Break From the Pack: How to Compete in a Copycat Economy

4. Curious, Cool, and Crazy: Building a Culture of Disciplined Lunacy

If competitors aren't bewildered or infuriated by what you're doing, and if industry observers and even customers don't think you're a little nuts, then you're probably not doing anything that will break you from the grips of the Copycat Economy. In today's hypercompetitive environment, organizations which break from the pack have these characteristics:

• They're Curious—Possessed of a culture built around inquisitiveness, and willing to explore uncharted, unorthodox, and even controversial paths
• They're Cool—Exhibiting an organization-wide willingness to be edgy, unconventional, and even defiant
• They're Crazy—Eager to make decisions that seem insane but are also the result ...