We see what others can’t.
This is the I-Spot.
—— hit the spot that actually moves things.
“The formulation of a problem is often more essential than its solution.”
He had no answer. He had the right question.
“Big enough to matter. Small enough to solve.”
He had a dream. He started with a bus.
“The right thing, said the way it cuts.”
He had the truth. He swung it like a hammer.
We begin
with the question.
Haste has a measurable price
— five findings.
R01
ADMITTED
85%
of companies
admit they often solve the wrong problem.
Wedell-Wedellsborg, 2020
R02
FIRST MOVER
47%
vs 8% for followers
First movers fail far more than those who wait.
Grant, 2016
R03
FIRST IDEA
1 in 3
success rate
Push your first idea through, it rarely sticks.
Nutt, 1999 / 2008
R04
INCUBATION
+28%
more creative
Ideas given time to incubate beat rushed ones.
Shin & Grant, 2021
R05
META-ANALYSIS
r =.22
40 studies · 6,649
Problem-finding is linked to creativity.
Abdulla et al., 2020
↔Swipe
R01
ADMITTED
85%
of companies
admit they often solve the wrong problem.
Wedell-Wedellsborg, 2020
R02
FIRST MOVER
47%
vs 8% for followers
First movers fail far more than those who wait.
Grant, 2016
R03
FIRST IDEA
1 in 3
success rate
Push your first idea through, it rarely sticks.
Nutt, 1999 / 2008
R04
INCUBATION
+28%
more creative
Ideas given time to incubate beat rushed ones.
Shin & Grant, 2021
R05
META-ANALYSIS
r =.22
40 studies · 6,649
Problem-finding is linked to creativity.
Abdulla et al., 2020
The question, reframed
— and shipped.
Forward
Deployed
Engineering
Case Studies
14 Cases · 3 Categories
01-04
Internal efficiency
Cost reduction · Risk mitigation Optimizing how the business runs today
Case Studies
14 Cases · 3 Categories
01-04
Internal efficiency
↔Swipe
Forward
Deployed
Engineering
Case Studies
14 Cases · 3 Categories
05-08
Revenue creation
Customer engagement · Growth acceleration Expanding the business through AI-powered GTM
05-08
Revenue creation
↔Swipe
Forward
Deployed
Engineering
Case Studies
14 Cases · 3 Categories
09-14
Rewriting the rules
Not optimizing the game — changing it When AI shifts the competitive axis entirely
09-14
Rewriting the rules
↔Swipe
Still start with the solution? Still jump to the answer?
The longest way round is the shortest way home.
Here is the evidence.
- Wedell-Wedellsborg, T. (2017/2020). Are You Solving the Right Problems? HBR; What’s Your Problem? HBR Press.
- Grant, A. (2016). Originals. Viking — first-mover 47% vs 8% (Golder & Tellis, 1993).
- Nutt, P. C. (1999/2002/2008). Acad. of Mgmt Exec.; Why Decisions Fail; J. of Mgmt Studies.
- Shin, J. & Grant, A. (2021). When Putting Work Off Pays Off. Acad. of Mgmt Journal.
- Abdulla, Paek, Cramond & Runco (2020). Problem Finding and Creativity: A Meta-Analytic Review. PACA 14(1).
Proof — our own track record: 14 cases · 3 categories (Defensive 01–04 · Offensive 05–08 · Transformation 09–14).
So take the long way round.
(Turf)MVVMission・Vision・Values
Corporate Fortune
(Issues)
- ・How to keep investing in exploration?
- ・How to diversify the bets?
- ・How to enter and exit decisively?
- ・How to kill failures fast?
- ・How to sense market signals?
- ・How to control collective bias?
- ・How to balance the portfolio?
- ・How to read market timing?
- ・How to widen external ties?
- ・How to become the hub?
- ・How to capitalize reputation?
- ・How to open up to alliances?
- ・How to withstand adversity?
- ・How to keep strategic slack?
- ・How to endure for the long run?
- ・How to make the long-term bet?
(Turf)FINFinance
Corporate Finance
(Issues)
- ・How to grow the top line?
- ・How to optimize costs?
- ・How to raise margins?
- ・How to fix the P&L?
- ・How to sweat the assets?
- ・How to design leverage?
- ・How to build equity?
- ・How to strengthen the balance sheet?
- ・How to generate cash?
- ・How to manage the runway?
- ・How to optimize working capital?
- ・How to catch financial risk early?
- ・How to design enterprise value?
- ・How to lift ROE and ROIC?
- ・How to earn the multiple?
- ・How to forecast the future?
(Turf)MKTMarketing
Customer
(Issues)
- ・How to find a market you can win?
- ・How to differentiate?
- ・How to sharpen the value proposition?
- ・How to become the chosen brand?
- ・How to raise awareness?
- ・How to nurture leads?
- ・How to win more meetings?
- ・How to close more deals?
- ・How to onboard customers well?
- ・How to drive product adoption?
- ・How to prevent churn?
- ・How to manage expectations?
- ・How to expand revenue per customer?
- ・How to grow true fans?
- ・How to spark referrals?
- ・How to deepen the PMF?
(Turf)HRMHuman Resource Management
Recruiting
(Issues)
- ・How to pick your talent market?
- ・How to stand out as an employer?
- ・How to craft your EVP?
- ・How to build employer reputation?
- ・How to fill the pipeline?
- ・How to nurture and screen?
- ・How to design candidate experience?
- ・How to close the offer?
- ・How to onboard well?
- ・How to ramp up fast?
- ・How to prevent attrition?
- ・How to manage expectations?
- ・How to support growth?
- ・How to deepen engagement?
- ・How to spark referrals?
- ・How to deepen people-org fit?
(Turf)BPMBusiness Process Management
Business Process
(Issues)
- ・How to standardize the work?
- ・How to clarify who does what?
- ・How to design the value chain?
- ・How to measure the process?
- ・How to cut the lead time?
- ・How to decide faster?
- ・How to execute priorities?
- ・How to improve procurement?
- ・How to reduce variance?
- ・How to keep the books accurate?
- ・How to detect anomalies early?
- ・How to stay compliant?
- ・How to make kaizen a culture?
- ・How to build, measure, learn?
- ・How to keep running in crisis?
- ・How to reinvent the process?
(Turf)R&DResearch and Development
R&D
(Issues)
- ・How to pick research themes?
- ・How to invent from first principles?
- ・How to link tech seeds to needs?
- ・How to test ideas with prototypes?
- ・How to design the stage gates?
- ・How to keep lessons from failure?
- ・How to turn inventions into rights?
- ・How to leverage open innovation?
- ・How to speed up development?
- ・How to build core technologies?
- ・How to co-develop with customers?
- ・How to balance research and business?
- ・How to prune the pipeline?
- ・How to draw the tech roadmap?
- ・How to unleash researchers' creativity?
- ・How to solve contradictions inventively?
(Turf)SCMSupply Chain Management
Supply Chain
(Issues)
- ・How to forecast demand?
- ・How to optimize inventory?
- ・How to prevent stock-outs?
- ・How to cut excess stock?
- ・How to select suppliers?
- ・How to grow with suppliers?
- ・How to cut procurement costs?
- ・How to diversify sourcing?
- ・How to see the whole chain?
- ・How to catch supply delays early?
- ・How to prepare for supply risks?
- ・How to balance supply and demand?
- ・How to prevent procurement fraud?
- ・How to source responsibly?
- ・How to run POs without a slip?
- ・How to build a resilient chain?
(Turf)PRDProduction
Production
(Issues)
- ・How to stabilize quality?
- ・How to cut defects?
- ・How to eliminate waste?
- ・How to cut changeover time?
- ・How to keep machines running?
- ・How to control the process with data?
- ・How to build a stop-and-fix culture?
- ・How to avoid overproduction?
- ・How to tap shop-floor wisdom?
- ・How to keep the site safe?
- ・How to raise productivity?
- ・How to remove the bottlenecks?
- ・How to pass on craft skills?
- ・How to ramp up new lines fast?
- ・How to build in cost targets?
- ・How to keep the factory evolving?
(Turf)BRDBrand
Brand
(Issues)
- ・How to define the brand core?
- ・How to word the brand promise?
- ・How to nail the name and logo?
- ・How to keep visuals consistent?
- ・How to craft the brand story?
- ・How to build the brand world?
- ・How to be the first name recalled?
- ・How to design the associations?
- ・How to polish every touchpoint?
- ・How to make employees embody it?
- ・How to measure brand equity?
- ・How to win without discounting?
- ・How to protect the brand?
- ・How to revive a tired brand?
- ・How to avoid overstretching?
- ・How to evolve with the times?
(Turf)MKTMarketing
Promotion
(Issues)
- ・How to grasp customer insight?
- ・How to craft the message that lands?
- ・How to move hearts with copy?
- ・How to nudge with psychology?
- ・How to create the reason to buy now?
- ・How to measure ad impact?
- ・How to refine with A/B tests?
- ・How to pick the right channels?
- ・How to stand out on a budget?
- ・How to make it shareable?
- ・How to design the campaign?
- ・How to plan the promo calendar?
- ・How to win at the shelf?
- ・How to maximize promo ROI?
- ・How to persuade without deceiving?
- ・How to fix the leaky funnel?
(Turf)SLSSales
Sales
(Issues)
- ・How to qualify the prospects?
- ・How to uncover the real needs?
- ・How to sell with questions?
- ・How to sell with insight?
- ・How to handle objections?
- ・How to defend your price?
- ・How to reach the decision maker?
- ・How to advance the deal?
- ・How to make the final push?
- ・How to manage the pipeline?
- ・How to forecast the sales?
- ・How to systematize selling?
- ・How to win the key accounts?
- ・How to build a strong sales team?
- ・How to learn from lost deals?
- ・How to keep trust after the sale?
(Turf)LOGLogistics
Logistics
(Issues)
- ・How to optimize the routes?
- ・How to raise load efficiency?
- ・How to cut the freight costs?
- ・How to always deliver on time?
- ・How to win the last mile?
- ・How to design the warehouse layout?
- ・How to speed up the picking?
- ・How to eliminate mis-shipments?
- ・How to track shipments live?
- ・How to handle demand swings?
- ・How to mix the transport modes?
- ・How to design the network?
- ・How to manage the returns?
- ・How to cope with driver shortages?
- ・How to improve with logistics data?
- ・How to turn logistics into an edge?
(Turf)CSMCustomer Service Management
Customer Service
(Issues)
- ・How to respond fast?
- ・How to solve on first contact?
- ・How to enable self-service?
- ・How to grow the FAQ?
- ・How to turn complaints into trust?
- ・How to calm the angry customer?
- ・How to standardize service quality?
- ・How to measure service quality?
- ・How to feed the voice to the product?
- ・How to reduce the ticket volume?
- ・How to protect the support team?
- ・How to share support know-how?
- ・How to create the wow moments?
- ・How to make support pay off?
- ・How to blend AI and humans?
- ・How to be the desk they return to?
(Turf)FINFinance
Accounting
(Issues)
- ・How to close the books faster?
- ・How to keep the entries accurate?
- ・How to never miss an invoice?
- ・How to pay on time, every time?
- ・How to simplify expense claims?
- ・How to keep the paper trail?
- ・How to nip fraud in the bud?
- ・How to make the close error-free?
- ・How to build internal controls?
- ・How to be tax-ready?
- ・How to be audit-ready?
- ・How to automate the accounting?
- ・How to de-personalize the work?
- ・How to serve numbers to management?
- ・How to show each unit's numbers?
- ・How to make accounting proactive?
(Turf)HRMHuman Resources Management
People Systems
(Issues)
- ・How to design the job grades?
- ・How to make pay feel fair?
- ・How to clarify the criteria?
- ・How to reduce rater variance?
- ・How to train the evaluators?
- ・How to set goals right?
- ・How to link reviews to growth?
- ・How to make review talks count?
- ・How to make promotion transparent?
- ・How to differentiate the bonus?
- ・How to handle demotions fairly?
- ・How to embed the system?
- ・How to benchmark market pay?
- ・How to fit diverse work styles?
- ・How to spot system side effects?
- ・How to redesign the system?
(Turf)LEGLegal (Execution)
Legal Execution
(Issues)
- ・How to draft airtight contracts?
- ・How to spot contract risks?
- ・How to manage contracts centrally?
- ・How to vet the counterparties?
- ・How to defend the IP?
- ・How to act fast on violations?
- ・How to keep up with law changes?
- ・How to make legal everyone's job?
- ・How to collect what's owed?
- ・How to prevent labor disputes?
- ・How to handle harassment cases?
- ・How to prevent the data leaks?
- ・How to prepare for litigation?
- ・How to build an evidence culture?
- ・How to work with outside counsel?
- ・How to make legal a weapon?
(Turf)LEGLegal (Advocacy)
Legal Advocacy
(Issues)
- ・How to prepare the negotiation?
- ・How to design the landing zone?
- ・How to walk in with a plan B?
- ・How to talk interests, not positions?
- ・How to expand the pie?
- ・How to face an emotional opponent?
- ・How to stand firm under pressure?
- ・How to use silence and time?
- ・How to pin down commitments?
- ・How to put the deal in writing?
- ・How to walk away well?
- ・How to settle disputes by talking?
- ・How to use mediation and arbitration?
- ・How to mediate internal conflicts?
- ・How to negotiate ethically?
- ・How to spread negotiation skill?
(Turf)COMPublic Relations & Crisis Management
PR & Crisis
(Issues)
- ・How to control the first hours?
- ・How to apologize right?
- ・How to decide what to say?
- ・How to prep for the press?
- ・How to contain the flames?
- ・How to read social sentiment?
- ・How to drill before the crisis?
- ・How to build trust before you need it?
- ・How to alert the inside first?
- ・How to build press relations?
- ・How to earn the coverage?
- ・How to fight the rumors?
- ・How to build the leader's voice?
- ・How to rebuild trust after?
- ・How to tailor the message?
- ・How to manage reputation risk?
(Turf)M&AMergers & Acquisitions
M&A
(Issues)
- ・How to know why you're buying?
- ・How to source the target?
- ・How to value the target?
- ・How to find landmines in DD?
- ・How to structure the deal?
- ・How to avoid overpaying?
- ・How to build in the protections?
- ・How to plan integration early?
- ・How to nail Day One?
- ・How to bridge the culture clash?
- ・How to win the acquired hearts?
- ・How to harvest the synergies?
- ・How to protect the goodwill?
- ・How to know when to sell?
- ・How to keep the deal quiet?
- ・How to learn from every deal?
(Turf)NBDNew Business Development
New Business
(Issues)
- ・How to find the job to be done?
- ・How to verify the pain is real?
- ・How to find the untapped market?
- ・How to test with an MVP?
- ・How to sell before you build?
- ・How to turn beliefs into hypotheses?
- ・How to sequence the tests?
- ・How to decide to pivot?
- ・How to land the first customers?
- ・How to learn from early users?
- ・How to find the unit economics?
- ・How to test your pricing?
- ・How to borrow the core's assets?
- ・How to start small and scale?
- ・How to beat internal resistance?
- ・How to graduate to a real business?
(Turf)DATAData
Data
(Issues)
- ・How to choose the numbers that matter?
- ・How to unify the data?
- ・How to keep the data clean?
- ・How to build usable dashboards?
- ・How to tell correlation from causation?
- ・How to spot misleading stats?
- ・How to know if the difference is real?
- ・How to mix qual and quant?
- ・How to tell stories with data?
- ・How to turn analysis into decisions?
- ・How to put models to work?
- ・How to delegate to AI?
- ・How to govern data ownership?
- ・How to use data, protect privacy?
- ・How to build a data culture?
- ・How to face what can't be measured?
(Turf)GRCGovernance, Risk, and Compliance
Governance
(Issues)
- ・How to balance offense and defense?
- ・How to map the key risks?
- ・How to prioritize the risks?
- ・How to set the three lines?
- ・How to make the board work?
- ・How to check runaway power?
- ・How to use internal audit well?
- ・How to make whistleblowing safe?
- ・How to cut misconduct at the root?
- ・How to avoid rule inflation?
- ・How to build self-discipline on site?
- ・How to govern the subsidiaries?
- ・How to set the crisis chain of command?
- ・How to disclose honestly?
- ・How to define the risk appetite?
- ・How to make integrity the culture?
(Turf)LRNLearning
Learning & Growth
(Issues)
- ・How to instill a growth mindset?
- ・How to spark the will to learn?
- ・How to nurture self-mastery?
- ・How to give learners agency?
- ・How to design growth experiences?
- ・How to raise feedback density?
- ・How to share the duty to develop?
- ・How to make learning visible?
- ・How to codify tacit knowledge?
- ・How to circulate knowledge?
- ・How to grow communities of practice?
- ・How to preserve what we know?
- ・How to learn as a team?
- ・How to question the premises?
- ・How to absorb outside knowledge?
- ・How to learn how to learn?
(Turf)THKThinking
Ways of Thinking
(Issues)
- ・How to reason from principles?
- ・How to find patterns in cases?
- ・How to borrow across domains?
- ・How to leap to the best guess?
- ・How to grasp what it is?
- ・How to ask what it means?
- ・How to test with evidence?
- ・How to structure the problem?
- ・How to see the whole system?
- ・How to choose what to sacrifice?
- ・How to diverge widely?
- ・How to think sideways?
- ・How to work backwards?
- ・How to think in probabilities?
- ・How to start from a hypothesis?
- ・How to think about thinking?
(Turf)ORGOrganization
Organizational Foundation
(Issues)
- ・How to clarify the mission?
- ・How to share the vision?
- ・How to embed core values?
- ・How to define who we are?
- ・How to clarify roles?
- ・How to keep information flowing?
- ・How to allocate fairly?
- ・How to align the systems?
- ・How to grow internal trust?
- ・How to make contribution visible?
- ・How to welcome dissent?
- ・How to create belonging?
- ・How to institutionalize learning?
- ・How to adapt to change?
- ・How to set ethical norms?
- ・How to build resilience?
(Turf)LCKLuck
Fortune
(Issues)
- ・How to take more swings?
- ・How to vary your moves?
- ・How to time your moment?
- ・How to cut losses fast?
- ・How to sense opportunity?
- ・How to drop superstition?
- ・How to bet on expected value?
- ・How to be ready for luck?
- ・How to widen weak ties?
- ・How to become the connector?
- ・How to bank trust?
- ・How to catch luck from others?
- ・How to bounce back?
- ・How to afford the gamble?
- ・How to outlast the game?
- ・How to play the long game?
(Turf)PFNPersonal Finance
Money Luck
(Issues)
- ・How to earn more?
- ・How to diversify income?
- ・How to invest in yourself?
- ・How to know your cash flow?
- ・How to control spending?
- ・How to keep cash ready?
- ・How to manage the money flow?
- ・How to beat money impulses?
- ・How to build assets?
- ・How to know your net worth?
- ・How to manage debt?
- ・How to think in balance sheets?
- ・How to get money-literate?
- ・How to make money work?
- ・How to see future cash flows?
- ・How to define what money is for?
(Turf)ROMRomance
Love & Marriage
(Issues)
- ・How to build secure attachment?
- ・How to reveal your true self?
- ・How to be attractive?
- ・How to steady your heart?
- ・How to judge compatibility?
- ・How to read the signs?
- ・How to see past infatuation?
- ・How to loosen your checklist?
- ・How to close the distance?
- ・How to put feelings into words?
- ・How to respond to their heart?
- ・How to survive early friction?
- ・How to commit?
- ・How to keep investing in love?
- ・How to rekindle the bond?
- ・How to build a future together?
(Turf)FRNFriends
Friendship
(Issues)
- ・How to open up to new people?
- ・How to share just enough?
- ・How to stay emotionally steady?
- ・How to build basic trust?
- ・How to notice friendly signals?
- ・How to spot a good match?
- ・How to befriend the different?
- ・How to drop first impressions?
- ・How to create shared moments?
- ・How to listen and be heard?
- ・How to respond with empathy?
- ・How to repair after conflict?
- ・How to keep friendships alive?
- ・How to grow each other?
- ・How to design your circle?
- ・How to treasure old bonds?
(Turf)CARCareer
Job & Vocation
(Issues)
- ・How to know your values?
- ・How to grasp your strengths?
- ・How to see your own tendencies?
- ・How to find what drives you?
- ・How to know what to avoid?
- ・How to judge a workplace?
- ・How to assess job fit?
- ・How to read company culture?
- ・How to face the job market?
- ・How to make the final call?
- ・How to avoid biased choices?
- ・How to keep options open?
- ・How to present yourself?
- ・How to tap your network?
- ・How to win the selection?
- ・How to move through uncertainty?
(Turf)ARTArts
Craft & Arts
(Issues)
- ・How to sharpen bodily sense?
- ・How to perceive fine differences?
- ・How to move as intended?
- ・How to nail the timing?
- ・How to practice deliberately?
- ・How to turn feedback into growth?
- ・How to vary your practice?
- ・How to refine the mental model?
- ・How to make technique automatic?
- ・How to enter the zone?
- ・How to adapt and improvise?
- ・How to perform under pressure?
- ・How to watch yourself objectively?
- ・How to design your training?
- ・How to steal from the masters?
- ・How to create your own style?
(Turf)EDUEducation
Academics
(Issues)
- ・How to believe you can grow?
- ・How to build confidence?
- ・How to manage your own learning?
- ・How to stay focused?
- ・How to train working memory?
- ・How to think faster?
- ・How to grow language skills?
- ・How to think logically?
- ・How to know what you know?
- ・How to structure knowledge?
- ・How to apply what you learn?
- ・How to enjoy learning itself?
- ・How to see it through?
- ・How to study through anxiety?
- ・How to plan your study?
- ・How to learn together?
(Turf)FAMFamily
Family
(Issues)
- ・How to stabilize the household?
- ・How to make home safe?
- ・How to keep life clean?
- ・How to truly rest at home?
- ・How to accept each other as is?
- ・How to respond to family?
- ・How to make home welcoming?
- ・How to stop hurting each other?
- ・How to stay honest at home?
- ・How to keep showing up?
- ・How to respect autonomy?
- ・How to keep healthy boundaries?
- ・How to deepen intimacy?
- ・How to understand each other?
- ・How to repair the cracks?
- ・How to share life together?
(Turf)WLBWellbeing
Health
(Issues)
- ・How to fix your diet?
- ・How to improve your gut?
- ・How to sleep better?
- ・How to make exercise a habit?
- ・How to control inflammation?
- ・How to avoid the toxins?
- ・How to reconnect with nature?
- ・How to look healthy?
- ・How to reduce stress?
- ・How to stay connected?
- ・How to bring back play?
- ・How to find purpose?
- ・How to judge health advice?
- ・How to track your body?
- ・How to face mortality?
- ・How to make habits stick?
(Turf)HLTHealth
Illness
(Issues)
- ・How to truly understand your illness?
- ・How to name what you feel?
- ・How to stop blaming yourself?
- ・How to keep hope of recovery?
- ・How to loosen rigid thinking?
- ・How to ride the waves of emotion?
- ・How to act alongside the pain?
- ・How to own your treatment?
- ・How to build trust with your doctor?
- ・How to lean on those around you?
- ・How to learn from peers?
- ・How to shape a healing environment?
- ・How to catch early warning signs?
- ・How to rebuild who you are?
- ・How to rediscover meaning?
- ・How to weave your recovery story?