Sep 3, 2020 at 10: 13 am

Strategy Tools in Action Report: Scott Newton from Thinking Dimensions

The upcoming Strategy Tools in Action report unlocks trade secrets used by strategy practitioners across the globe. Today's interview features Scott Newton, Managing Partner at Thinking Dimension, based in Italy.

Strategy Tools

3 MIN READ

Over the past years, we have seen a rapidly growing community of Strategy Tools practitioners. From business school faculty in the US, executives-turned-consultants in Latin America, to Australian Innovation Clusters, the Strategy Tools platform is used across the globe to accelerate impact.

So how are people using Strategy Tools in Action? How are companies changing the way they work with strategy based on the toolkit? How are global consultants building their business with the help of the Strategy Tools platform? We’ll be launching Strategy Tools in Action, a report where we explore this in full detail.

Leading up to the release of the new report on the 16th of September, we’re releasing a few choice excerpts from the full report.

Featured today is Scott Newton, Managing Partner at Thinking Dimensions, based in Italy. Scott works with boards, CEOs, private equity, family office, senior leaders and company owners in Fortune 1000 businesses with a particular emphasis on Middle Market mid-sized companies with annual sales of 100 million-3 billion USD to impact sustainable growth and profitability opportunities.

Here’s the story on how he’s using the Strategy Tools Platform.

The world had changed. The way you implement strategy has to as well.

My Preferred Strategy Tools

The Industry Shifts Map together with Transform!.

The Industry Shifts Map is so important. Whether working with a board or a CEO and their management team.

If we look at the challenges organizations are facing today, a large number of them are in part due to the board and management not recognizing how an Industry is changing and what it will mean for their future.

Looking at the future- the convergence taking place due to technology between industries mean that traditional ways of looking at competition and substitutes are not enough.

The Industry Shifts tool is a great visual aid and thought-starter to assist leaders to pinpoint their future challenges and to begin to make decisions moving in the right direction.

How I Use It

Transform!

Transform! Is great to use in both company settings and in Executive Education.

I use Transform with boards and management to “break the ice” on discussing new ways to look at Strategy.

I often compare Strategy to driving a car- ask anyone and they will tell you they are far better than average at it. We know this cannot statistically be possible.

Transform enables me to make thinking visible on Strategy and start the process towards developing new capabilities.

Blended possibilities make this even more interesting tying into e-learning and in person.

Two Lenses on Strategy

This is a SUPER useful thought-provoking tool. When we want to break “old thinking” paradigms and accelerate the transition towards new ways to approach Strategy- this is where I often start.

Furthermore- this is a thought-starter that sparks Creativity and Innovation which are critical to solving new Challenges.

Corporate Venture Capital Map

When my teams and I work on Strategy, one of the outputs is a detailed identification of the Capabilities required to implement change. This often applies buying and partnering with new companies.

The Corporate Venture Capital Map helps organizations to spell out what their expectations are, what they need, and how they plan to go about getting it.

Client Impact

Our Clients have increased their EBITDA by more than €1 Billion to date.

Strategy Tools combined with our Processes and People help organizations remain Sustainable, develop Capabilities, and ensure the firm shifts from Reactive to Proactive Industry Leaders.

Recommendations to Others

1. Strategy doesn’t happen in a vacuum

…nor in a PowerPoint Deck. It is about Change. Using the tools together with management and the board helps you in getting the change you need.

2. Get certified in running simulations

I strongly recommend getting certified in the Simulations. The Simulations are a world-class way to quickly help your client understand their situation and begin to plot the way forward. Doing is better than passive every time.

3. Strategy must adapt and adopt

Old ways of approaching Strategy do not work in our current world. Whether we like it or hate it, the world has changed, and the way we approach Strategy must adapt and adopt.

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Want more strategy insights from across the globe? Pre-register for the Strategy Tools in Action Report launching on September 16. 

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