No matter what company your run or what industry you are in, you need to be prepared for competition. For a business to compete effectively takes disciplined individuals who are ready to work together to ensure the sum is greater than the parts.
Does your team have what it takes to compete? Here are four signs to look for:
1. They operate with a high degree of urgency.
Time is money. If a team regularly misses deadlines and doesn’t correct with a high degree of urgency, you are giving your competition ‘the gift of time’ advantage. It may sound cliché but every second counts. A slip of just one day can mean the difference between beating your competition to market, delighting a customer or losing a potential game-changing alliance.
Teams that are ready to compete don’t let deadlines slip. They identify issues before they arise and adapt quickly so deliverables stay on track.
2. They put the team before themselves.
When you enter a competitive marketplace you need everyone to believe in the team first mentality. Everyone needs to do their job and maximise their skills to the best of their abilities. When people focus on their own agenda, silos begin to emerge and focus is diluted.
Teams that are ready to compete know they are part of something bigger than themselves. They take a “what’s best for business” approach and deliver team results over individual recognition.
3. They respect the competition.
One of the biggest mistakes a company can make is to not take the competition seriously. When you dismiss their potential you set yourself up to fail. You need to embrace the notion that they are working just as hard as you. In fact, you should operate under the assumption that they are more relentless and tenacious than you.
Teams that are ready to compete know their competition inside and out. They respect their strengths and use that as motivation to make themselves better by addressing potential soft spots and vulnerabilities.
4. They can be described using one word: Action.
When teams come together the right way to achieve something big, the culture is energising. Everyone is picking up the pace while pushing and encouraging others to maximise their potential. Everyone is taking action. When people fail to take action momentum halts and complacency sets in. Complacency becomes contagious. When that happens you are destined to fail.
Teams that are ready to compete never stop taking action. They consistently aim fpr improvements never settling for the status quo.
