3 mindset shifts to find Blue Oceans

3 mindset shifts to find Blue Oceans

I am having a delightful time facilitating a client on their Blue Ocean Strategy exploration. Working with the leadership team over the past few weeks, I appreciate even more that the most important and powerful “tool” on this innovation journey is their mindset. Here are 3 mindset shifts I think are crucial to the journey for Blue Oceans:

1. “Our future is a blank slate” – Blue Ocean Strategy is about finding uncontested market space. It is very tempting to keep focused at our competition and on what they are doing. But to break free from the competition, we must stop focusing on them and imagine a clean space i.e. market space where the competition does not play. Then we build on that. Once we make that shift, there is a sense of liberation as the mind opens and insight and creativity emerge.
2. “I am not the expert” – Blue Ocean Strategy invites us to shift from competitors to customers, and even more importantly to non-customers. My client and his leadership team personally went out into the field to converse with non-customers, in keeping with the Blue Ocean tenet: “Do not outsource your eyes.” I warned them these conversations were NOT sales calls. Once they suspended that, they started to listen deeply to what was being said – and not said. In that shift, they realized that they were no longer the experts and that indeed the experts on customers are … customers. They also received valuable gifts from non-customers who shared why they do not buy.
3. “I know nothing” – as with all explorations, you have no idea what you will find, so it is important to approach the process with an open mind. Suspend no barriers, assumptions or beliefs. Of course as humans thinking without the influence of our prior experience and knowledge is nigh impossible. But at the least, acknowledging them and trying to put them aside is helpful in opening our minds to the new and unknown.

There has been much fun and laughter in our workshops as the team members courageously step into this unknown, uncharted territory – not just of the Blue Oceans but more importantly how they view the world.

For similar blogs by Marguerite (click to view article):

• Make the Competition Irrelevant
• When Writers Can’t Write and Leaders Can’t Lead

TAKE ONE ACTION

Have a conversation with a non-customer i.e. someone who does not buy from your industry (not just your business). Listen deeply to find out why they don’t. Then reflect – are you getting any insights about what you might do differently?

INTERESTING LINKS

Having problem with e-mails? You are not alone. But this company got radical and eliminated e-mails – and other things that everyone complains about like meetings and managers. Keep an open mind when reading their story – you just might get some ideas for your own organization.
– click to view article

Don’t ever get me started on education – it’s my passion as a parent, a business owner, a consultant, a citizen. The education system affects every aspect of our lives, and we all should be very concerned at its state – in very few countries is the education system preparing students for life. I agree with Mark Manson on these 5 “subjects” that should be taught in school – can you imagine what our world would look like? (please don’t let the first sentence stop you from reading the complete article)
– click to view article

And finally, but most importantly, there is so much to learn from little Jaden and his view on life (and death). What a precious and wise child. Are you seeing lessons for you as a leader? For you as a human being?
– click to view article