Don’t Confuse Success with Wisdom
Opportunities
August 6th, 2008
One thing I have learned, observed and experienced over my 25 years of running a business is that many times the general public (myself included) tend to equate a companies apparent success with wisdom.
One example that most are aware of, regardless of your age, is IBM. … aka known (or was known) as Big Blue. Back in the 70’s and 80’s they were the company to work for, having had early success in the computer & technology markets. While today they are no slouch company they are not the dominant force they once were.
Like many others, IBM thought themselves invincible because of their market dominance at the time … they scoffed at people like Bill Gates, Michael Dell, to name a few….. oops
The moral being that large companies can tend to become complacent and lose sight of what got them there .
We, as the general outside public, tend to fuel that mentality for them, until someone else comes along with newer, better, cooler, more effective ideas ..it then takes us less time these days to switch ..but we do …an example we can all identify with is home computers (which IBM declared wasn’t going to happen).
Companies that are willing to explore new ideas, take a risk, and develop products or services that are effective and useful will always have the higher success rate. Customers, employees, staff, and yes even real estate agents ultimately see through the smoke and mirrors that the “Big Blues” of the business world try to hide behind.
Eventually the smoke tends to clear. The “Power of Blue” is seen as being out of touch and irrelevant by their former adamant customers. These companies tend to feel like they can market their way out ….usually too late and with a strategy that is outdated and ineffective.
Mark Twain once said “There are lies, damn lies, and statistics”. “Big Blue” type companies love to hide behind smoke and mirror…often using statistics to reclaim and relive their past glories …
Don’t let them fool you.
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