The Subtraction Technique: Reframing Your Business Model

During a talk on Systematic Inventive Thinking, a group of executives from Standard Bank of South Africa approached the speaker to ask about the usefulness of the Subtraction technique in resolving their issue of agreeing on the best approach for growth by acquiring other banks. The speaker used Subtraction to remove one component at a time, such as staff and brand, to imagine what the bank would look like without those components and prompt the executives to think of the perfect group of employees or brand reputation suited for the rest of the components. This technique helped the executives find opportunities in new ways and ultimately led to the acquisition of banks in Argentina, Turkey, Russia, and Nigeria.