How do we build imagination into our strategy process?

Strategic imagination creates new possibilities when market data can only describe what has already happened. A strong strategy process still needs research, customer insight and commercial discipline, but it also needs people to ask what could exist next. That work is collective: useful ideas can come from people in marketing, operations, design, sales and beyond, not only from the strategy team.

A creative climate makes room for curiosity, unexpected connections and early ideas that are not yet fully formed. Rather than shutting down a thought because it seems impractical on day one, teams can develop it, combine it with other perspectives and decide later whether it has strategic value. The goal is not creativity for its own sake. The goal is a clearer set of future possibilities that gives the business somewhere new to go.

A productive ideation workshop gives diverse people one clear challenge, protected time and permission to build on one another's thinking. Scheduled workshops help teams step away from targets, routine delivery and job boundaries long enough to surface possibilities that may otherwise stay hidden.

Start with a focused strategic problem, then invite people with different roles and perspectives into the room. Keep early ideation open so participants can share incomplete or unexpected thoughts without immediately defending feasibility. Give every contribution somewhere to go, because a throwaway idea can spark a more useful one in someone else. Creative leaders need to set the tone, make the process safe to join and reward collaboration rather than individual performance. That is how co-creation becomes a repeatable part of strategic planning rather than a one-off brainstorm.

Imagination earns its place in strategy when ideas move into small, fast tests that reveal what is worth developing. Open thinking without action can leave a team with an inspiring wall of notes and no strategic change. The practical next move is to identify the assumptions inside a promising idea, test them early and use the result to improve the direction.

That calls for failure tolerance with clear purpose. Intelligent failing is not a licence for reckless decisions. It means testing an assumption quickly, learning from what does not work and iterating towards a stronger answer. Generative AI can add stimulus and speed, but human judgment still matters when teams decide which ideas are original, useful and right for the business. Keep people responsible for challenging familiar answers, spotting weak assumptions and choosing where to place the next bet.

We believe imagination works best when it is treated as a disciplined team practice, not a flash of individual genius. A partner for this work should be able to bring different voices into the conversation, turn loose ideas into a clear strategic direction and help teams test what deserves investment. We have put that belief into practice by gathering strategists, account managers, writers and designers around client challenges rather than leaving the big idea to one discipline. Our work on The business of imagination has also focused on collaboration, learning from failure, ideas from anywhere and meaningful investment in creativity. For us, the opportunity is simple: make more room for the people already capable of imagining what comes next.