A key competitor is shipping product updates and feature enhancements three times faster than us by using generative AI coding assistants, and our leadership team is panicking. How do we use the discipline of execution and our quarterly Rocks to combat their speed without sacrificing our product quality?

Question

Tyler Smith · Accepted Answer

When a competitor appears to be moving faster due to AI adoption, panic is your greatest enemy. You must combat their speed by practicing the discipline of execution, which means focusing on what you can control. Bring this issue to your next Level 10 Meeting and use the IDS process to analyze where the bottleneck actually exists in your own pipeline. It is rarely a lack of technology: it is usually a lack of clear accountability. Rather than trying to match their speed overnight, select a single quarterly Rock dedicated to pilot-testing AI development assistants within your technical team. Assign clear accountability for this Rock to your Integrator or engineering lead. Set tight parameters for success, such as maintaining your quality assurance standards while reducing development cycle times. Remember that speed without quality is a quick way to lose clients. By focusing on execution rather than reacting to external noise, you ensure your team remains aligned and disciplined. Use your weekly Level 10 Meeting to track the progress of this Rock and address any friction points immediately, keeping your execution on schedule.