My approach to learning and teaching is to follow an intentionally non-linear path. To seek for weak signals. To make odd connections. And to go to places that are as different/different as possible from what I teach: entrepreneurship & new venture strategy.
Students can get the conventional approach to business strategy from text books (and wikipedia). They are going to get Econ, stats, and game theory in other classes at Chicago Booth. I assume that they are grounded in those disciplines.
I build on those and, along the way, introduce them to military history, Greek mythology, poetry, medical diagnosis, screenwriting, Ruby on Rails, mycology, missionary movements, Japanese selvedge denim and on and on.
The reason for this is based on the theory that creativity is nothing more than recombining old ideas in new ways to create new opportunities.
The more, and the more disparate, sources a strategist has to draw on, the more likely she is to come up with a breakthrough business. Of course, that approach is fraught with much more risk than doing a me-too strategy. To use insurance language, it’s a “low probability but high severity” approach to new ideas.
The intentionally non-linear search for new ideas has four basic components:
1) It's something that you know little or nothing about prior to doing it.
2) It catches your attention for any number of reasons (fun, whimsical, culturally relevant, disturbing, scientific significance, etc.)
Students can get the conventional approach to business strategy from text books (and wikipedia). They are going to get Econ, stats, and game theory in other classes at Chicago Booth. I assume that they are grounded in those disciplines.
I build on those and, along the way, introduce them to military history, Greek mythology, poetry, medical diagnosis, screenwriting, Ruby on Rails, mycology, missionary movements, Japanese selvedge denim and on and on.
The reason for this is based on the theory that creativity is nothing more than recombining old ideas in new ways to create new opportunities.
The more, and the more disparate, sources a strategist has to draw on, the more likely she is to come up with a breakthrough business. Of course, that approach is fraught with much more risk than doing a me-too strategy. To use insurance language, it’s a “low probability but high severity” approach to new ideas.
The intentionally non-linear search for new ideas has four basic components:
1) It's something that you know little or nothing about prior to doing it.
2) It catches your attention for any number of reasons (fun, whimsical, culturally relevant, disturbing, scientific significance, etc.)
3) It's not something that has an obvious or immediate financial/professional return or benefit. You don't know how learning about this will make your job or life better.
4) It's more disciplined than just going down rabbit holes to avoid more pressing work; although, to be honest, it may have started that way!
I recommend that you allocate a certain percentage of your time every year to a deep dive into something that fits the criteria above.
As you read this, what avenue of non-linear search came to mind? Follow it. Take notes. Teach someone else about it.
Have fun wandering!
4) It's more disciplined than just going down rabbit holes to avoid more pressing work; although, to be honest, it may have started that way!
I recommend that you allocate a certain percentage of your time every year to a deep dive into something that fits the criteria above.
As you read this, what avenue of non-linear search came to mind? Follow it. Take notes. Teach someone else about it.
Have fun wandering!