In the Stockholm Subway Station “Slussen”, a man is climbing onto the Photo Booth to recharge his mobile phone – a quite understandable behavioral somersault captured by my mobile camera.

When the guards ask him why he has unplugged the Photo Booth, the man answers calmly: – “I am just recharging my mobile”. The guards ask again: – Can you please come down, Sir, and the man answers: – “Sure, in a moment, I just need some more power in order to read my SMS messages”.

Some time ago, when we were interviewing the inventor of the mobile phone, he told us that one of the arguments against developing the phone was the lack of behavior supporting the use. Today, it is probably just a matter of time before someone unplugs a respirator in order to recharge the phone.

The architect of the Photo Booth did most probably not realize the behavior somersault it would cause. But we do, and so did the guards who finally convinced the man to step down (but not before his mobile was charged enough for him to access his SMS messages).

Actual behaviors can lead to both creative thinking and organizational issues if the plug is pulled. This is why we run workshops to improve collaboration and business value.