Oprah, Arnold and Peyton open a competing
business in your town
by john chapin
O
prah, Arnold, and Peyton Open a Competing
Business in Your Town…
Scary thought, right? Why? Because you know
within three to five years they’d own 90 to
100% of the business in the area and if you weren’t out
of business, you’d be hanging on by a shoestring. There
are several reasons why this group, even with no prior
experience in your industry, and even without their
celebrity status to rely on, would absolutely dominate your
market. Here they are.
Reason #1: Completely unreasonable, some might even say
insane, commitment
If you called their business at midnight on Saturday, how
long do you think it would be before you spoke to a live
human? Either instantly or within five minutes. How
many times would you receive less than stellar customer
service or feel like a nuisance to the person answering
the phone? Zero. How many times would something not
be followed up on? Okay, you get the point. People at
the top don’t judge themselves and their organizations
based upon what’s reasonable or “acceptable”, they
hold themselves, and those around them, to the highest
standard possible. This completely unreasonable
commitment starts at the top and flows all the way
through the organization. How many negative people
will you find in the New England Patriots locker room?
20
How many people not doing their job or not holding
themselves and others accountable? Right. Zero.
The amount of time, effort, and energy they put in is also
disproportional to what others would deem “reasonable.”
They are always full-on, pedal-to-the-medal. Michael
Phelps was in the pool for eight hours a day, every day, for
years before his first Olympics. The best know that seeking
“balance” will not get you to the top, never mind keep you
there. You need to get unreasonable in what you expect of
yourself and others if you’re going to get to and stay at the
top.
Reason #2: Focus on differentiation and domination versus
competing
The great ones aren’t just looking to be better than
the competition and win more business, they’re to be
completely different and own the entire market. Look at
any leader from FedEx., to Apple, to Umpqua Bank. What
do they have in common? They shifted the paradigm and
completely changed the way their industry was looked at
and perceived. Forget best practices. They went outside
their industries and broke the mold to create something
new.
These leaders also take full advantage of any and all
means at their disposal to win. The New England Patriots
have used drop-kicks, eligible and ineligible receivers,
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