Marlies Endres - Innovating Aviation
Marlies Endres is the Lean and Process Manager at Lufthansa. She attended the MTF Pro Labs VIP innovation masterclass at MTF Frankfurt and discusses the innovation lessons learned - and how they can be applied in the airline industry.
AI Transcription
SUMMARY KEYWORDS
innovation, venezuela, music, dance, people, breaking, mtf, salsa, understand, country, tech fest, molly, podcast, innovative, little bit, industry, germany, music industry, data, reproduce
SPEAKERS
Marlies Endres, Andrew Dubber
Andrew Dubber
Hi, I’m Dubber. I’m the director of Music Tech Fest, and this is the MTF podcast, and our recent MTF Frankfurt event at Musikmesse. We ran the MTF Labs, which featured a diverse group of completely brilliant experts drawn from the global MTF, innovator community. They created new concepts and prototypes around a range of themes and challenges, and then performed with them on stage. And I spoke to Helen Leigh about that on the podcast a couple of weeks back. Now, alongside that, we also ran what we called the MTF, pro labs, our exclusive VIP innovation masterclass, for industry executives, and not just music industry. It was a unique insight into how innovation works, how it can be applied, and how organisations can provide the environment and resources necessary to foster and manage that process. And it took place in an environment where the attendees could see and interact with live examples, and some of the best innovators in the world doing their thing. Now, one of the people taking part in the MTF Labs was Marlies Endres. She’s the lean and Process Manager in charge of continuous improvement of efficiency and quality. And a German company you might have heard of. It’s called Lufthansa. I took Marlies aside to talk about her work, her background and her approach to innovation. Now, Marlies is originally from Venezuela. And so we touched on some of what’s going on politically in that country right now and how we might make sense of some of that. And we also spoke a little about the cultural differences between her experiences growing up in Latin America, and her work leading innovation at the largest commercial airline in Germany. And so while the aviation industry might be worlds away from the music tech sector, in many ways, that certainly doesn’t mean there aren’t lessons to be learned from one domain to another. And it also doesn’t necessarily mean that they can’t be dancing. Here’s Marlies. Marlies, thank you so much for joining us for the MTA podcast. Thank you for inviting me, I’m trying to make sense of why you’re here. Because we’re at MTF in Frankfurt, and music and technology or music technology in particular, that’s not your industry. Didn’t tell me a little bit about what you do.
Marlies Endres
I actually work in that completely different industry. Yes, I work for Lufthansa. And what I do is clean and process management. So basically, my job is to go to the stations around the world and help people to understand that if they have a challenge, there are different ways of looking at it and finding solutions. So basically, my biggest challenge is how do I bring our stations which are really operational focus to think about innovation in their daily lives, and to break the routine take half in creating maybe for 30 years, 35 40 years. And to start looking at the same things they have seen all of this time in completely new eyes, without forgetting completely the lessons learned that they have gathered during those times. And that’s why we’re innovation is so important. And also to try to bring it true, creative methods.
Andrew Dubber
So you’ve just come out of the MTF, pro labs, the innovation master class, what was your impression? What did you get from it?
Marlies Endres
Of course, I didn’t have such a deep understanding on many of the examples what it means for the music industry. But I don’t have to understand everything to understand the impact that definitely innovation and the methodologies that were discussed have not only in the music industry, but in other industries, like, for example, in ours. And this is exactly a little bit what I took with me is that how this same ideas or methodologies that are being used right now to do completely new things in music can be transferred into any other type of industry. And of course, that also inspires new ideas on my side, and how can I approach the same topic in my work, for example.
Andrew Dubber
So putting creativity at the centre, which obviously happens with music and technology is something that can be applied across other sectors?
Marlies Endres
Yes, but especially also the idea of breaking completely the line and how to break the line. So to put it in, not to say in a controlled environment, but to actually do it with purpose to say, Okay, today, we’re breaking the line, we’re breaking the status quo, and we’re gonna do it with the intention of doing innovation.
Andrew Dubber
How difficult is that to do within the context of a big industry like, like an airline.
Marlies Endres
In our case, we have a generational difference because most of our employees, we have an average of age of 45. So that means our younger generation, which is now Not we don’t have as many younger generations yet we are trying to work, especially in that area. But that means that of course, we are talking about people doing the same job for many, many years in, in the average employees so to say, and to ask from them to completely break it, that means we have in the culture is still a very conservative culture, trying to move to a very innovative culture, breaking many of the parodic myths that lie between those two opposites sometime, but actually trying to make them understand that they’re not opposites.
Andrew Dubber
Is that difficult, mainly because it’s an airline also, because it’s a German airline?
Marlies Endres
Um, I didn’t know if I’m the right person to answer that question. I think it’s not a problem. Or a challenge that only airlines have, or only in Germany. I think it’s in general culture question also, for example, in my case that I was born in Venezuela, for me, it was never a question, should I change? Or do I need to change? It was a reality. So basically, if anybody knows a little bit of what’s happening, right now, we’ve been assaulted every single day, you have to find a solution for the problem right now. And try to think also, in the perspective, how do I deal with this, if it keeps happening, we have the example right now of electricity, that basically, you don’t know if you can count with something that in most places are basic, right. And there are other cultures that due to their history, from the last years that count with the stability that helps them to be able to see change as something sporadic instead of something that is daily doing. And that may be a little bit more make it a little bit more complicated to see innovation as something that it wants to do. But instead of something that I have to do, right, something born out of necessity, and dealing with the day to day things, once can you apply from from that context, and particularly Venezuela right now, to kind of a more structured and formal, you know, controlled environment like, like, like a German airline, a part of actually my job is exactly to do that is when I go to a station, then what I do is to see also what are they doing that is innovation that they don’t even know that is innovative, and try to create. It sounds ironic, but a standard out of it. So how did they come up with this innovation that we can reproduce in other stations so that we can share those good practices, so to say, or that knowledge, right? So you’re not actually taking the
Andrew Dubber
innovation? You’re taking the process that led to that innovation?
Marlies Endres
Yes. Right. Because it’s basically it, if we break it down, we are able to reproduce it. If we, most people, when they see a good practice, what to try to do is reproduce exactly what has been done to come up with that innovation. But of course, the reality in different places is completely different, or the resources you have or therefore in my experience is easier on the has better result if you try to reproduce the logic behind it instead of the result.
Andrew Dubber
Because we’re in Venezuela, you’re from originally,
Marlies Endres
America is the city. But I lived many years in Caracas in the
Andrew Dubber
capital city, right, because I spent a little bit of time in Caracas. And when I was there, people said to me, you know, you haven’t been to Venezuela, you’ve been to Caracas, it’s a different thing. There’s a there’s something that is kind of unique about that. Can you just talk Tell me a little bit of I’m just curious what that difference is?
Marlies Endres
Well, I think that’s the same difference that you will find in any country between the main city and other cities. And we have regional cultural characteristics that differentiate one part of the country to another, we have certain cities that are definitely bigger from from the amount of habitants that it has. And this also, of course, influences the opportunities you have in those cities. in Caracas, for example, is one dad has a universities and for many years, it was one that had the best universities. Therefore, if you wanted to have some kind of, of education with a future recognised around the world, then that was the place to be. That doesn’t mean that other citizens have the opportunities but then it had less universities for example, with the same kind of status therefore it was also hydrate to come in. And most of the others universities were private whereas in Caracas, you had good quality of education, public and public universities, therefore word it opened other doors for people in general. And this is the same that you will find, I think, in many, many countries in general. But yes, can I guess in itself has a very particular culture. And I think what is interesting in Venezuela is that even if every region has their own typical characteristic part, and it will definitely, right now, especially if you find a pride in being Venezuelan, it doesn’t matter from which part you are, even, especially, because the situation that many people has have to leave the country, then when they find each other outside the country, that is an immediate connection that exists. I think, for anybody that has lived in a country where they had to leave the country and nodded, not so much because they wanted to, then they will understand this type of connection that you will have with with the person that understands this kind of background,
Andrew Dubber
what’s going on in Venezuela at the moment that we might not be aware of, or might not really kind of understand from from an outside perspective.
Marlies Endres
This is a very personal opinion. I don’t know if any other fitness salons will share it or not. I’m probably I’m gonna get in a lot of trouble.
Andrew Dubber
specifically asking your opinion,
Marlies Endres
yes. It may have been in the most challenging thing about Venezuela is that the the crisis that we have had has been something that has been building them for a lot of years, and around 20 years now. However, the comment that I get more often is right now the situation Venezuela is really bad, right? Like, the part of right now is very subjective, because it’s it’s there right now has been 20 years. So it’s not last week, it’s not one month, it’s not one year, we’re talking about development in the constraints that you have socially, culturally, economically, that has, of course, now called the attention of people outside Venezuela. But it doesn’t mean that the situation was much better. years ago, I remember about 15 years ago, if I remember correctly, most of the country stopped completely working for three months, completely. And that was almost 15 years ago, or even longer. And this is the type of things are still happening right now. But right now, people have to hear it. Right. So of course, it’s getting worse and worse, because the longer you have a problem, then it gets more intense. Yes. Hence, yes. But I think the most important thing is to understand this is not something that happened from yesterday to today, this is something that the Venezuelans have to live with it for so long, it gets to a point where you cannot live with it anymore. So that push people against the wall. And yes, this is happening in very different ways. Right now, electricity is the last one. But yeah, there are many other examples. And what I can say is definitely that if you don’t know what it means, then it’s hard to understand the situation itself.
Andrew Dubber
But you have experience of life before that 20 years began, what we like it growing up and an early age that led you to where you are now that became somebody who teaches innovation processes within large institutions. What was sort of the young girl Marlies doing.
Marlies Endres
I have a very strange background, so to say but it’s a background that may mirror many realities for Venezuelans. Both of my parents are from different nationalities. My mom is from Costa Rica. My dad is from Germany, born in Venezuela but from German parents. And I was born in Venezuela. So when I was growing up, I was basically, culture mixture, so to say, and that gave me from a very early age, different perspective and how things were in theory supposed to be done and how they were actually happened because I was thought at home. Certain things, for example, punctuality and if you say your word, you have to keep it and in a culture where punctuality is being two hours after the time you agreed, or agreements is more like something informal instead of something formal. So basically, it was already a clash of values that made me understand that one of them is not necessarily right and the other one Wrong is basically if you mix both of them, you can do something very interesting out of it. And that has a lot of similarities with innovation, so to say, because it’s about em, cutting with the strict rules of this has to be done this way, you actually break those barriers and try to see the blank spaces, like we said in the, in, in the innovation course that we just had a strike to see in between the gaps that you have, and how those different types of knowledge mix each other, for me, was a huge cultural crash. But I came to Germany, which stereotypically is known as a very innovative country with a lot of new ideas. And is that what I found is not that it’s not there, but it’s in a very controlled environment and very conservative environment, instead of flexibility that I was used to is where our role in Latin America can be more interpreted is that a followed here rules are to be followed. And these rules, of course, also mean that you probably are going to be able to see things only through the eyes of this rule, instead of challenging the rule of this. I’m not saying to go against the rule, but it’s basically understand what the rule is trying to accomplish. And understand, can you do the same that you want to do with the rule in other ways, and again, it’s about breaking a little bit. So understanding the logic of the rule is that of saw only blindly following the rule. So at the end, you will have if you understand the logic, you will still do what the rule wants you to do, but maybe in a completely innovative way.
Andrew Dubber
Right? That makes a lot of sense. One of the things that I noticed when I was in Venezuela, was, it seemed like, and maybe this is sort of an oversimplification, but it seemed like everybody there was able to dance before they were able to walk. You play, like you hear any music. And where this really struck me is I was in a car, we were going into what was the stance of one of the most dangerous neighbourhoods in the world. And the car in front of us was playing some loud salsa music. And there was an old woman carrying big bags of heavy shopping up the road. And as the car playing, the music went past her, she just she just danced, you know, as she was going about her day, and then the car passed. And then she she continued and it was like this connection. I don’t know how to describe an element of sort of this kind of hardwired connection that there is there’s music is in the blood. Was that your experience growing up? I you know, are you musical? Do you dance? You know, have I interpreted this correctly?
Marlies Endres
Well, it’s none of my personal experience, because he actually started dancing with 15. I remember it was from my sister, a party, I think it was her birthday party. And she had invited her friends. And one of the guys asked me to dance and I didn’t know how to dance by that moment. And then I told him, if you teach me I will learn and basically since then I haven’t been able to stop. So honestly, what you learn is not so much about the steps you learn about the passion behind the music. So and I think this is something that you can any Latina will be able to relate. It’s like you hear music, and you feel the music instead of thinking about the music, you actually feel the beats and feel good movements and you let yourself go. And this has been a challenge. For example, in Germany where if I hear salsa here, I want to dance salsa. And then what I get is top steps from a school that is based from Southside New York, which is completely different steps that I know and then they start telling me is like you don’t know how to dance. And I’m like, well, actually not dancing, but okay. Very different definitions, I think of what it means to dance to music. Yeah. And in my case, specifically, is to dance to what the music makes you feel, not to what you think the music is supposed to represent.
Andrew Dubber
Because I know that in Brazil, particularly a salsa has been incorporated into things like football, in order to improve the way that the players move and think and operate and act. And I wonder if there’s a way in which you know, you could use music and dance and the feeling of salsa to improve how people operate on the ground at an airport is there some way you can take that that feeling and then operating from a feeling rather than from a set of instructions that might be innovative.
Marlies Endres
I actually had never thought about integrating literally Input music there. But I do use in the sessions that I do with them. Many things that result from the tensing for example, I’m usually talking for three days straight. And they get bored if I don’t use for example, my own intonation, or if I do like many of the things that I do have to do with my Latino backgrounds. So just say with the movement of the hands, or how do i do certain topics, how do I percent or even being spontaneous in certain things. So for example, it sila tings, but small details that then when I get the feedback from the group, it seems that it made a change. For example, when somebody mentions the name or a certain word that triggers in me a song, I just sing it. And it has happened during the workshop, then some people start singing with me or dancing with me, but it’s something spontaneous, it’s not planned. So it’s basically a little bit more on how to get the group to interact with you and to feel comfortable with you. And definitely music helps with that. However, I haven’t talked to the extreme to actually put a song out and see what happens. No, but it will be an interesting idea. Why not?
Andrew Dubber
Yeah, but do you think that that’s the connection for innovation, it’s not about following the steps, it’s about finding out where the passion takes you.
Marlies Endres
For me, it is more about looking at what you look and and breaking whatever rules you’re following with, but you are looking. So being aware of which rules are you putting on yourself for that specific moment, and then challenge yourself to change those rules. Again, I’m not talking about breaking them literally. But it’s just being able to try to observe the same true other perspectives. And I think that’s definitely key. We have this kind of assumption that what we do, and music tech and Music Tech Fest and the innovation sort of arena that we work in, that all the other industries could learn from what we do, what could we learn from the aviation industry, that will be very interesting. I think in general, the part of how we approach the topic, for example, right now in, we try to look a lot about what do people want from us. So for example, we have a lot of data, for example of passengers of feedback of what we do that is, is given a good result and what is not, and actually been able to analyse that data to be able to create new products and and do active innovation, so to say, and I think that’s something that in general can be applied everywhere. In my personal opinion, data is not being used now to its full potential. I see it in small examples, even inside our own company that I get a file and says, Look, this reflects this, and I look at the file, and this is so much potential of the same data. And they asked Have you heard of this and this and at the end, I asked them 10 questions about the same one where I only got one topic and I see I think this is something that mostly the other industries are doing right now more than fillet maybe in the music industry that we definitely can take more out of, or learn more get active feedback from this data. We don’t have to always ask or interview people about it we can just say listen to them through the data because they’re it’s more transparent
Andrew Dubber
because we talk about the music industry being data driven but what you’re talking about sounds more like being data lead that that’s that’s what you respond to as the as the information you’re getting back from your customers and and and kind of creating products based on the the clear needs and desires of the people who use what you do. Yes, fantastic. Marlies thanks so much for your time today.
Marlies Endres
You’re welcome.
Andrew Dubber
Thank you for having me. Marlies Endres, lean and Process Manager at Lufthansa and industry participant in the MTF, Labs innovation masterclass. We ran at the recent MTF Frankfurt at Musikmesse, and that’s the MTF podcast. We’d love to hear your thoughts. You can do that on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, LinkedIn, we’re at Music Tech Fest pretty much everywhere. In the meantime, if you can share like rate, review, recommend or just mention the podcast in conversation with your friends. We’d really appreciate it. I’ll catch you next time. Have a great week.
