645: Ex McKinsey expert on war games, John Horn. How to read your competitors (Strategy Skills classics)

645: Ex McKinsey expert on war games, John Horn. How to read your competitors (Strategy Skills classics)

Author: FirmsConsulting.com & StrategyTraining.com April 15, 2026 Duration: 1:00:40

For this episode, let's revisit a Strategy Skills classic featuring an interview with the author of Inside the Competitor's MindsetJohn Horn, where he shares proven techniques to help businesses think like the competition and understand why they act the way they do. Inside the Competitor's Mindset presents a systematic approach to competitive intelligence that starts with three frameworks to get inside the competitor's mindset, predict their reactions to your moves, and assess whether the competition is getting ready for a spontaneous move of their own. 

John Horn is a professor of practice in economics at the Olin Business School at Washington University in St. Louis. He teaches MBA students microeconomics, macroeconomics, and global business.

John was a Senior Expert in the Strategy Practice of McKinsey & Company for 9 years, working with clients on competitive strategy, war gaming workshops, and corporate and business unit strategy across a variety of industries and geographies. He helped over 100 clients with war game workshops and developed a set of simulation exercises to help companies understand the challenges of reallocating resources. He continues to consult through his LLC: Gateway Competitive Insights.

John has published nine papers in the McKinsey Quarterly and three in the Harvard Business Review, mostly on the application of behavioral economics and competitive insight to business strategy. John has a PhD in economics from Harvard University, where he also received a Masters degree in economics.

Get John's book here: https://tinyurl.com/4dbv29ju

Inside the Competitor's Mindset: How to Predict Their Next Move and Position Yourself for Success

 

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Tune into The Strategy Skills Podcast: Strategy | Leadership | Critical Thinking | Problem-Solving for conversations that move beyond abstract theory and into the practical mechanics of decision-making. Hosted by the teams behind FirmsConsulting.com & StrategyTraining.com, this series connects you directly to the minds shaping how organizations and individuals operate. Each episode features a diverse roster of guests, including sitting CEOs, senior partners from top consulting firms, acclaimed academics, and even high performers from sports and the arts, all dissecting pressing challenges in business and society. What you'll hear is a deep, unfiltered exchange of ideas on applying strategic frameworks, exercising genuine leadership, and honing the critical thinking required to solve complex problems. The dialogue is built for professionals aiming to advance their careers, managers seeking more effective tools, and anyone interested in the disciplined thought processes that drive success. This podcast serves as an audio companion for those who want to learn from real-world application, not just textbook cases. By focusing on the interplay between strategy, leadership, and problem-solving, it provides actionable insights you can use immediately in your own work and life.
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