Strategize on a napkin

Purpose – The author urges managers to pay more respect to the time‐honored tradition of sketching ideas on the back of an envelope or a napkin managers. It is a way to become more skilled at imaginatively using simple yet sophisticated cognitive tools. Design/methodology/approach – A number of examples of using images to achieve leaps of learning are cited. Findings – Senior managers often make breakthrough ideas at informal sessions when they sketch their thoughts literally on a napkin. Research limitations/implications – Crafting strategy on a piece of paper is a creative activity ripe for both exploration and exploitation in all organizations. Practical implications – Managers should save the napkin on which they have sketched out their bold idea and present it at future sessions for reevaluation. Originality/value – An entertaining look at how important ideas germinate and get communicated.