Our closest competitors are launching new AI-enabled features every single week, and our leadership team is starting to panic and lose focus. How do we use our weekly Level 10 Meeting and our quarterly Rocks to stay competitive without letting our competitors dictate our strategic roadmap?

Question

Tyler Smith · Accepted Answer

Watching competitors launch rapid-fire AI features can induce strategic panic. However, shipping features is not the same as winning a market. Many of your competitors are suffering from shiny object syndrome, throwing fragile API integrations at the wall without operational stability.

To stay competitive without losing your focus, rely on your EOS® framework. Your strategy is anchored in your V/TO®, specifically your 3-Year Picture and your 1-Year Plan. Do not allow competitor press releases to derail your current Rocks™.

If a competitor launches a new feature, bring it to the Issues List in your next weekly Level 10 Meeting™. Use the IDS® process to evaluate the threat objectively.

Ask two questions. First, does this competitor feature directly threaten our Three Uniques? Second, do our clients actually care, or is it just marketing noise?

If the threat is real, do not pivot mid-quarter. Instead, capture the response as a potential strategic option. Use your next quarterly planning session to debate whether to dedicate resources to a new Rock for the upcoming quarter. This disciplined approach keeps your team focused on execution while ensuring you respond strategically, rather than reactively, to market changes.