Embracing the Outthinker Approach for Strategy Development
In an era where traditional business strategies often fall short, the concept of 'Outthinking' the competition emerges as a beacon for companies eager to disrupt the status quo and foster innovation.
At Visage Growth Partners, we've adopted the Outthinker approach as one of our levers for strategy development of our clients. It is a methodology created by one of our good friends Kaihan Krippendorf, that not only challenges conventional thinking but also propels leadership teams towards a future ripe with possibilities.
The Essence of Outthinking
Outthinking isn't just about being different; it's about being strategically ahead. It's a process designed to push the boundaries of normal thinking, encouraging leaders to envision a future untainted by current limitations or market stagnation. In a world where we typically think in “threes”, i.e. “is it option 1, 2 , or 3 or a, b or c”. The Outtinker methodology helps you find a “4th option”! An option (or options) that are outside the obvious. Sun Tzu called this “Taking Whole”. Where you take your enemy without initiating a fight It has been done by some incredible companies. The mere prospect of creating something special with our clients’ teams unleashes competitive tension within the leadership team—a rarely-sighted tension that is constructive and necessary for breakthrough innovation.
Imagining the Future
The first step in the Outthinker strategy is to project ourselves into the future, considering the 'mess' that might exist if organisational inertia exists and innovation stalls. This forward-thinking exercise isn't about pessimism; it's about realism. By acknowledging potential pitfalls, we can better navigate towards a future where those issues are resolved or avoided altogether.
Crafting the Vision
Once we've identified and considered the challenges of “tomorrow”, we shift our focus to the possibilities. What could we achieve in the long term? This phase is about painting a vivid picture of where we want to be, setting the stage for strategic planning that is both ambitious and actionable.
Framework for Action
The true power of the Outthinker approach lies in its ability to translate visionary thinking into concrete steps. Working backwards from long-term goals creates a clear outline of what must be done in the immediate future.
Teams are engaged in dissecting the current organisational leverage and pain points and determining what are the strategic imperatives to be addressed. This is followed by an exciting ideation session, where we mine for quick wins and some “crazy ideas” (which is where we may find those “4th options”).
Once we have a list of opportunities evaluated for prioritisation, we then determine how to mobilise the business and plan for successful execution. What would success look like three years out, and what is needed to achieve that success in the next 12 months? We take the specific steps from these time horizons and then go about setting the wheels of change in motion. This is done through strategic execution, where the whole organisation is unified about what needs to be done by whom, in order to achieve the recently crafted vision. This method ensures that whilst the strategy is aspirational, it is also grounded in practical, achievable milestones.
Driving Growth and Alignment
Adopting the Outthinker process does more than just accelerate growth; it fosters alignment and buy-in across the leadership team and business. By collectively participating in the development of the strategy and ideation, leaders are more invested in its success, understanding that they must 'sell' this vision back into their team for effective cross-business implementation.
In fact, our most successful Outthinker sessions have actually involved numerous people from outside the business’ leadership team. Positioned as an opportunity for those to “opt-in” and contribute to strategy and innovation, these sessions have created enormous interest, participation, and collaboration and done wonders for the culture of the business.
The Outthinker approach to strategy development is a departure from the norm. It encourages teams to challenge assumptions, think creatively about the future, and develop strategies that are not only innovative but also aligned with long-term objectives.
If you need help implementing the Outthinker approach within your business and leadership team, contact a Visage Growth Advisor.