposium, “Creativity and Innovation in Mature Industries.” 

Want to Be Creative? Fail Faster
Addressing a standing-room-only audience in the Rotunda, keynote speaker Robert I. Sutton discussed the finding of his book Weird Ideas that Work: 11 1/2 Practices for Promoting, Managing, and Sustaining Innovation. 

The Stanford professor challenged listeners to reframe their views on success and creativity. “Personally, I think failure stinks,” he said. “But the fact is, every bit of evidence demonstrates that it is impossible to generate a few good ideas without generating a lot of bad ideas.

“The thing about creativity is that you can’t tell at the outset which ideas will succeed and which will fail. So, the only thing you can do is try to fail faster in order to move on to the next idea. Now, leaders pay a lot of lip service to the notion of rewarding failure, but few organizations hold failed effort on the same level with success. Often, they have a forgive-and-forget policy. Forgiveness is crucial, but it’s not enough. To learn from mistakes, it’s even more important to forgive and remember. The only kind of failure that deserves to be punished is inaction.”

After his presentation, Sutton moderated for a panel discussion, “Stimulating Creativity and Innovation in Mature Industries: Considering the Hospitality Industry.” Panelists included:

Later in the morning, David Neeleman, CEO of JetBlue Airways, was interviewed by Jeffrey C. Walker (McIntire ’77), Managing Partner of JPMorgan Partners and Vice Chairman of JPMorgan Chase. In an era when airlines are struggling, JetBlue set an IPO record for the first four months of 2002 by rising 67 percent on its opening day of trading. Blending low fares with such amenities as wide leather seats and live satellite TV, JetBlue epitomizes innovation in a mature industry. Neeleman spoke about the organizational culture and vision that led to numerous accolades, including an award for best domestic airline by Condé Nast Traveler and best overall airline by Onboard Services Magazine.

Robert Mondavi: The Wine of Life
Robert Mondavi, who has been called the father of American wine, gave the keynote address during the afternoon session in Old Cabell Hall. Introduced by Patricia M. Kluge, CEO of Kluge Estate Winery and Vineyard, Mondavi spoke on the theme “How the Good Life Became a Great Business: Perspectives on Creativity and Innovation, Corporate Success, and Life.”

“Wine to me is passion,” he told the audience. “It is family and friends. It’s warmth of heart and generosity of spirit. Wine is art. It’s culture. It’s the essence of civilization and the art of living.”

Noting both the debt American winemakers owe Thomas Jefferson and the success Virginia winegrowers have enjoyed in recent years, Mondavi said, “Jefferson encouraged the development of a wine industry in America, and we are still working to make his vision a reality.”

The day concluded with the panel discussion “Extraordinary Challenges, Creative Strategies, Innovative Processes: Lessons from an Ancient Industry, the American Experience.” Panelists included:

The lively discussion concluded when moderator Professor Peter Todd said, “The only thing more interesting than talking about wine is drinking it.” He then invited the attendees to the Colonnade Club for a reception featuring Virginia wines.

McIntire thanks Host Marriott and Kluge Estate Winery and Vineyard, who sponsored the April symposium.