Two Misconceptions That Undermine Strategy

Last time, we discussed how "every strategy inevitably hides challenges (barrier monsters)."

So this time, I'll explain how to create the "basic strategy" (overarching direction) to defeat those barrier monsters and clear the game!

...That was the plan, but we received this feedback about this series and the book:

"I realized I need to think more logically!"
"I realized that thinking logically helps ideas flow more smoothly."

While I was grateful for the "Thank you!", I started to feel uneasy about how the word "logic" was being used. I realized, "Before diving into specific techniques, I need to share a more fundamental way of thinking with readers."

So this time, I'd like to discuss the "fundamentals of strategy creation," which I also touched on in the book "Strategic Thinking: Learning from Heroes to Tackle Difficult Challenges" (published by Nikkei Publishing).

Strategy is the product of "Ken-Ken" and "Kan-Kan"

Now, here's a scene from "A Certain Meeting Room, Some Day in 2019."

"Wow, that's incredibly strategic!"
"We just don't have enough strategy... strategy, you know..."

Corporate planning, new ventures, HR, legal, marketing, sales promotion, advertising production...etc.
Due to my profession, I attend a wide variety of meetings, and no matter the industry or sector, I encounter scenes where conversations like the above fly back and forth.

Many people are fighting with the weapon of "strategy."
Yet at the same time, many businesspeople, swamped by daily tasks, seem to have left behind the fundamental question:

"We talk about being strategic, but what does 'strategy' actually mean?"

Therefore, in this final installment of the series, I want to rewind the conversation all the way back to the "fundamental question" and delve deeper into the word "strategy."

What exactly is strategy?
There is certainly no single answer. From ancient military treatises to modern management and marketing contexts, strategists throughout history and across cultures have defined strategy. Observing these numerous definitions, and drawing from my own daily struggles with "strategy creation," I believe the following equation can be derived:

"Strategy" = "Logic" × "Creativity"

What does this mean? Putting the meaning of each of the three keywords appearing in the formula into words yields the following slide:

LOGIC uses numbers and facts as weapons to objectively derive what is "indeed good." It involves repeatedly engaging in "kenken" (judgment based on verification and experimental results) until fully convinced.

On the other hand, CREATIVITY uses intuition and gut feelings as weapons to uncover "something that just feels right" from a subjective standpoint. It's the act of making judgments like "I don't really know why, but I just feel this option is better!" and repeatedly engaging in "Kan-kan" (judgments based on emotion or intuition).

STRATEGY, then, is a methodology that moves back and forth between LOGICAL and CREATIVE thinking to realize someone's wish within a time limit.

The unfamiliar terminology in the diagram might make it seem like a world far removed from your daily work, but that's absolutely not the case.

For example, recall your own thought process when creating presentation materials.
You rearrange slide order based on LOGIC, seeking a compelling presentation flow. Yet, haven't you also suddenly thought, "Right here, I want to grab the audience's attention with a bold message in large font," and started typing whatever came to mind? Or chosen slide colors based on your personal preference?

In those moments, you're freeing yourself from LOGIC and leaning toward CREATIVITY in your decisions.

All these actions are part of crafting a solid presentation strategy. What materials to prepare? What delivery style to use? You're naturally blending LOGIC and CREATIVITY to devise a strategy that moves your audience—your target.

However, in the business world, the term "strategy" is sometimes used with meanings different from the "strategy" or "strategic" shown in this diagram. And in such cases, it often leads to ineffective "bad strategies" that fail to deliver results.

So what specific misconceptions are prevalent? Let me introduce two common misunderstandings seen in business settings.

Misunderstanding ①: "Strategic" and "Logical" are Confused

Alongside "strategic," the term "logical" is also commonly heard in business settings. "Strategy" and "logic"—despite being words with completely different kanji and readings—are often used interchangeably without much thought.

As shown in the earlier slide, stacking up "logic" alone does not create "strategy." "Logic" is merely one element of strategy.

Let's consider a concrete example.

Marketer A, employed by a manufacturer, was suddenly summoned to the president's office and tasked with solving the problem of "stagnant sales at our company-operated eyeglass stores." Marketer A, whose strength is diligence, had honed logical thinking through internal training and field experience.

With no time or clues, he begins analyzing the information by trial and error. Analyzing by product, by store, by target age group...etc. Using logical thinking and some marketing knowledge, he can break things down almost infinitely.

However, no matter how many times he repeated this analysis show, it didn't guarantee he'd find a solution (though occasionally, by chance, he might make a brilliant discovery).

After three full days of analysis, all Mr. A gained was a thick stack of analysis documents... In an already busy business environment, such a painful situation must be avoided at all costs.

It's not that what's written is wrong. Rather, it's well-analyzed, listing correct points. Yet, it's a state of "logic bias" where one ends up preparing documents and materials that make you think, "Is that even relevant right now?" or "So what?"

This risk of falling into "logic-heavy" thinking isn't limited to Mr. A; the more diligently someone works, the greater the risk.

On the other hand, business professionals who flexibly master strategic thinking start by establishing a "starting point" and an "end point."

In terms of the game map used in this book, it's the act of starting from the bottom left, overcoming barriers, and moving step by step toward the goal (Angel Y) in the top right.

There's another common misconception about the word "strategy."

It's the opinion that "Strategy has nothing to do with creativity, right?" As shown in the slide mentioned earlier, this is a major misconception.

The term "creative" strongly evokes associations with specific job roles or professions.

Certainly, in many industries, including advertising, there are "creative professions" that utilize specialized skills like words and design to produce various forms of expression. Their imagination and creativity provide the power to find novel angles and advance business in unexpected ways.

However, these specific professions do not encompass the entirety of "creative" endeavors. Broadly speaking, creativity is an act used daily by every business professional.

Last time, while quoting Descartes' famous saying, "Divide the difficulty," I presented six fundamental "questions (Q)" that underlie various "strategy development" processes.

This process is not simply a matter of logically and methodically organizing and accumulating information.

"Strategy" is born only when both "logic" and "creativity" are fully mobilized.

That moment when you think, "(It's hard to explain logically, but) somehow this idea feels right" – that's when you're in a highly creative state.

It's also that moment when, after thinking logically in a straight line and feeling stuck, you suddenly see a keyword in an unrelated magazine that sparks an idea: "This is it!"

So, what is the concrete process for creating strategy by fully engaging both the right and left brain? I've outlined part of that process in this book.

I especially hope those who think, "Creativity has nothing to do with my job," will give it a read.

Thank you for following this three-part series. May all business professionals across industries master the weapon of "strategy" and positively overcome challenges!
(End)