Are you Willing to be Different to be Successful?

I love watching the military academies play football. They obviously recruit a different type player. They don't pay players. They don't get hung up in transfer portal issues each year. They really have no right to compete with major college football programs in today's world, but they still do. In fact, they compete at a very high level.

So how do they do it? There are two things that really stand out to me. The character, teamwork, and sheer intensity/love for the game is one. The other is the strategy/scheme that they use. While almost every other major college football program is running some sort of spread offense that really accentuates the talent of individual players, the military academies still use some variation of the old wishbone or wing-t formations of years ago. While these formations require precision execution, they also provide these schools a chance to compete.

They are willing to be different so that they can utilize their inherent advantages of discipline, teamwork, and precision execution as a differentiating strength rather than trying to compete with others on their terms, using their strengths. They would have little chance matching individual athletes on the field in a spread attack; however, their willingness to be different, to play to their strengths, and to focus on their inherent capabilities irrespective of what everyone else is doing is the key.

I would suggest each of us take a few moments and evaluate that concept for our organizations, our work teams, and even our personal careers? How many of us are just trying to compete in a competitive market with a essentially a "me too" approach? How many of us have used the same consultants, used the same basic marketing plan, and set the same basic goals and wonder where we find a competitive advantage? We buy the same equipment, use the same sales planning software, and rely on the same financial systems and then wonder why we appear to look like everyone else in our market.

The same holds true individually. We all try to compete on the same basic metrics. We strive for the same results. We spend our time on the same basic things and wonder why no one sees us as different within our organization. We struggle to stand out, but if honest, we are doing more to blend in than stand out. The ones standing out are the ones not delivering results, and we don't want that to happen!

So what do we do? Think wishbone for just a second. What are the unique strengths, passions, and abilities that you bring to the table? Maybe their aren't being fully utilized now, but they could be utilized in the right system. How do those match up with things that are important to the organization?

For instance, let's say you are delivering solid results and so are many of your counterparts within the organization. You are struggling to find a way to do much more in the current conditions, but you have a desire to have a bigger impact. Maybe you also have an interest in developing other leaders. Why not spend some time putting a development plan together, implement it locally, show the positive impact, and then internally market it to the organization. You become the people development guru while still running a profitable business. You set yourself apart in something that you love and that benefits the organization.

If it's not people development, is there some aspect of your business that you can accentuate that would have value in helping others be more successful. Inventory management programs, machine reliability, marketing/sales growth, cost reduction, price enhancement, team building and the list can go on of things you can accentuate to be known for in your respective field. The key is to match passion and ability with value to the organization AND then become guru of that aspect.

The same holds true for organizations. Go back to the wishbone formation again. Forget what everyone else is doing. Forget trying not to fall behind. Forget competing in the market. How can you differentiate and excel in the market not just compete? Are you willing to be different? Not just for the sake of being different, but are you willing to be different to create a value proposition to the market and accentuate your strengths?

If you can't keep up with investment spending, new technology, or even higher salaries, can you implement a system that requires precision execution (wishbone theory) and then go out- execute your competition by taking advantage of your strengths rather than competing against your competitors strengths? Can you build a culture of teamwork and engagement that allows you to compete with less investment, lower capital, and increased flexibility?

The real question is are you willing to be different to find success? Just doing the same old thing will likely yield the same old results. However, going back to an old - new thing, might just be what you need to jumpstart a career or turnaround a business!

What's your wishbone?