The Necessity of Strangers The Intriguing Truth About Insight, Innovation, and Success

Most of us assume our success relies on a network of friends and close contacts. But innovative thinking requires a steady stream of fresh ideas and new possibilities, which strangers are more likely to introduce. Our survival instincts naturally cause us to look upon strangers with suspicion and distrust, but in The Necessity of Strangers, Alan Gregerman offers the provocative idea that engaging with strangers is an opportunity, not a threat, and that engaging with the right strangers is essential to unlocking our real potential. The Necessity of Strangers reveals how strangers challenge us to think differently about ourselves and the problems we face.

• Shows how strangers can help us innovate better, get the most out of each other, and achieve genuine collaboration
• Presents principles for developing a "stranger-centric" mindset to develop new markets and stronger customer relationships, leverage the full potential of partnerships, and become more effective leaders
• Includes practical guidance and a toolkit for being more open, creating new ideas that matter, finding the right strangers in all walks of life, and tapping the real brilliance in yourself

To stay competitive, you and your business need access to more new ideas, insights, and perspectives than ever before. The Necessity of Strangers offers an essential guide to discovering the most exciting opportunities you haven't met yet.

Preface xi

PART ONE Frameworks

1 Necessity 3

2 Aversion 18

3 Mindset 40

PART TWO Practice

4 Innovation 61

5 People 85

6 Collaboration 107

7 Customers 131

8 Leadership 152

PART THREE Possibilities

9 The Power of Travel 171

Epilogue: Taking the First Step 180

Toolkit 183

Additional Resources 202

Notes 207

Acknowledgments 211

About the Author 214

Index 215

ALAN GREGERMAN is an award-winning author, business advisor, and teacher. His writing and consulting work focuses on helping companies and organizations create winning strategies and more remarkable products, services, and customer experiences by unlocking the genius in all of their people. Alan is the author of two previous books, Surrounded by Geniuses and Lessons from the Sandbox. He lives in the Washington DC area with his family.

For more information, please visit www.alangregerman.com.