Leo Nagata has a long and deeply-held admiration for the concept of Blue Ocean Strategy, and for its architects, Chan Kim and Renée Mauborgne – celebrated INSEAD Professors of Strategy and #1 Thinkers in the World (Thinkers 2019.)
Over the years, he has applied the insights of Blue Ocean Strategy (BOS) across an array of projects in the United States, and in leadership roles in organisations as diverse as multinational advertising firm FCB Global, Walmart Labs, and most recently, social media trailblazer, Pinterest. Picking up the reins as Chief of Staff to the CTO in the latter in 2022, Nagata felt it was time for a refresh; time to reacquaint himself with the tenets of BOS and to see what might have changed over time. And where better to do so than at the source?
“Blue Ocean Strategy is one of my all-time favourite books on strategy, and I’ve actioned its learnings throughout my career in competitive strategy and later in data analytics. Making the transition back to a role where part of the job is to support strategy at Pinterest, I really wanted to revisit BOS and see how the ideas had stood the test of time. It made absolute sense to go direct to the source and take the course at INSEAD – to hear direct from the authors and expert instructors of this amazing book and idea. It seemed like a first-class way to get back into strategy.”
Nagata is a seasoned senior executive – very far from a “rookie,” he says – so the INSEAD Blue Ocean Strategy programme, delivered out of INSEAD’s new San Francisco Hub hit the right spot in terms of content, structure and the seniority (and diversity) of the cohort.
“Right off the bat, I was fascinated by the diversity of the cohort. My peers and instructors were from all over the world and represented a wealth of industries. Going into the programme, you sense the embodiment of something atypical, diverse and innovative that really resonates with the principles of BOS and endorses the idea that INSEAD is the business school for the world.”
The programme was tightly structured, says Nagata, such that he and his cohort were exposed to the key frameworks both methodically and efficiently. Although the learning experience also allowed for a slew of “unscripted moments” that were a major highlight, he says.
“One of the most interesting things is when you get this collective response to a business case with your peers. The case of the mini bar is a good example. Everyone knows what a mini bar is, but what we don’t think about is the fact that it’s always close to the floor, and human beings don’t like bending or bowing as a rule. Just having that very human insight sparked such rich and diverse conversations, full of humour and camaraderie. I think that’s one of the great things about the programme. BOS always brings you back to customers’ needs, and having the right people in the right place to explore this, it’s where the magic happens.”
Coming out of the programme, Nagata says that the concepts not only endure – there is a timeless quality to the principles of Blue Ocean Strategy – but deepening his understanding of the critical frameworks has given him a fresh take on his own decision-making.
“A very valuable session we had was on Blue Ocean Leadership, where we studied the application of BOS’ famous Strategy Canvas and Eliminate-Reduce-Raise-Create frameworks in the setting of how we collectively lead and align across all levels of an enterprise. It is a brilliantly simple, powerful and critically important approach to ensure we can successfully execute on strategy, which is often one of the toughest challenges we face in every company.”
Nagata’s programme experience has left him much closer to these tools – ideas and frameworks that have undoubtedly withstood the test of time, he says – and as a result, they are now front of mind when he’s faced with complex decisions in his new role.
“The learnings have passed into second nature. I’ve reached a kind of critical mass cognitively and in terms of behaviour, for application,” he says. “Taking this programme was so helpful in refreshing and re-honing my skills. The instructors, my peers and the organizing personnel were all truly engaged to create an outstanding and gratifying experience – It’s a 10.”
Blue Ocean thinking represents a kind of “revolution we truly need in our generation,” says Nagata. And it speaks to the key role of research and education in advancing the way we lead and practice business, today and tomorrow.
“This is the role of great thinkers and great schools like INSEAD. They have a leadership duty in connecting the community – humanity – to the ideas that can change the world. Experiencing it first hand in taking this programme at INSEAD was thrilling. And it’s terrific to see that the future direction of Blue Ocean is just as bright as its past.”
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