Enable corporate Darwinism

“Survival of the fittest” is an overused trope in both the corporate and natural world. It implies that species or products that are “best” will overtake others. Another overused example is VHS vs. Betamax, or if you want to get esoteric OS/2 vs. Windows. The losing products were superior in many facets, yet they failed to take advantage of market conditions. They may have been fit, but they were not positioned or prepared. They were not ready for the market opportunity for different reasons.

Warehouse club Costco has a “we back winners” philosophy. New products are required to produce and sell specific quantities in a fixed timeframe. Those products that make the cut go into a standardized product rotation.

How is your organization, or yourself, positioned to be the most opportunistic in your space? Do you understand the competition? What does the market want or need? Recall that no one asked for an iPod. Your customers and suppliers play a crucial role. What is your current positioning with them?

In the end, being ready may be better than being the best and unprepared.