Scanning and Sensemaking

Leading disruptive companies of our times develop forward-looking processes and “future-proofing” routines instead of relying on organizational dogma. Such scanning is important, but sensemaking is too, which is essentially scanning with mindfulness as executives work to conceptualize through awareness and interpretation of the world around them. It requires being attentive to the deviations from commonly accepted interpretations, habits of mind, and routines. To do this, executives can take several steps including creating a search map, developing horizon thinking, and tapping “outsiders” in the scanning process.