‘I Don’t Get It’: Embracing Fresh Perspectives in Business

I don’t get it. There’s a movie scene in the film Big with Tom Hanks, which is fantastic for a million reasons, but a particular scene captures the essence of what often goes missing in business. Tom Hanks’ character, magically transformed into an adult, attends a toy company meeting. A marketing person pitches a robot that transforms into a building. While technically impressive (I mean, if it worked and was, like, real), it fundamentally misses what makes a toy fun. This disconnection between data and delight is exactly what we often face in business.

At Plain Sight Strategy Group, we’ve developed the LEAN Forward Methodology , which emphasizes a crucial balance between what I like to call the ‘faith’ and ‘science’ of business. ‘Faith’ is about the passion, the vision, and sometimes the irrational commitment to an idea that feels right (Relax, I am not attacking that kind of faith. This is scoped to business. This place and this company is not for the thin-skinned). ‘Science’, on the other hand, is the rigorous, data-driven scrutiny that challenges, refines, or sometimes overturns our beliefs.

We advocate starting from a point of ‘I don’t get it’ – a fresh, unassuming perspective that is open to seeing things anew, much like Josh Baskin in Big. This approach isn’t about ignorance but about a willingness to question and reevaluate in the face of new information, and dogmatically demand clarity even when that pursuit becomes uncomfortable.

Why This Matters

In a landscape crowded with innovations and data, understanding the real needs and desires of customers—what truly makes them tick and what solutions actually alleviate their pains—is more critical than ever. Our methodology provides the tools to bridge the gap between raw data and meaningful insights, ensuring that the narratives we build resonate deeply and authentically with our audiences. (More on this in a subsequent article about the evolution from Data -> Information -> Narratives)

Empowering the Evangelists

By equipping our teams with a blend of ‘faith’ and ‘science’, we ensure that our evangelists are not just storytellers but custodians of a validated truth. This balance helps transform customers into advocates, driven not just by the novelty of a product but by a genuine belief in its value.

In sum, whether you’re designing the next big toy or pivoting an entire business strategy, starting from ‘I just don’t get it’ might be the most insightful place to begin. At Plain Sight, we’re here to make sure that when you do get it, it’s not just an understanding, but a revelation.