Think about the word “competition;” it's from the Latin competere, meaning “seeking or striving together.” The competitive paradigm forces you to both compare yourself to, and align your thinking with, others. Others like you. And so inevitably, you begin focusing on the wrong things.
It's like running a road race. At the start of a race, you have a panoptic view; you're aware of everything and everyone. But as the race progresses, you tend to focus narrowly on those few runners nearest to you -- your “competitors.” Instead of viewing it from this classic competitive angle, try seeing it from a customer's viewpoint. That new view will make all the difference in the world -- to them, to you, to your people, and, inevitably, to your bottom line.
Posted July 22, 2009
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