Rogue waves – radical systemic changes – are hitting business harder, faster and more often. Their violent impact has changed how companies win at strategy. Everyone gets hit by them, but some companies ‘flip their kayaks faster’ and take share while their competition simply try to tread water.
On the high seas, 64% of ship sinkings are due to a single phenomenon. They’re not caused by mechanical defects, nor crew error, but by “rogue waves.” These monsters, which can tower over 100 feet tall, form under certain nautical conditions and when large waves combine to magnify their strength. They can swamp even large container vessels, although prepared captains know when the seas are ripe for the danger.
In 2020, wildfires scorched 45 million acres (18 million hectares) in Australia, and fifty-eight thousand wildfires burned 10.27 million acres (4.16 million hectares) in the United States. California suffered an estimated $100B total economic cost from wildfires in a single year. Beyond numbers, people who faced incinerated homes and apocalyptic orange skies endure a lasting emotional impact.
