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The game is changing and your competitors are getting better. This is true in business and in life. It
doesn’t matter whether you work for yourself or someone else, your job security is only guaranteed if you keep your competitive edge.
During the years that I have been writing this column,
I have presented and attended more than 1,000 improvement seminars and workshops. Whether the topics were accounting or zip-code marketing, the goal was always to build skills, increase knowledge and be more productive.
Here are some of the gems I’ve learned and shared over the years. Some are more focused at business operations, some are more personal and some work well in both situations. I hope you get at least one good idea to use in your business or career.
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Do something or be something unique. You don’t have to be first to be successful, but you must be different.
McDonald’s did not invent the hamburger. It was not first to market hamburgers. Its hamburgers are not the biggest, nor — by most accounts — the best. What Ray Kroc created was a process of fast production, consistent quality and economies of scale.
Cyrus McCormick didn’t build the first grain reaper, but he was the first to offer a money-back guarantee. He also was the first to offer buyers a payment-installment plan.
What can you do that will set your business apart? What skills and abilities can you acquire that will make you more valuable at work?
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Don’t play your competitor’s game. I am certain I can beat golf-great Tiger Woods. But not at golf. Golf is his game; I don’t play golf. I can beat him at my game.
In an era when most heavyweight champions were slow-moving, heavy hitters, Muhammad Ali danced and weaved, and made himself almost impossible to hit. He was not the hardest hitter, just the hardest to hit. He scored points and kept out of range.
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Compete with yourself first. Too many people are focused on how they are doing compared to someone else. It’s a bit of “If you’re ok, I’m ok.” Don’t try to compete with others. Concentrate on improving areas of your own life. I have found that those who work hard to improve themselves rise to the top despite the competition.
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If you don’t love the fight, don’t play the game. One of basketball’s greatest coaches, Adolph Rupp, said,
“I wouldn’t give one iota to make a trip from the cradle
to the grave unless I could live in a competitive world.”
Don’t start your own business unless you love competing for customers, profits and survival. This enjoyment of competition is essential to your success. Competition improves businesses, organizations and individuals.
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Hit the competition head-on. Here are two little
stories about some head-on hitters. John, a barber, had a well-established business. His haircuts were excellent and he charged $10. One day a competitor moved in across the street and put up a large sign that read, “Haircuts $6.” John responded by erecting an even larger sign that said, “We fix $6 haircuts.”
An older, more-established clothing store moved into a space just across from Sally’s new dress shop. The new (old) competitor erected a big sign that said, “Mary’s Fashions — Established 1955.” Sally’s response was head-on: she put up an even larger sign that read, “Sally’s Ladies Wear — No Old Merchandise.”
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