This is where I share my ideas, inspiration & thoughts. Generally though I'm just the Creator of Rockstar Awesomeness and this tumblog is further proof of that.
Follow me on Twitter if you prefer me in more digestible chunks or if you really like me, then read more about me.
Hosting by RSAWEB
Copyright © 2009. Powered by WordPress. Remember that it’s not so rockstar to steal from others.
Rockstars need to remember to leave the reacting and responding to their competitors.
Watching your competitors and their every move, in a stalker-like fashion, and then consistently responding is not very Rockstar. Deep competitor analysis is old school; that mountain of inconclusive data is poison to unique ideas and strategies.
Rockstars aren’t responsive; we’re not followers. Instead we are proactive – we trust in our own ideas, choices and abilities. We don’t jeopardize these by basing all our decisions on the existing actions of others in the industry. It’s not healthy or time conserving to constantly second-guess all choices and strategy.
Pursuing a dream is risky and a Rockstar requires a certain amount of arrogance and an inability to be influenced.
This doesn’t for one minute mean that you should completely shut down. Knowing what competitors are doing is important but, in the short term, changes in this sphere should not lead to a response or a change in tactics.
Instead Rockstars should look at developing a process where a vision, with certain contingency plans, is developed and tweaked (more regularly for volatile industries and less for minimally fluctuating industries).
This approach allows you to stick to your unique ideas and strategy and, at the same time, have options available should specific changes occur with your competition or within your industry environment.
(Note: This is an extract from my upcoming Rockstar Business book.)
So true, but so difficult to implement! I guess that’s what makes the difference between rockstars and wanna-be’s…
Being open without being influenced in your decisions, discover truly great ideas, and create without being influenced when it’s your turn to innovate… Do you manage to do it?
Hell no. The whole article is a bit “pie in the sky” in terms of no one being able to be fully objective all the time. But I think this is what we should strive towards…
Great post. If you focus too much on competitors you will become a follower, not a leader. Being a follower can be a good strategy too, though.
How do you think being a follower can be a good strategy? Care to elaborate with an example?
My point is that it’s not black and white. There have been written many good articles about this subject e.g. take a look at this one: http://ea.ekof.bg.ac.yu/pdf/177/2-2.pdf
Nice post….lead or follow!
Interesting Extract from your Book:
To be a follower is not a bad idea until you are comfortable in your newly chosen profession.
For instance, No web developer will really know what the industry’s all about unless he observes and “follows”. To set himself apart he needs to spread his wings and shoots into a new direction creating a vacuum that pulls his own followers.
That’s a good take on the whole situation I think. And I agree… There’s still an element of following others, but I think it’s important to not follow blindly and still make sure that you’re not being overly influenced by the ways that others approach things.
I’ll agree to disagree
It’s fine as long as you ‘pave your own path’, so to speak & find a niche to fill that no one else does — but to ignore your competition would be to ignore the entire industry in which you service.
Competitors can be wonderful alliances to forge as long as they’re doing everything wrong.
LOL @ that last sentence.
I just think we should ignore competition to the extent that we’re not just reacting to their actions all the time, because that way we’re not being unique and acting on our own impulses / ideas. Always be aware of what’s happening around you though, but make sure you’re being more proactive than reactive.
Adii,
These are great points. I think people get too caught up in “what is the other guy doing”. Instead of innovating. I think a great example is the transportation industry. Very few leaders and tons of followers. Great points. Great post.
Adii, Thanks for this post. Very inspirational for me as a freelancer. I finished my contract with a big company from Seattle and then had to decide on whether to get out there and fight for a new programming job or start my own consulting thing. I just thought about something, it’s quite Rockstar not to have a boss…unless you count my wife
Hehe… Hey – we’ve got to have a boss in our lives sometimes. Hopefully though you & your wife at least share that *responsibility*…
Do you manage to do it?
I have had a variety of competitors (both large and small) copy our sticker designs, our user manuals (same screenshots, same text in capital red), our sales collateral and even our entire Hotspot billing system INCLUDING 2-year old bugs!
What I’ve realised is that they can only copy what we’ve already done. Not what we’ll be doing tomorrow…
Wouldn’t a rockstar keep his compositions the best? how would he know he is best? by comparison factually !
I think it is difficult to ignore the competition, what would fuel you?