Understanding Lateral Thinking (Through Case Study)

1. UNDERSTANDING LATERAL THINKING
Through Case Study
By: Abhisek Khatua

2. HEWLETT–PACKARD CASE STUDY
In the heart of chaos…
Strategic Business Planning SUCCESS!
@Source: www.EdwarddeBono.com

3. INTRODUCTION
 HP one of the Largest Organisation of the World.
 Leading Global Provider of Products, Technologies, Solutions and Services to consumers and Business.
 On May 2002, Merger of HP and Compaq Computer Corporation was announced by CEO Carly Fiorina.
 This was the Largest Technology Fusion in the History (at that time-valued $25 Billion).
Employees
1,40,000
Currencies
40
Countries
160
Michael Dell CEO of Dell Computer famously called it “The Dumbest Deal of The Decade”

4. THE PROBLEM
 Merger was done with out behind focus on Clienteles.
 Tremendous Opportunity was created along with lot of Chaos.
 Merger leads to numerous layoff of 15,000 employees : causing
Morale Problem.
 Poor Group Dynamics, Lot of Power Plays interfering with
Performance.
 Culture of HP based on Consensus.
 Culture of Compaq based on Rapid Decision Making.
 Bitter Infighting and Loosing Good Personnel.
• HP
• Compaq
Corporate
Goals
• Corporate
Cultures
• Morale
Problems
Crushing
• Not an Easy
Task
• Low
Performance
Team
Work

5. ANALYSIS
To deal with Problems, various teams within the company were asked to create:
 Strategic Plans in line with HP’s Corporate Goals.
 Organised Planned Meetings for Strategic Plans Discussion.
 Presentation of Business Plan.
 Some Groups (majorly Compaq Personnel) were prevented to move forward in these meetings.
 Struggling with Team Cohesion.
 Overall objectives were suffering.
 Team “Process and Quality Management Network Storage” was having a hard time to draft its own
strategy.

6. THE SOLUTION
From HP Jon Albregts
(Organiser of Strategic Development Meeting)
Mike Sproul
(De Bono Coach)
Mapped out a Solid Plan for the Meeting
Step: 1
Team informed about Pre-Meeting Work via E-mail.
Framework the overall Group
Asked to Present only White Hats Information about the Commercial Plan
Using Six Thinking Hats
White Hat thinking
focuses on data, facts,
information known or
needed.

7. THE SOLUTION CONTD.
Step: 2
Following the Meeting group used Yellow
Hats and Black Hats to analyse each
initiative.
Step: 3
Engaged in Head-to-Head Rational
Session, used Red Hats.
Step: 4
Identification of next steps for
Implementing the Plans, used Blue Hats.
Black Hat thinking
focuses on
difficulties,
potential problems.
Why something
may not work.
Yellow Hat
thinking focuses
on values and
benefits. Why
something may
work.
Red Hat thinking
focuses on feelings,
hunches, gut instinct,
and intuition.
Blue Hat thinking
focuses on manage the
thinking process, focus,
next steps, action plans.

8. THE RESULTS
 Each Meeting took only 25 Minutes rather than unproductive multiple Business Hours.
 Arguments, Debates, and Frustrations were reduced within and outside the Meeting Room.
 Better Insights of Team came into the Picture of Strategy Formulation.
 Improved Group Dynamics
 Lateral Thinking is now Part of Process Quality Improvement Process.
 Improved their Performance in Customer Service for both Businesses.
 From the Dumbest Merger to Successful Merger.
 Senior Management of HP : “This was the best team building activity we have ever gone through!”

9. CONCLUSION
 Rapid Decision Making and with everyone’s participation and Satisfaction.
 Complex Problems were handled with a Structured Thinking Format which is far different from traditional
approach.
 Better Cross Cultural Interaction.
 From :In-Fight Activity” to “Do Activity  Impact”
 Collaborative Thinking  Reduces Conflicts  Enhances Creativity  Promotes Innovation  Improves
Confidence Team Members

10. REFERENCES
• www.resoucesunlimited.com
• www.deBonoConsulting.com
• www.businessweek.com
• www.Wikipedia.com

11. THANK YOU