John Horn

Joining us for this episode is John Horn, author of the new book Inside the Competitor's Mindset. John’s book analyzes how businesses can better understand their competitors and maximize the value of their competitive insights. He is a Professor of Practice in Economics at the Olin Business School at Washington University in St. Louis. We also have Emma Gibbs with us. Emma is a partner in our London office, and head of our Strategy and Corporate Finance Practice in the U.K., Ireland, and Israel. Join our LinkedIn community of more than 90,000 members and follow us on Twitter at @McKStrategy. Explore our collection of Inside the Strategy Room episode transcripts on McKinsey.comSupport the show: https://www.linkedin.com/showcase/mckinsey-strategy-&-corporate-finance/See www.mckinsey.com/privacy-policy for privacy information

In this discussion, John Horn, an Ex-McKinsey consultant and Harvard-educated economist, shares insights from his book on predicting competitor behavior. He emphasizes cognitive empathy as a key tool for understanding competitors' motives and actions. The conversation explores techniques like war games and mock negotiations to sharpen strategic decision-making. Horn also highlights the pitfalls of over-relying on AI for competitive analysis, advocating for a blend of human insight and analytical frameworks to stay ahead in business.

John Horn, a professor at Washington University's Olin Business School and ex-McKinsey strategist, shares his insights on understanding competitive behavior through game theory. He debunks the myth of irrational competitors, emphasizing that their actions often have logical motives. Horn introduces a four-step framework for effective competitor analysis, highlighting the importance of empathy in strategic decision-making. He also discusses how entrepreneurs can leverage these strategies and the role of structured simulations in anticipating competitor moves.