Quick warning / plea: If you’ll permit me another Bible lesson for your business, I promise you’ll count it among one of the most beneficial things you’ll read all week. Even if you look at the Bible as simply a historical text, I can’t imagine not finding the truths within (like this one) extremely practical for daily success. So, here we go:
A Top Failure Strategy of Too Many Business Owners is the exact same failure strategy I’ve seen at work too many times in my kids’ sports teams. It starts by looking at your competition.
Let me be upfront and say that I’m okay with watching my kids lose. Losing IS a part of winning. I walk away satisfied when we’ve been beaten by a solid team that outplayed us. It happens. And we learn from it.
What I lose my mind about is watching my kids and their teammates beat themselves. What I can’t stand is watching them SHRINK in spirit when the opposing team has a great inning — or even great reputation. THAT is something that often — admittedly and embarrassingly — leaves me a bit unglued. Unhinged. Unhinged is probably a more accurate term to use here.
The Bible tells a story about the Israelites who were looking into the land of Canaan. Now, for those not familiar with this story, there are some important things to know. The Israelites believed that the land of Canaan had been promised to them by the God they served. They believed it was rightfully THEIRS. Of course, it was being occupied by another group of people. So, they send down a few spies to look at the “opposing team” or “competitor.” And you know what those cowards came back and said?
Oh NO… We can’t go in there. Those guys are too big to take on.
What they REALLY said was “We look like grasshoppers in our own eyes.” (Nm. 13:33) In other words… we saw the competition and thought lower of ourselves and our ability to take what is ours.
Haven’t you been there? In that moment when you take your eyes off of your business vision to look at your competition or economy or industry… and start to seem like a small incapable grasshopper in your OWN eyes? I call this a confidence chasm and it absolutely occurs when your thinking is skewed. It occurs when you look at your competition’s highlight reel while simultaneously comparing it to your own behind the scenes reality.
THIS skewed and inaccurate comparison is a top failure strategy in life, sports and — of course — business.
You see, what those cowards COULD have said was, “We went to Canaan and those guys are huge. But here’s what we think: We’re smaller and more agile. And we’ve seen what God can and will do on our behalf. They’ve got size, so we’ve got to use our archers early…. and have the entrances blocked, blah, blah, blah.”
They COULD have use that intel to highlight the weaknesses of their opponent and inform their battle plan. And that’s exactly what business owners should do.
You have a particularly well-funded competitor? Awesome. Huge start up cash means they haven’t learned to sell yet. Use the “we’re small and therefore better” message. Intimidated by the economy or how your industry is faring? Be lean, act strategically, and watch as the economy thins the herd of your competitors. Losing money to someone “better known” than you? Use their fame against them.
Do you know how I got my “moniker” as the “Main Street Business Strategist” and some national media love? From a press release that started with the words, “SCREW THE BIG NAME BUSINESS GURUS. HIGHLIGHT REAL STRATEGIES FROM THOSE OPERATING ON MAIN STREET AMERICA.” True story.
So, by all means, look at your competitors. Assess the landscape on which you do business. Accurately acknowledge your handicaps — and then, for God’s sakes, don’t shrink back, water down your vision, and hide…. devise a strategy and win.
