The Imperfectionists Strategic Mindsets for Uncertain Times

The world is changing faster and faster, with increasing uncertainty and threat of disruption in every business and nonprofit segment. Conventional approaches to strategy development and problem solving no longer work—there is no stable industry or market equilibrium structure that we will return to “when change abates.” Most company planning processes are fantasy; market conditions are changing too quickly for arm-chair strategizing to be useful. As a consequence, many management teams are stuck in a wait-and-see posture in response to extreme uncertainty in the post-Covid environment, while others are making panicky bets, including ‘leap before you look’ acquisitions.

In this sequel to their Amazon-bestseller, Bulletproof Problem Solving, Conn and McLean introduce a novel approach to strategic problem solving. Based on a decade of research and 30 new case studies, The Imperfectionists posits a dynamic approach to developing organizational direction under uncertainty based on harnessing six reinforcing strategic mindsets, which they call curiosity, dragonfly eye, occurrent behaviour, collective wisdom, imperfectionism, and show and tell.

Imperfectionists are curious, they look at problems from several perspectives, and gather new data and approaches, including from outside their current industry. They deliberately step into risk, proceeding through trial and error, utilizing nimble low consequence and reversible moves to deepen their understanding of the unfolding game being played, and to build capabilities. They accept ambiguity and some apparent failures in exchange for improved learning and market position. Imperfectionists succeed with dynamic, real time strategic problem solving, confidently moving forward while others wait for certainty, or make impetuous and foolish bets.

These strategic mindsets for solving tough problems in uncertain times help you fight decision biases and give you the data to develop informed strategies to win. In the fast changing world we all find ourselves in, being an imperfectionist is a critical advantage for you and your organization.

Robert McLean, AM, is a Director Emeritus of McKinsey & Company, a Trustee of The Nature Conservancy in Australia and Asia, and a Director of the Paul Ramsay Foundation, Australia’s largest philanthropic foundation. He is the former Dean of the Australian Graduate School of Management. He was a Fulbright Scholar to the Columbia University Graduate School of Business.

Charles Conn is an investor, environmentalist, and entrepreneur. He is co-founder of Monograph.bio, a venture firm, and was previously CEO of the Rhodes Trust in Oxford. He is Board Chair of Patagonia and sits on The Nature Conservancy European Council. He was founding CEO of Ticketmaster-Citysearch, and was a partner at McKinsey & Company. He is a graduate of Harvard, Oxford and Boston Universities.

Introduction: Becoming an Imperfectionist 1

Chapter 1: Ever Curious 21
Great questions precede brilliant answers

Chapter 2: Dragonfly Eye 39
Seeing the problem through multiple lenses

Chapter 3: Occurrent Behavior 59
Relentlessly experimenting

Chapter 4: Collective Intelligence 83
The smartest people aren’t in the room

Chapter 5: Imperfectionism 105
Stepping into risk

Chapter 6: Show and Tell 127
Storytelling to compel action

Chapter 7: Epilogue: All Strategies Are Wagers 145

Appendix: Bulletproof Problem Solving 159

Notes 163

Acknowledgments 175

About the Authors 179

Index 181

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