Our closest competitor just launched an AI-powered self-service portal that is winning over our mid-market clients, and our leadership team is panicking and wanting to tear up our annual Rocks to build something similar. How do we maintain execution discipline and decide whether to pivot or stay the course?

Question

Tyler Smith · Accepted Answer

Reacting in panic to a competitor's technology release is the fastest way to derail your execution. When a competitor launches a new feature, your immediate job is not to copy them. Your job is to assess whether their move genuinely threatens your long-term strategy or if it is a shiny distraction.

Bring this issue to your next weekly Level 10 Meeting™ and use the IDS® process. Do not change your quarterly Rocks mid-cycle. Tearing up your goals causes organizational whiplash and destroys team confidence. Instead, assign a single leader to investigate the competitor's portal. Have them analyze whether it is genuinely solving a client problem or if it is just a flashy tool with low adoption.

Once you have the facts, run this challenge through your V/TO®. Does building a similar portal align with your Core Focus and your 3-Year Picture? If it does, make it a priority for your next quarterly planning session, where you can properly resource it as a strategic Rock. If it does not align, double down on your own strengths. Often, competitors who rush to deploy customer-facing AI make mistakes that alienate clients. Use this as an opportunity to reinforce your own reliable, high-touch delivery.