The Right to Win!

A while back I read an article by Booz & Company called The Right To Win.  Although this company, website and magazine is geared towards business, I thought that this was an interesting concept for personal application as well.  Similar to Cheshire's point in his last post - Anonymity  - The Right to Win is more about being relevant and a leader than it is about winning.  The idea of marketing ourselves is not a new one and it is a skill that everyone has (or needs to develop).  Without it, none of us would have the jobs that we currently have - we sold our skills, experiences and personalities to the hiring managers of where we work.

The Right to Win theory goes a lot further.  When we compete against other businesses, applicants, or any other form of competition for that matter, the best product or person doesn't always win.  Remember back to the SuperBowl XLII.  Sorry everyone, The Giants were not the better team.  They played better that day, but were not the better team.  Their strategy going into that particular game, coupled with their flawless execution gave them The Right to Win that day, the only day that mattered.  (Yes, I am a Patriots fan)

Gaining The Right to Win takes vision, determination, strategy and flawless execution.  Knowing where you would like to be in 5, 10, 15 or 20 years helps you to work on gaining the skills you will need to place yourself in the best position for success.  A lot of people believe that they already have this right due to some sort of entitlement from birth, or a specific degree from a specific institution   Although these things do help to achieve goals and increases your odds of winning, they do not entitle you to The Right to Win.  In this global economy The Right to Win can only be achieved by matching your skills perfectly  with what someone is looking for.

This is true on a personal and business level.  Your product can only have The Right to Win is you find a potential customer that has the exact features your product offers.  This does not mean that you should add more features (or personal skills), but instead it means that you should focus your features and skills on the exact market that is looking for exactly what you have to offer.  Remember, the essence of strategy is lies in what you don't do..... This gives you The Right to Win!