Virtually every business owner has competitors and battles back and forth over market share and profitability.
But focusing on how you operate your business is the only way to win the competition.
Survival instinct causes most business owners to view the world through a lens of scarcity. They want as many customers as possible and will do almost anything to get them. They define success by the units and volume they sell as compared to the competition.
They view competitors as the enemy going to great lengths to beat them. They will sell products at a loss, try to steal key employees, disparage the competition and even break the law to secure market share.
They do not care about employee satisfaction. Delivering quality, service and value are often sacrificed for the numbers.
Conversely, a very small percentage of business owners have discovered a better way to play the game. These are your more mature and confident business owners.
They view the world through a lens of abundance. They know they cannot serve every client, so they welcome competition. They often refer business to each other if it improves profitability for all involved. They view their biggest competitors as an asset, forcing them to continually improve.
These businesses owners are not focused on how many units they sell compared to the competition. They cannot directly impact what their competitors do. To constantly react and adjust with the competition is not effective.
Instead, they focus their energy on what they are doing. They strive for maximum improvement in all areas of operations that effect productivity and profitability.
They leverage new technologies, expanding markets, human resources, strategic alliances and much more. They measure success by continuous daily improvement.
They understand that competitors will come and go. Their goal is to extend the game for as long as possible and to stay in the game longer than everyone else.
They are only competing against themselves. Eventually, this gives them a quantum advantage over the competition.
Which game are you playing in your business?
