Assessing Competition, What Is Your Comparison?
Do you have a habit of assessing competition? When you look at what is out there, compared to what you do, how do you rank? Does it matter?
I remember November in grade school. Right before the United States celebration of Thanksgiving, we made construction paper turkeys. It all started with placing your hand, palm down, and tracing around each finger on brown construction paper.
Everyone followed a template, a model, as instructed by the teacher. Yet, everyone had their own work. Right before the holiday, you got to take your turkey home to your parents. I remember my mother acting so proud of my accomplishment.
My accomplishment was a huge success. Perhaps because I followed the model or perhaps because of what it was compared to.
At home, it was only compared to my last best work. It wasn’t compared to every construction paper turkey in the County. It wasn’t compared to every similar project in the State or the US.
My project was compared to my best previous work. I was a winner because I was growing, achieving, and delighting my mother with my school work.
Assessing Competition
The best work that you’ll do this month should be a comparison of the best you’ve delivered so far.
When it delights the customer, you’ve accomplished something. It may be the best in the US or the best in the World, but it may be hard to determine because the relevance is what is happening right now, right in front of you.
What matters is that you’re solving problems, producing or providing something better than your last work. When it meets or exceeds customer expectations then it is work worth doing.
There are millions of undiscovered song writers, chefs, and engineers. It’s also true for healthcare workers, truck drivers, and backroom graphic artists.
The work that you do should always be compared to your personal best. It is how you’ll continue to delight someone, even if it is only a small group in a small town.
-DEG
Dennis E. Gilbert is a business consultant, speaker (CSPTM), and corporate trainer. He is a five-time author and the founder of Appreciative Strategies, LLC. His business focuses on positive human performance improvement solutions through Appreciative Strategies®. Reach him through his website at Dennis-Gilbert.com or by calling +1 646.546.5553.
