Strategy: Intuition or analysis?

Strategy is a blend of intuition and analysis. Each element plays a unique role that the other can't fulfil.

Intuition gives you a broad perspective and inspires original, creative solutions. Analysis, on the other hand, grounds your intuition in reality, helping you avoid mistakes and overly fanciful ideas.

Often, people lean heavily towards either intuition or analysis, but rarely both. Many strategy professionals focus too much on analysis, leading to cautious and uninspiring ideas. Creative individuals, especially in branding, might produce ideas that are imaginative but lack substance.

So, how can we balance both intuition and analysis? I use a straightforward three-step system:

1. Collect
2. Zoom out
3. Zoom in

Let's explain each step.

1. Collect: Start by researching and collecting as much information as possible. This helps you fully understand the situation. Even if you think you know the company, you'll be surprised by what you can learn. Ask unconventional questions to uncover different perspectives.
2. Zoom out: This is where intuition comes into play. Take a step back and trust your gut. What stands out to you? What intrigues you? What are your initial reactions? Discuss these thoughts informally, this relaxed approach often leads to breakthroughs.
3. Zoom in: Finally, use analysis to evaluate your intuitive ideas. Check if they are realistic and align with the data. Look for evidence that supports these ideas and consider conducting research to further validate them. The role of analysis is not to create ideas but to refine and strengthen them.

In summary, we all have natural biases towards either intuition or analysis. However, dismissing one in favour of the other limits our potential. By embracing both sides of our brain and nature, we can achieve better results without holding ourselves back. This approach provides a more complete and effective strategy.