After nearly four decades of steering a company through various economic cycles, I’ve observed a recurring trap for even the most seasoned CEOs: the executive bubble. We spend our days in a whirlwind of fire-drills and strategic growth initiatives, often working with our head down around the clock. Our focus becomes so singular that we forget to look up.
In a world changing at a breakneck pace, this insulation is a mistake. We often find our best solutions by looking exactly where we aren’t expected to. What could a computer scientist learn from a gym? What could a technologist learn from calligraphy? Or a lawyer from NASCAR? These aren’t just anecdotes; they are masterclasses in cross-industry lateral thinking.
Consider Reed Hastings, the founder of Netflix. According to popular business lore, Hastings found his revolutionary model by looking at his local fitness center. He wondered why the movie rental business couldn’t mirror a gym membership — a flat, monthly fee where you exercise your viewing options as much or as little as you want. By porting a fitness industry staple into the media space, he changed how the world consumes content.
The late Steve Jobs offered a similar lesson regarding his brief time at Reed College. In his 2005 Stanford commencement address, Jobs credited a calligraphy course for the aesthetic soul of Apple. He noted that he learned about what makes great typography great, finding it “artistically subtle in a way that science can’t capture.” Jobs admitted, “None of this had even a hope of any practical application in my life. But 10 years later, when we were designing the first Macintosh computer, it all came back to me. And we designed it all into the Mac. It was the first computer with beautiful typography.”
Then there is Herb Kelleher, the lawyer who co-founded Southwest Airlines. When the airline faced crushing debt and potential failure, the team realized that survival hinged on reducing their turnaround time by 10 minutes to maintain their schedule with fewer planes. Kelleher famously looked to NASCAR pit crews to study the coordination of ground operations. By applying the high-stakes efficiency of a racetrack to an airport gate, he ensured both safety and unprecedented speed.
In each instance, these leaders found the missing piece outside their own spheres. While it is vital to stay connected with your customers and internal teams, you must also intentionally wander. What can a crowded restaurant parking lot tell you about shifting consumer spending? What can you learn from a lecture on a subject that seemingly has no impact on your balance sheet?
The advent of AI has accelerated this need. The disruption this technology brings will undoubtedly be on par with the internet or the smartphone. To survive the coming shifts, you must understand which way the winds are blowing well before they hit your specific sector.
The most dangerous thing a CEO can be is well-informed only within their own industry. Step out of your lane and look beyond your industry to find the unconventional insights that drive innovation. The future of your business may be hiding in a place you have yet to look. ●
Fred Koury is an entrepreneur and investor
