I think some of the best opportunities start with “Huh”

I have no idea whether “Huh” is an accepted strategic methodology.

Probably not.

But I think a surprising amount of interesting work starts there.

Someone says something you weren't expecting. Huh.

A tiny brand in another category is suddenly growing incredibly quickly. Huh.

Customers are using the product in a completely different way from the one it was designed for. Huh.

A phrase starts appearing in conversations that you hadn’t heard six months ago. Huh.

The temptation in businesses is to immediately decide whether something is important. We have a lot to do. We can’t investigate every weird comment or emerging behaviour.

Fair.

But I think there is a skill in noticing before judging.

Some things will turn out to be absolutely nothing. One weird customer doing a weird thing.

Others are weak signals of something much bigger.

I’m fascinated by the things happening at the edges because the centre is normally quite well understood. Everyone can see what the category leaders are doing. Everyone gets the same trend reports eventually.

The interesting bit is often the thing that doesn't fit neatly into the existing story.

You don't need to immediately know what it means.

Sometimes you just need to be curious enough to say, “Huh. I wonder what's going on there?”