Winning the race that has no finish...

I just finished reading an article on money.cnn.com. It was lamenting the woes of industry leaders and poining out the real benefits of "second mover" advantage. Throughout b-school you hear, "First to market is the key to success." This may be true of some specialized products and industries. But in the world of commodity goods drafting your opponent and forcing them to pave the way may well prove to be the best strategy of all.

The problem with corporate leadership is this: there is no end to the race they run. CEO's retire, investors cash out, employees come and go. But the business itself must remain; forever sustainable, profitable, and improving. There is no way to pace oneself for a race that has no end. Move too fast and you risk running out of steam and money. Move to slow and you may find yourself perfectly positioned to deal with a world that no longer exists. The key to business success is not in pacing, its in definition. By redefining the 'venue' in business we find ways to .

One of the greatest strengths of the martial arts is its focus on self defense. In many disciplines you must wait for your attacker to move. As he does you so, read, understand, and react to his attack, disabling or disarming him in the process. Too many leaders equate business with a marathon, placing great emphasis on who is "out in front." In reality business is more boxing match than footrace. Components square off in a marketplace, bringing with them all the human and financial capital they will need to go the rounds. They throw punches with new products, new branding, and new management. Strategy defines when, where and how they throw their punches. The best competitors do not out box they opponents: they out think them. Lowe's beat Home Depot not because they were bigger or faster, but because they were smarter. They looked at where the competition was headed, and went in the opposite direction. In doing so they didn't have to outrun Home Depot on price; they beat them on quality. It is and will begin to be the same in every industry. Business is a boxing match. However thinks its a marathon is about to get knocked out.