How To Overcome Competition

How To Overcome Competition -  A twist on Tony Robinson's  lesson from David and Goliath

Do you ever feel like David fighting Goliath?  The story of David and Goliath is one of the biblical stories that Tony Robinson - and I - have loved since childhood. It is a story of how a little shepherd boy defeated a famous fully armed giant warrior.  Tony has used this story to illustrate how to overcome what may feel like insurmountable obstacles in business in several of his blog posts.  Here's a twist on three of those points:

#1 --BE PREPARED FOR COMPETITION:

• If you stay ready, then you don't ever have to get ready. A competitor is always just around the corner - there will always be competition - but anticipating competition is the only way to divert a devastating fall.
• David stayed ready by daily training - consistent and continually talking with God.  This enabled him to intentionally put trust in God before fear of Goliath.
• Keep ready - know who is out there and what they're doing.  Know how they are selling what they do.  But don't get so caught up in the competition that it makes you fearful or distracts you.  Focus on consistently, daily, continually doing what you need to to be your best.

#2 - ANTICIPATE CHANGE IN TECHNOLOGY:

• Be alert to changes in technology.  Be ready to upgrade if it makes sense for your business but stay with what works if it doesn't.  There was a time when having a Garmin GPS device meant you were ahead of the curve technology-wise. But soon cellular phone technology started to advance and that same GPS technology was already included on our phone. Garmin GPS could very easily have gone out of business, but they were able to innovate and create other useful products to stay afloat.
• Saul wanted David to be ahead of the curve technology-wise.  He gave him the best armor he had to beat Goliath.  David tried it but decided he'd be better off by sticking with his sling and 5 stones.
• Always anticipate change in technology; always know what the latest innovation is and be ready to implement it.  Then evaluate and decide if it will give you an edge or if you are better off sticking with your sling and 5 stones.

#3 - FOCUS:  STAY TRUE TO WHO YOU ARE

• Most businesses have no idea of the giant capacity we can immediately command when we focus all of our resources on improving and mastering our core competencies.  Instead, we get distracted by trying to fulfill the many different wants and needs of our customers.  We can get spread so thin we end up being a "Jack of all trades and master of none".
• David knew who he was - a shepherd - and focused all his time and energy on developing those skills.  Because he mastered the core competencies of being a shepherd  he had a platform he was able to draw  from when new challenges arose.
• Know your core competencies and master the basis.  By doing so, you will build a solid platform from which you can expand upon and return to.