Missing 'Creative Hat' in Strategy?

Coming from a consulting background, most of our assignments are related to designing a strategy for our client – new product introduction, revenue increment strategy, data and analytics strategy etc.  And by default, our minds are wired to use standard mental models, proven analytical models in our work. But time are changing and so is the demand. Clients are now looking for innovative, disruptive solutions to set an example, increase their market share. And I believe, this has led the consulting world to acknowledge the missing pillar of ‘creativity’ in their modus operandi. If you see the trend, in last 3 years or so, we have courses on ‘design-thinking’ on online educational websites, in premier institutes. Big consulting firms have roles related to it and are boosting about this newly acquired credentials. 

In my view, this is the need of the hour – bringing creativity in strategy. But often, our conventional thinking holds us back in accepting it, practicing it in our daily routine tasks. Recently, I read an HBR article which resonates the same idea – “Strategy needs Creativity”. It list four effective and different approaches to embrace creativity in our thinking –

1. Contrast

2. Combination

3. Constraint

4. Context

Contrast- Going by its literal meaning of strikingly different from something. We need to challenge the underlying assumptions of the problems we are looking at and seek answers. Do they still hold true? For example, IKEA challenged the conventional furniture business by questioning is it necessary to deliver assembled furniture only? Can we create furniture that consumers can assemble themselves and reduce assembly costs? Who knew, people all over the world would embrace this idea. Similarly, look at how Netflix has challenged the conventional notion of video stores, took advantage of growing telecom reach, by delivering videos to the customers on their devices in much more convenient manner.

Combination- In today’s world, this is most sought out approach. Look around and we are surrounded by numerous such examples where in two independent products or services are working together in sync and delivering value. Be it banking and telecom, health tech, transport etc. For example, Nike+ IPod, where in Nike shoes counts the steps and communicate with IPod. And with the advent of IoT, we are bound to witness many more disruptions in coming times.

Constraint- Some results are best delivered under constraints. We are challenged to work around within the given boundaries of work and deliver results. So, instead of thinking what we are missing, our mind starts thinking how to take the best advantage of given condition. Many artists make use of this approach to produce one of the finest piece of art. This is a way to turn our weakness into strength unlike SWOT analysis, wherein our focus is on strengths.

Context – This is the most heavily used approach in consulting these days. We often do a lot of context switching across industry esp. in analytical use case scenarios. Clients often wants to know what is best in-class solution / strategy. And they are open to ideas which have been implemented in other industry and can be tweaked in their context. With machine learning based AI solutions gaining momentum, this approach will play a key role in deciding how a product can be used in unexpected ways, discovering new ways of looking at problems at multiple dimensions.

With these four different approaches making its way in the world of consulting, we can surely expect amazing and out-of-the-box strategies in market to blow our minds. As far as being a consultant in this new age world, it means, we need to put our creative hats and sync the ideas with our conventional competencies to sustain and grow up the ladder.

P.S.: You may read the full HBR article here - Strategy-needs-creativity