Monday Morning Mojo

Sustaining Your Advantage

Look in the rearview mirror and what do you see? Where you've been! Easy enough, but most people don't realize this is what they're seeing when they look at data or listen to experience. While certainly valuable, they are not an indicator of what is possible... simply what has been. Yet, when it comes to certainty, nothing can beat the past.

That said, there is more to be seen in the rear view than where you've been. This is why we position it in easy view. It offers important information about what's coming up behind us. While this is important to successful driving, it's not as critical as what's directly in our path.

In business we detect that which is just ahead primarily through the twin forces of customer needs and business challenges. These are our headlamps, lighting what we need to deal with next. Sometimes they overlap, when customer needs are our business challenges. Other times they stand on their own. Together they show us what is imminent.

Customer needs could appear as a new demand we are unprepared to meet; for example, a printer starts getting requests to print skin (bioprinting uses inkjet technology to construct skin, cartilage, bone, and other body parts).

Business challenges show up when profits start shrinking, cash flow becomes an issue, reserves are jeopardized, etc. For example, commoditization of a key offering reduces your profits as customers go elsewhere to get the same service.

Dealing effectively with impending cirumstances is of the utmost import, but it is not where true advantage resides. Knowing the future is the best possible advantage. However, what you gain in advantage, you lose in certainty:
certain advantage

So, how do you realistically sustain advantage given that there are no crystal balls? Here are three ways:
1. Deepen your understanding of the current circumstances. Investigate customer needs and requests with vigilance while simultaneously attending to business challenges with diligence.

2. Identify emerging trends and innovations in your field. Do not let breakthroughs in your area of expertise go unnoticed. To really get ahead, convene thought leaders, interview successful entrepreneurs, actively collect news and advances, then analyze and synthesize it for application.

3. Set the agenda for your customers, members, and stakeholders. Do not wait for them to "get it." Make sure they understand the important issues - frame it for them - give them the opportunity to participate in the toughest and the hottest issues.

Lead the way into the future. You don't have to be on the bleeding edge, but you do have to be up front. That's where the action is. That's where advantage is certain.

Speaking of being up front... Join me May 12 & 13 in Wash, DC, for this very amazing and unique event. These two days, hosted by Steve Denning and me, will be dedicated to remaking the management mindset; that is, reinventing business, government, education, and health. Attendance is limited to a small group of 30 participants and seats are almost sold out! Only 5 left!!!... All information is here.

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