Leading with Noble Purpose

Chapter 9Be For, Rather Than Against

There is nothing noble in being superior to your fellow man. True nobility lies in being superior to your former self.

—Ernest Hemingway

During a recent product launch meeting at a high-profile SaaS company, the senior leadership team rallied their troops to “kill the competition.”

“We're going to obliterate them.”

“We're going to make those guys worry about their mortgages!”

The team was pumped. Mouths frothed. Fists were raised. They were poised to attack. There was only one problem; at no point during the entire diatribe did anyone from the senior team ever mention the customers.

This is a serious error.

“Kill the Competition” Is Not a Rallying Cry

Focusing on beating the competition, rather than winning customers, is a common strategic error that often goes unnoticed in the heat of battle. Yet over time, this oft-made mistake stymies growth, stifles innovation, and ultimately, erodes competitive differentiation, the very thing leaders are trying to create.

We've talked about how focusing on profit stifles differentiation. Trying to kill the competition has a similar impact.

Your company has to stand for something; it can't just be against someone else. When leaders focus on killing the competition, instead of adding value to customers, the following two things inevitably happen.

Short-Term Thinking

Picture two salespeople calling on the same customer. One spends the majority of her customer face time poking holes in the competition. ...