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When Winning is the Only Optionby Vince PoscenteAuthor of The Ant and the Elephant, Invinceable Principles and The Age of Speed
In some situations, you simply have to win. When your security is threatened, finding the quickest solution is essential. The typical way to think of winning in a contentious environment (sports, war or highly competitive industries) is either offence or defense. Either you are attacking or defending. But defending your way to victory is not fast or likely. Instead, if you plan on winning, think attack and counter attack. Put defense in the background. Think of defense as armor. The proper protection can hide vulnerabilities and shield you from unforeseen blows. Yet winning involves tactics that are precise and effective. In sports you can see this play out in Soccer's World Cup. Teams like the Dutch and the Germans dissect their opponents by a system of attack and counter attack. The war on terror is a complex maneuver of attack and counter-attack. Search war history for similar examples. In business, the most visible illustration is the battle over smart phone market share. RIM's Blackberry had its market share attacked by Apple's iPhone. Motorola's Droid has jumped into the fight with its lightening speed. Each PDA has its merits. According to RIM's co-founder, Jim Balsillie, We make our next move when the time is right. Think of the movie Braveheart. Picture the scene when William Wallace has his troops poised and ready? He says, Wait.... wait... wait... NOW attack! That's what we do. Meanwhile, Apple continues it's aggressive path of attack and counter attack. Remember when iPods were the rage? Then iPhones took center stage followed iPad headlines. Now iPhone 4's hit the market with a slogan "Change everything again." This slogan sums up Apple's approach to counter attacks. Change everything again. Offensive moves are easy to understand. When you're attacked, how you act is even more critical. Capitalize on opportunity with a well thought out or maniacally prepared responses. A well-positioned counter attack will speed you to a win. All the while, fortify your defense. To put meat on this bone draw three columns and fill them in with your own examples.
Potential attack 1. Competitor cut fees 2. New competitor gaining 3. Losing top customer Counter attack Launch value-add campaign Commit resources to take competitor's top clients Defense in place Compare your benefits against your competitors
Fortify your defense. Plan out your strategy. Then execute on attack/counter attack tactics. Do this when winning is your only option (or your feeling particularly frisky). Until next week, it's full speed ahead,
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© 2010 Vince Poscente. All Rights Reserved. |
A martial arts friend said, "I don't believe in defense. There is only attack and counter-attack." Let's explore that approach in your life.