For years now, Michael Porter has reminded all business leaders that their performance is shaped by forces largely outside of their control. Well, in the print world, those forces are alive and well, and at times more intense than ever. None of this is new information. What is revealing, though is watching those print providers that continue to win despite those forces.
They typically don’t win because they’re the lowest price, they win because they can execute consistently. The orders arrive on time, the color is right, files don’t bounce, and they are increasingly proactive and transparent with their communication to their clients. Up to the point where problems often get solved well before those outside the building become aware.
Now don’t mistake, this is not to suggest that they are perfect. This is still custom manufacturing and things can go wrong. They are just better at staying in front of any problems, and in the eyes of their clients are reliable and dependable each and every day.
Execution shows up in a thousand small decisions
made every single day.
Their strategy is grounded in reality and centered around their true strengths – the areas that provide them with a competitive advantage. This gets translated into their daily behavior. It begins with how people are hired and given the opportunity to shine, to how they make decisions, to what equipment and technology they invest in all the way to how they measure and reward performance. But this is only the beginning.
On the surface this all sounds great, but the hard part is staying the course. These habits rely on discipline, accountability and follow through. Easier to do when things are going well, harder to do when things go off the rails. The leaders don’t go into panic mode when something doesn’t go as planned. They regroup and reload. They adjust and determine if it was a process, a procedure or perhaps just an outlier issue. They get to the root cause–not to blame, but to learn and get better. Before you know it, they are back on track. Not always pretty but effective.
If you’re interested in drilling down and focusing more on your true competitive advantage, I’d encourage you to follow Michael Porter and what he’s written about competitive advantage and how a company can put it to work for to escape that commodity spiral to the bottom.
Mike Philie helps owners and CEOs in the Graphic Communications Industry validate what’s working, identify what needs to change, and create a practical path forward.
PhilieGroup | mphilie@philiegroup.com | LinkedIn
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