The Outthinker Process
A strategic and innovative thinking program
www.kaihan.net
Agenda
• Background
• Theory
• Sample exercise
• Program structure
What is the Outthinker Process?
• A strategic and innovative thinking program
• Based on three books and a decade of research
• Being adopting by a growing number of executives and
entrepreneurs
Approximate number trained
350
2007
500
2008
1000
650
2009
2010
• Clients include Microsoft, L’Oreal, Johnson & Johnson, HP, ….
• BlessingWhite partnership
• Delivered in the US, China, India, Canada, UK, France, Netherlands,
Japan, Singapore, Colombia, Peru, Venezuela, …
Results and objectives
“Using the [Outthinker] process created
an entirely different way of solving
business problems. It was as though
someone suddenly opened the floodgate;
there was a whole new flow of ideas and
energy.”
- Fortune 500 Country General Manager
Results and objectives
“The program has had a profound, positive
impact on our top management.”
- Fortune 500 Regional General Manager
Results and objectives
“We chose this workshop to train a group of
high-potentials on innovative and strategic
thinking skills. Participants were able to
immediate apply the tools they learned to
tackle real business problems and develop
more creative solutions with the potential to
have a real impact on our business. …”
- Fortune 500 Learning Executive
Results and objectives
“I take the Outthinker tool-kit everywhere I
go. It helps me get my team to look at issues
from a more strategic perspective.”
- Fortune 500 Customer Support Team
Manager
Results and objectives
•
•
•
•
Learning objectives:
Learn and gain command over a set of strategic
thinking tools
Have experience applying these tools to real
problems
Feel ready to apply these tools to problems you
face today
Feel more confident in your ability to design and
build internal support for creative strategies
The developer: Kaihan Krippendorff
• Former McKinsey strategy consultant
• Author of several strategy books
• The Way of Innovation
• Hide a Dagger Behind a Smile
• The Art of Advantage
• Master’s degrees in business
administration from Columbia
Business School and London
Business School
• Bachelor of Science in Finance from
the University of Pennsylvania's
Wharton School, and a Bachelor of
Science in Engineering from the
University of Pennsylvania's School of
Engineering
Agenda
• Background
• Theory
• Sample exercise
• Program structure
Core concept
Outthink the competition®
How do they see and execute
strategic options others
overlook?
Alexander
the Great
Napoleon
Bonaparte
Sun Tzu
Genghis Khan
Col. John
Boyd
How do they see strategic
options?
Richard
Branson
Oprah
Winfrey
Dhirubhai
Ambani
Bill Gates
Sōichirō
Honda
Charles
Revson
Elizabeth
Arden
Henry Ford
How do they see strategic
options?
Martin Luther
King, Jr.
Mother
Teresa
Rosa Parks
Mohammad
Yunus
Mahatma
Gandhi
Margaret
Thatcher
Nelson
Mandela
Benjamin
Franklin
How do they see strategic
options?
Michael
Jordan
Pele
Dick Fosbury, 1968
16
1. lsdoi lkasdf oyhbhb lakdsliuf
A systematic process
2. Sadklfj labk boi dasflkjbyh
3. Alksdflkbiy abl,mjblksdauy
4. ;laksbhoipob lkfabjbdsd
5. Lkasjboibylkdak;’dsa
6. bbc aoisdyulfdk.jf
Formation
P
P
P
P
P
P
P
P
Exploration
Five phases
Discontent
Breakout
Consolidation
• lsdoi lkasdf oyhbhb lakdsliuf
• Sadklfj labk boi dasflkjbyh
• lsdoi lkasdf oyhbhb lakdsliuf
• Sadklfj labk boi dasflkjbyh
• lsdoi lkasdf oyhbhb lakdsliuf
• Sadklfj labk boi dasflkjbyh
Alexandra Kosteniuk
18
Pattern Recognition
Grand master
Master
Expert
19
Core research
Revenue
CAGR
Profit
(EBITDA
Margin)
Value
(ROE)
www.kaihan.net
20
Core research
www.kaihan.net
21
Agenda
• Background
• Theory
• Sample exercise
• Program structure
The playbook
No. Stratagem
#22 Move early to the
next battleground
#34 Coordinate the
uncoordinated
#23 Exchange the role
of guest for that of
host
#10 Lock up resources
#11 Close the exits
#7 Launch a two-front
battle
#24 Borrow a road
Question
Where is the next battleground?
Who could you coordinate?
How can you move up the decision-making chain of
your customers/ adversary?
What inputs can you control?
What moments of power can you capitalize on?
With whom can you launch a two-front battle?
Whose road could you borrow?; Who is borrowing
your road?
23
24
25
26
Chinese merchants - first insurance in BC
Combine and coordinate
independent elements within
your environment to orchestrate
greater power
29
The playbook
No. Stratagem
#22 Move early to the
next battleground
#34 Coordinate the
uncoordinated
#23 Exchange the role
of guest for that of
host
#10 Lock up resources
#11 Close the exits
#7 Launch a two-front
battle
#24 Borrow a road
Question
Where is the next battleground?
Who could you coordinate?
How can you move up the decision-making chain of
your customers/ adversary?
What inputs can you control?
What moments of power can you capitalize on?
With whom can you launch a two-front battle?
Whose road could you borrow?; Who is borrowing
your road?
30
1. lsdoi lkasdf oyhbhb lakdsliuf
A systematic process
2. Sadklfj labk boi dasflkjbyh
3. Alksdflkbiy abl,mjblksdauy
4. ;laksbhoipob lkfabjbdsd
5. Lkasjboibylkdak;’dsa
6. bbc aoisdyulfdk.jf
Formation
P
P
P
P
P
P
P
P
Exploration
Five phases
Discontent
Breakout
Consolidation
• lsdoi lkasdf oyhbhb lakdsliuf
• Sadklfj labk boi dasflkjbyh
• lsdoi lkasdf oyhbhb lakdsliuf
• Sadklfj labk boi dasflkjbyh
• lsdoi lkasdf oyhbhb lakdsliuf
• Sadklfj labk boi dasflkjbyh
Agenda
• Background
• Theory
• Sample exercise
• Program structure
Typical Agenda
Day 1: Learning
Day 2: Application
Next 1-3 months:
group work
• Overview
• Recap
• Conduct analyses
• Case introduction
• Introduction to business
cases
• Coaching
sessions
• Metal: reaching
“discontent”
• Build
presentations
• Metal: reaching
“discontent”
• Water: exploring options
• Water: exploring options
• Wood: putting the pieces
in place
• Wood: putting the pieces
in place
• Fire: enrolling
stakeholders
• Fire: enrolling
stakeholders
• Earth: consolidating
gains
• Team planning
• Final presentations
• Close
• Deliver
recommendations
34
Typical applications
• How do we double growth in next three years?
• How do we win in XYZ emerging market?
• How do we improve customer satisfaction?
• How do we respond more quickly to market information?
• What should my next career step be?
• What priorities should I focus on this week?
• How do I win this account?
• How do we become more important to this client?
Partnership
• A global consulting firm
• Founded in 1973
• Offices in 16 countries
• 100+ highly skilled
associates, speaking
14 languages
Sample clients:
• GE
• Procter & Gamble
• Reuters
• Exxon Mobil
• Charles Schwab
• Citigroup
• Credit Suisse
• Royal Caribbean
Cruise Lines
• …
Summary
“Using the [Outthinker]
process created an
entirely different way of
solving business
problems. It was as
though someone suddenly
opened the floodgate; there
was a whole new flow of
ideas and energy.”
- Fortune 500 Country
General Manager
•
•
•
•
•
Practical and proven
program
Builds strategic and
innovative thinking
skills
Based on 10 years of
research
Blends logical and
creative methods
(consulting process +
pattern recognition)
Adopting by a
growing number of
top corporations
kk@kaihan.net
www.kaihan.net
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