Leading by principles

[in...@ilbs.org]

To start the discussion, I would like to talk about the ILBS
principles and how we might wish to interpret them.
Taking the first principle, 'none are enemies', how would you
interpret that in your everyday life and business activities?

Are competitors, enemies?
What is an enemy?
What could be the commercial advantages and disadvantages of leading
our organizations based on this principle?

[janos]

It is a bold move to start with this principle... probably the most
difficult/controversial one of the seven.

But lets grasp the nettle.

Conventionally speaking, an enemy is someone who poses a threat to
one's interests.

In addition, I feel that the concept of competition needs to be
addressed as well.

Competition takes on different meanings depending on what is at stake
in winning or loosing.
Is it a friendly tussle to test skills of gamesmanship, or are there
serious consequences for the looser? Or can potentially win/loose
situations be redesigned to become win/win transactions?

janos

[st...@engelking.de]

One could also consider whether competitors are enemies as such at
all. If, for example, you have a completely new product which no one
has ever heard of, it is very difficult to convey your message to the
customer. Competitors make this task easier because they help build
markets. So you could say that your competitor is a friend who is
working with you to build a market. An enemy you want to kill but a
friend you want to show what you can do.
I think this is a more constructive view for a marketer to take when
considering competition - even without going a step further to the
idea of co-opetition.

Steve

[janos]

I have never thought about competition in this positive way.
At best I could think of competition as a necessary nuisance that
keeps you on your toes and away from the temptation to make the
customers pay for inefficiency or incompetence.

I have also taken on board what some people would call a realistic
view. "Market participants compete... to win; if they could, they
would eliminate competition". In fact, they often do eliminate
competition by buying up competing firms and discontinuing their
products.

I have the feeling that behind the usual discussions lurks a question
of motivation. Is the primary reason for being in business earning a
living or to provide a service hoping that sufficient recompense would
follow to enable one to carry on providing the service. This feeling
comes from my experience when I went into printing because I loved the
trade and wanted to provide a service to worth while causes.

> > > our organizations based on this principle?- Hide quoted text -
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> - Show quoted text -

[in...@ilbs.org]

Looking at business from a marketing perspective based on the original
concept from Peter Drucker, marketing is about meeting customer needs.
That would seem to be what you were doing as a printer, Janos. When
people in an organisation are focused on this, the company is likely
to be successful and maybe competition is no longer the main issue.
Seeing competitors as fellow travellers who are helping build a market
and make customers aware of possibilities us a help not a hindrance.
They are not enemies but out of our wish to meet the needs of
customers (and at a higher level, society in general) we compete for
excellence in doing this.
This can lead to truly motivated 'Mitarbeiter' (German meaning
literally 'With Workers') who aspire together to build a better world
for themselves and their customers.
To help them achieve this, they require strongly principled leaders
who are able to inspire them with this vision.
But I have to admit, that in our everyday business, we are very likely
to forget these ideals and refocus on the tactical aspects in front of
our noses.

Steve