Your Strategy Shouldn't Mirror the Competition

Borrowing tactics from the competition is as tempting as it is misguided. It's like sneaking a look at your neighbor's test paper, only to realize later that the questions on your exams were different. This approach might seem practical at first—after all, if it's yielding results for them, why not us? Yet, this shortcut often leads astray, not toward strategic nirvana but a tangle of missed opportunities and strategic misalignment.

There's a pervasive tendency to play follow-the-leader, mirroring the moves of market leaders rather than weaving a strategy from our own unique blend of resources, talent, and differentiators. This mimicry underscores a missed opportunity for true innovation. Instead of leveraging their unique capabilities to carve out a distinct market position, companies often fall into the trap of emulation, hoping to replicate a competitor's success. This approach not only dilutes their distinct value proposition but also blinds them to the unique paths of differentiation that could set them apart in the competitive landscape, turning potential game-changers into mere echoes of existing giants.

Misalignment with Your Own Strategic Objectives

Consider Kodak, a titan in the photography industry, which failed to fully embrace digital photography—a tactic its competitors like Canon and Nikon were quick to adopt. Kodak's strategy was deeply rooted in film, overlooking the digital wave about to engulf the market. It was too late when it tried to shift gears; the company's foray into digital felt more like a half-hearted imitation than a strategic pivot, leading to its eventual downfall. The lesson? Emulating tactics without aligning them to your core strategy is like wearing someone else’s tailor-made suit—it might cover you, but it won’t fit where it matters.

The Mirage of Competitive Differentiation

Take the case of Bing by Microsoft, aspiring to compete with Google in search. Despite adopting similar search engine tactics, Bing needed help to differentiate itself significantly in users' minds. Google's brand was already synonymous with searching the internet, making Bing's efforts seem like a “copycat" attempt. This lack of differentiation has kept Bing in the shadow of Google’s dominance, illustrating how borrowing tactics can dilute your brand's unique value proposition.

Ignorance of Contextual Factors

Consider Uber's entry into the Asian market, particularly in countries like China and India. Uber's model thrived in the U.S. by disrupting traditional taxi services. However, China faced stiff competition from Didi Chuxing, which understood the local market's nuances, from the regulatory environment to consumer preferences, far better than Uber. Uber’s tactics, successful in the U.S., couldn't simply be transplanted into China without adapting to these local conditions. This oversight eventually led Uber to sell its China operations to Didi.

The Innovation Deficit

BlackBerry's fall is a stark reminder of the innovation deficit. Once a leader in the smartphone market, BlackBerry insisted on its physical keyboard and secure email services even as Apple and Android devices introduced touchscreens and app ecosystems that redefined user expectations. BlackBerry's attempt to mimic these features came too late and without the innovation that had made its rivals successful. This failure to innovate beyond mere imitation contributed to BlackBerry's decline in the smartphone market.

The Strategic Blind Spot

Nokia’s struggle in the smartphone era exemplifies the strategic blind spot of borrowing competitor tactics without understanding their strategic intent. Once a mobile phone giant, Nokia was slow to adopt the smartphone revolution led by Apple and Android. When it finally attempted to catch up, it did so by trying to emulate aspects of its operating systems and app ecosystems without grasping the deeper strategies of integration and innovation driving their success. This led to strategic missteps, diverting attention and resources away from potential areas where Nokia could have genuinely differentiated itself.

In the grand chess game of business, understanding the flow from strategy to tactics is more crucial than ever. Emulating a competitor without grasping your own strategic essence and the unique context in which those tactics were successful is akin to navigating without a compass. It's not just flawed thinking; it's a relinquishment of your strategic autonomy.

To excel and truly outmaneuver the competition sustainably and aligned demands more than a keen eye on the competition. It requires a reflective understanding of your organization's strategic identity. From this foundation of self-knowledge springs the power to innovate to craft tactics that are as distinctive as they are effective.

So, let's commit to rising above the easy allure of imitation. Let's embrace the planning, strategy, and tactics of genuine innovation and strategic alignment. By forging our path with originality and strategic foresight, we not only lead the market but redefine it. The choice is clear: Be the visionary others scramble to emulate, not the follower eternally playing catch-up. In the quest for strategic supremacy, originality isn't just a virtue—it's your most potent weapon.

Keep playing, keep growing, and stay influential!

AUTHOR

John Patterson
Co-founder and CEO
INFLUENTIAL U
John Patterson co-founded and manages the faculty and consultants of Influential U global. Since 1987, he has led workshops, programs, and conferences for over 100k people in diverse professions, industries, and cultures. His history includes corporate curriculum design focusing on business ecosystems, influence, leadership, and high-performance training and development.