“Every month, Larry Huston, a Procter and Gamble vice president and lead creative director, deliberately introduces his staff to at least one new idea from non-business sources to encourage unfamiliar perspectives on the firm’s current practices.

Huston poses a vital question whenever he introduces a new idea: “what would change if we acted on this idea?” The question often generates useful answers. Most important, it encourages his staff to see the world differently, open themselves to change, and consider even more new ideas.”

From, “How Customers Think” by Gerald Zaltman, an essential read for anyone not just dealing with customers but also people within the organization.

• Deepa