Michael Lissack
The Power of Metaphor
Metaphors are among the most powerful tools for creative mental modeling. They allow us to understand one domain in terms of another, opening new perspectives and insights. When Reed Hastings described Netflix as "becoming HBO faster than HBO can become Netflix," he provided a metaphor that transformed how his organization thought about content creation and distribution. This mental model helped Netflix navigate the transition from content distributor to content creator with remarkable success. Metaphors work by transferring knowledge from a familiar domain to a less familiar one. Some particularly powerful business metaphors include: • Organizations as ecosystems rather than machines • Customer journeys rather than sales funnels • Products as services rather than finished goods • Innovation as gardening rather than breakthrough moments Each metaphor highlights different aspects of business reality and obscures others. The most creative thinkers deliberately employ multiple metaphors, allowing them to see situations from various perspectives.
Cross-Contextual Thinking
Creative mental modeling often involves taking ideas from one con- text and applying them in another. This cross-contextual thinking gener- ates innovations that would be difficult to discover within a single domain. Consider how Airbnb applied the sharing economy model (developed for cars and tools) to homes, or how Apple applied design principles from consumer products to computers, or how Toyota applied supermarket inventory systems to manufacturing.
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