A New Way To Think by Roger L. Martin Summary

A New Way to Think challenges conventional management frameworks by proposing 14 alternative models to common business challenges. Roger L. Martin argues that persistent problems often stem from flawed thinking, not poor execution, and advocates reevaluating strategies around competition, culture, innovation, and customer-centricity. The book compiles insights from Martin’s Harvard Business Review articles, offering actionable reframings for leaders seeking transformative solutions.

This book is ideal for executives, managers, and business students aiming to rethink entrenched practices. Its practical frameworks benefit leaders navigating strategy, organizational culture, or innovation hurdles. Readers familiar with Martin’s earlier work on integrative thinking or those seeking alternatives to traditional management theories will find it particularly valuable.

Key ideas include:

• Model flaws: Persisting with ineffective frameworks worsens outcomes.
• Customer-centric competition: Success hinges on creating unique value for customers, not beating rivals.
• Strategy-execution unity: Treating them as separate phases undermines results.
• Talent ecosystems: Move beyond “war for talent” to build collaborative environments.

Unlike prescriptive guides, Martin critiques widely accepted models like shareholder primacy and static strategy planning. He emphasizes why dominant frameworks fail and provides tested alternatives—such as redefining corporate purpose or integrating innovation into daily operations—rather than offering step-by-step fixes.

• On problem-solving: “When models don’t work, doubling down on them isn’t rigor—it’s stubbornness.”
• On competition: “Companies win by making competitors irrelevant, not by outperforming them.”
• On innovation: “Every employee should see innovation as part of their job, not a separate function”

The book teaches leaders to diagnose flawed mental models and adopt integrative thinking—a hallmark of Martin’s work. By reframing issues like cultural change or resource allocation, managers can escape binary choices and develop hybrid solutions that address root causes.

Some argue Martin’s alternatives lack granular implementation guidance, requiring readers to extrapolate tactics. Others note the book’s structure—reworked articles—can feel repetitive. However, most praise its paradigm-shifting value for leaders willing to challenge orthodoxy.

It expands on concepts from The Opposable Mind (integrative thinking) and The Design of Business (innovation processes). New material addresses contemporary issues like stakeholder capitalism and agile culture, synthesizing Martin’s decades of research and advisory experience.

Yes—its focus on adaptive thinking remains critical amid AI disruption and market volatility. The customer-centric strategies and culture redesign principles are particularly relevant for hybrid workplaces and ESG (Environmental, Social, Governance) demands.

Mid-career professionals and aspiring executives will gain tools to identify systemic workplace issues and advocate for strategic changes. The book’s emphasis on questioning assumptions aids leadership transitions and innovation roles.

Martin rejects culture as a “soft” side project, arguing it’s shaped by everyday decisions and metrics. He advises aligning cultural values with customer outcomes, such as incentivizing employee behaviors that directly enhance client experiences.

Pair with:

• Blue Ocean Strategy (Chan/Kim) for non-competitive markets
• Thinking, Fast and Slow (Kahneman) on decision-making biases
• Measure What Matters (Doerr) for goal-alignment tactics