Michael Lissack
When we describe a competitive environment as a mountain range, a customer journey as a winding path, or an organizational culture as an ecosystem, we're not just being colorful—we're activating neural machin- ery specifically evolved to process such spatial relationships. This cogni- tive advantage proves particularly valuable when facing novel challenges where conventional frameworks provide limited guidance. The most effective organizations deliberately cultivate landscape thinking capabilities—not as replacements for analytical approaches but as complementary perspectives that enrich understanding and guide ac- tion. They recognize that the hills, valleys, rivers, and weather patterns they envision aren't just metaphorical constructs but practical tools for sense-making and navigation. As you face your own complex business challenges, consider how landscape imagery might illuminate aspects that conventional analy- sis misses: • Where are the unexplored territories in your market landscape? • What rivers of opportunity flow through your business ecosystem? • What mountains of challenge must your organization climb? • What bridges might connect previously separated domains? • What weather patterns affect your competitive climate? • Where are you currently located in this landscape, and where do you want to go? The answers to these questions won't replace data-driven analysis, but they will provide complementary insights that enrich your understanding and expand your possibilities for action. By thinking in landscapes, you tap into cognitive resources that have guided human navigation for thousands of generations. In doing so, you navigate the complex through the familiar—finding your way through today's business wilderness with tools embedded in our evolutionary heritage.
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