Have you ever stood at a crossroads, feeling both comfort and apprehension?

The Innovator’s Crossroads

In a recent insightful dialogue with a CXO, we delved into this feeling and its profound implications for business leadership. Picture yourself at a metaphorical crossroads: one path is well-trodden and familiar, representing your business’s successful trajectory. The other path is less taken, obscured by the unknown, possibly leading to greater innovation and success. We discussed the challenge of deviating from the well-known path and acting despite this apprehension when things are going well. This scenario mirrors what Clayton Christensen termed the ‘Innovator’s Dilemma.’ More often than not, the true challenge lies not in external market threats but in overcoming the internal reluctance to step off the familiar path. Blockbuster’s story serves as a cautionary tale here. They stood at this crossroads, choosing the familiar route of physical rentals over the less-trodden digital streaming path. This decision led to its downfall as Netflix surged ahead by choosing the road less travelled.

The Road of ‘What If’ Questions

Leadership at such crossroads demands the courage to ask, “What if we take the road less travelled?” In today’s world, where AI is reshaping landscapes and economic and geopolitical conditions are in flux, ‘what-if’ questions are vital navigational tools.

Strategizing at the Crossroads

Imagine a strategy session as a journey exploring multiple paths. Gather your team and consider the following for each potential road ahead:

• Where could our future growth come from if we took a different path?
• Do we have the resources, capabilities, and talent to venture onto new roads?
• Are we financially equipped to support our journey?

Most teams realize they are equipped to take the regular path but are apprehensive about taking unknown routes. While staying on the familiar course is comforting, there is danger in the comfort zone. Growth and innovation often lie on the paths we’ve yet to tread. Great leaders recognize these crossroads and inspire their teams to explore uncharted territories. Embracing the unknown requires a shift from conformity to curiosity.

Your Journey Forward

Are you ready to set foot on these new paths? Get your leadership team together for a ‘what-if’ storm. This exercise in foresight might reveal new roads ripe for innovation and success, making your organization anti-fragile and pioneering.

Every crossroads is a chance to redefine our journey.  Dare to explore the less-travelled road. In the words of Robert Frost, “Two roads diverged in a wood, and I—I took the one less travelled by, and that has made all the difference.”

Stay curious!