Blue Ocean Strategy - It’s OK not to be No. 1

Blue Ocean Strategy - It’s OK not to be No. 1

The title of today’s posting comes from a quote from Jim Lanzone, CEO, Ask.com. It was recently highlighted in an article about “Ripping up the Rules of Management.”

The Business 2.0 article features “contrarians,” or business leaders who “achieved success by zigging while the rest of the world zagged.” Tapping into the valued insight of numerous, highly-visible business personalities, the article reinforces that the road to success has often been paved by those bold enough to defy conventional wisdom.

We thought this might ring some bells for our Creating Blue Oceans community given that Blue Ocean Strategy is all about challenging conventional wisdom—questioning taken-for-granted assumptions, and overstepping industry boundaries. Its message is acutely relevant today, as businesses need to undergo fundamental management innovation focused on flexibility over size, and creativity over structure.