Outthink the Competition: How a New Generation of Strategists Sees Options Others Ignore

PRAISE FOR OUTTHINK THE COMPETITION "The nature of global business competition has been undergoing a radical change, and new ways of thinking and acting are required to become and stay effective in this newly defined environment. In Outthink the Competition , Kaihan outlines the specific changes underway and provides practical tools to help you adopt a new mindset to link your strategy to key financial indicators for better results. If you do not yet understand the strategic value of being good or how to wield the emerging power of coordination, read this book." — ROBERT CANCALOSI , Chief Learning Officer, GE Healthcare "While our bookshelves are now filled with advice on how to manage organizations, inspire employees, and connect with consumers in this new era, no one has talked convincingly about how to manage the competition . . . until now. Outthink the Competition shows how to adjust your strategy to the new realities of business in order to outplay, outwit, and outlast your competitors." — SALOMON SREDNI , CEO, TradeStation Group "In Outthink the Competition , Kaihan underscores the strategic power of being able to see, intelligently select, and pursue new options that your competition overlooks. This ability is the starting spark of all great growth stories and it is a critical skill for leaders to master. If you want to continue out–innovating the competition, take a closer look at the systematic process outlined in this book." — DANIEL AMOS , CEO, AFLAC "Companies rightfully spend an enormous amount of time and effort seeking to better understand our customers. But we often overlook a player with an equally important seat at the table: the competition. In Outthink the Competition Kaihan helps adjust for this imbalance. He provides practical methods to systematically analyze and intelligently manage the competition. This does not mean copying or even responding to the competition. It means precisely the opposite." — MARC SPEICHERT , Chief Marketing Officer, L′Oreal USA "Without a truly compelling and simple strategy that is able to thwart the competition, the next three–five years of execution is going to be a waste of time—or at least not as much fun! Kaihan provides an approach that will get the job done." — VERNE HARNISH , CEO, Gazelles; author of Mastering the Rockefeller Habits

Acknowledgments ix PART 1 THE FOUNDATION 1 Chapter 1 Evolution through Revolution 3 Chapter 2 Today’s Business Revolution 14 PART 2 THE NEW OUTTHINKER PLAYBOOK 29 Chapter 3 Move Early to the Next Battleground 35 Chapter 4 Coordinate the Uncoordinated 43 Chapter 5 Force Two–Front Battles 54 Chapter 6 Be Good 64 Chapter 7 Create Something Out of Nothing 75 PART 3 THE FIVE HABITS OF OUTTHINKERS 85 Chapter 8 Mental Time Travel 87 Chapter 9 Attacking the Interconnected System 94 Chapter 10 Frame Shifting 100 Chapter 11 A Disruptive Mind–Set 106 Chapter 12 Shaping Perceptions 118 PART 4 APPLY THE OUTTHINKER PROCESS 127 Chapter 13 Step 1: Imagine 131 Chapter 14 Step 2: Dissect 137 Chapter 15 Step 3: Expand 144 Chapter 16 Step 4: Analyze 149 Chapter 17 Step 5: Sell 155 PART 5 REBUILDING THE ORGANIZATION FROM WITHIN 161 Chapter 18 Phase 1: Establish Multiple Points of Differentiation 163 Chapter 19 Phase 2: Create Playbook Asymmetry 173 Chapter 20 Phase 3: Construct an Outthinker Culture 181 Appendix A The Research 193 Appendix B The 36 Stratagems 197 Appendix C Tools 211 Notes 217 Index 225

Kaihan Krippendorff is is a business strategist, author, and investor. A former consultant with McKinsey & Co., Kaihan works globally with ambitious large and medium–sized corporations, including Microsoft, L′Oreal, and Johnson & Johnson, teaching executives and entrepreneurs how to unleash their strategic creativity to raise their organization′s performance. Kaihan also blogs for FastCompany.com, is an active public speaker, and is regularly featured in key business media outlets. His previous books include The Art of the Advantage , Hide a Dagger Behind A Smile , and The Way of Innovation . Learn more at www.kaihan.net.