Competitive Differentiation

September 3, 2010 8:53 AM

What is the competitive differentiator in your life? What sets you apart in the office, the playing field, or your personal life. Organizations compete through innovation, price, efficiency, service, etc. But what do individuals do to become successful in their 'markets'. What specific and unique things do you or others do to strengthen their brand. This question is not just about the office. You could tell me why you have been so successful as a lodge member, a soccer coach, or a performer. Answers could range from specific lifehacks to specific principles that you stick to. I know what I have done, but I am more curious about what other attribute to their own success. All else being equal socioeconomically, how have you or others differentiated themselves.
posted by jasondigitized to Society & Culture (5 answers total)

Things that I'm good at in my life and things that I'm bad at in my life also fall into the same categories as things I work hard at and things I don't work very hard at.

When I think about other people I know who are good at some things and bad at others, in general they all seem to have worked really hard at the things that they're good at and not very hard at the things that they're bad at.

For instance, I'm not trying very hard to write grammatical sentences, but I am trying hard to answer your question with a slightly more fleshed out answer than just "hard work".
posted by phunniemee at 8:59 AM on September 3, 2010

My success? No longer being part of the rat race you describe. My life is so much better now..
posted by DreamerFi at 9:02 AM on September 3, 2010 [1 favorite]

But what do individuals do to become successful in their 'markets'.

Bluff your way into a position, hide the amount of work you're not really doing, switch jobs before anyone finds you out.
posted by hermitosis at 9:05 AM on September 3, 2010

I'm both stoic and good with Human Nature affairs. This helps at the office because power plays, pettiness, etc. is all a little more transparent to me than certain other coworkers and managers, and I can keep my cool while dealing with people who have personal issues with me. If someone is trying to undermine me, I can usually tell even if they don't take any direct shots at me, and respond without taking direct shots at them. If something important (and possibly bad for me) is going down, I know how to get the information I need, and from whom, without ending up in a quid-pro-quo situation. I can "divine" how to stay on people's good sides by their specific personality, and how to avoid stepping on the toes of my more drama-prone coworkers. I also don't give anyone any rope with which to hang me by letting things slip.

I have (knock on wood) managed to make it through numerous rounds of layoffs in this manner. Of course, I'm also a rather hard, diligent and careful worker -- I'm one of those people who can put "detail-oriented" on a resume without it being bullshit -- so, I'm pretty sure that helps a bit.
posted by griphus at 9:07 AM on September 3, 2010 [1 favorite]

Mod note: Several comments removed. I don't care if you don't like a question or think it will be deleted. Flag it, move on. Metatalk if you have to. Anything else is bad behavior, please cut it out.
posted by cortex (staff) at 9:10 AM on September 3, 2010