Why Mediocrity Is So Dangerous When companies think about competition, they usually look outward: rivals, new entrants, disruptive startups. But often, the greatest competitor isn’t another company—it’s mediocrity inside their own walls.As Jim Collins warned in Good to Great: “Good is the enemy of great.” Mediocrity is subtle. It looks like stable performance, steady revenue, and “good […]
Revisiting the Continuum As we explored earlier, every business lives somewhere on a continuum from extinction to distinction. On one end are organizations that fail to adapt and disappear. On the other are those that uncover unique value, innovate boldly, and rise above competition.In Part 1, we defined the continuum and why distinction matters. In […]
The Committee Problem Every business has them: committees formed to tackle big challenges or make key decisions. In theory, committees should bring diverse perspectives, align stakeholders, and speed up progress.In practice? Committees often do the opposite. Instead of moving quickly, they bog down in endless meetings, watered-down decisions, and compromise that leaves no one satisfied.This dysfunction—what […]
Why the Questions We Ask Matter Businesses often stall not because they lack answers, but because they’re asking the wrong questions. Leaders focus on “What’s the fastest fix?” or “Who’s to blame?” when they should be asking questions that open up possibilities. That’s the power of “How might we”—a simple, three-word question that reframes problems, […]
The Trap of “Good Enough” Most businesses don’t fail because they’re terrible. They fail because they’re good enough. Sales are steady, customers seem satisfied, and profits trickle in. Everything looks fine—until disruption hits, competitors outpace them, or customers drift away. Jim Collins, in his classic book Good to Great, put it bluntly: “Good is the enemy of great.” The […]
