This podcast episode discusses the concept of “altitude” as a way for business leaders and entrepreneurs to gain a bigger picture perspective in order to operate more strategically. It draws on the analogy of climbing the mast on a racing yacht, where gaining height provides a different viewpoint that allows one to see the whole system, identify patterns, and get back on course. This builds off the work of Global Strategist, Sophie Krantz.
The episode highlights that in business, spending too much time in the details can prevent leaders from seeing the larger context and from recalibrating their strategies. To play a bigger game, it’s necessary to “zoom out” and gain altitude. This involves seeing patterns across different areas, anticipating long-term shifts, spotting early signals, and understanding global interconnections.
The podcast introduces various tools that can help leaders achieve this “altitude” in a business context. These include platforms that provide satellite imagery (Story.earth), visualise interconnected global systems (Globaïa), offer time-lapsed global data (EarthTime), present evidence-based global data trends (Our World in Data), provide scenario planning tools (International Futures), offer population and urbanisation data (WorldPop), and provide tools to challenge outdated worldviews using global data (Gapminder). These tools offer strategic vantage points for understanding the world differently.
The episode emphasises that gaining altitude helps leaders move beyond simply reacting to short-term issues and instead allows them to understand the broader context of global volatility. Scenario planning, grounded in data and imagination, is presented as a key benefit of this higher perspective, enabling leaders to prepare for multiple potential futures rather than trying to predict a single outcome.
Furthermore, the podcast explains that “altitude” is not just a physical viewpoint but also a strategic vantage that helps leaders cross borders of geography, sector, and mindset. This leads to sharper priorities, the formation of important alliances, and the ability to see and break down barriers that others might miss. Ultimately, altitude provides clarity, shows the system in motion, and enables leaders to take action and lead effectively, especially when things feel stuck or out of control.
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