Ask: “If we weren’t doing this already, knowing what we know now, should we start doing it now?” How an organization does things is likely to become obsolete faster than what it does. “If we were to begin this now, knowing what we now know, would we do what we do in the same way?”

Car manufacturers would undoubtedly use the Internet as a distribution channel. Should they abandon the traditional automobile dealer? Organizations must systematically decide what to abandon and how. Abandonment is never popular; ask the music industry about the IPOD and the impact on tapes and CD’s.

Don’t let the immensity of the task of examining your organization overwhelm you. Each month hold an “abandonment meeting.” Look at just one important part of your business each month and, within a year, you will systematically be able to examine almost everything that matters. Make three or four major decisions each month on “what” to change and twice as many on “how.”

Change the focus from what is wrong to what’s right and exploit successes to encourage your organization and yourself to focus on opportunities. Focus on where results are better than expected, whether in terms of sales, revenues, or volume, before addressing the problems.

Don’t confuse motion with action. When a product or service no longer produces optimal results, the tendency is to reorganize. Reorganization is just “motion” and not a substitute for taking the right “action.” Fix it or abandon it now!

Confusing “novelty” with “innovation” is a huge issue that successful organizations of every size must not fall prey to. Innovation creates value, novelty creates amusement. The test of innovation is not, “Do we like it?” It is, “Do clients and prospects want it, and will it increase sales?”

Maximum competitiveness demands that you concentrate on your strengths. We all have areas in which we have no talent, skill, or interest. Instead of trying to move incompetence to mediocrity, focus on upgrading your personal strengths and those of your organization to excellence. Reorganize work at all levels so strengths can produce the best results.

“Intellectual arrogance” causing poor performance occurs when people scorn the need for help. Great salespeople are often too disorderly for the “detail completion” needed for a successful completion. Some people are great at getting prospects and developing relationships but poor at closing sales. Team up with people who are strong in areas where others are weak. Everyone will do better when each uses their best skills and abilities to compliment another’s weakness.

Overcoming intellectual arrogance, and enhancing the skills and knowledge to make your strengths fully productive will lead to a happier life. We all have parts of our business which we don’t like and don’t do well. To enhancing competitiveness, abandon what’s not working and team up with or hire someone with skills that compliment your weakness.

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