Our competitors are deploying AI tools to rapidly launch brand new service lines, expanding outside their traditional niches. How do we use our V/TO® to evaluate these fast-moving threats so we do not chase every shiny object and lose our Core Focus?

Question

Tyler Smith · Accepted Answer

When competitors start moving fast with AI, the natural reaction is panic. You see them launching new features every week and feel pressure to match them. This is how businesses die of indigestion rather than starvation. To prevent this, your leadership team must anchor every decision in your Core Focus on the V/TO®.

Your Core Focus is your filter. It consists of your purpose, cause, or passion, and your niche. If a competitor uses AI to launch a service that falls outside your niche, it is a distraction. Let them wander off and dilute their brand.

Use your weekly Level 10 Meeting™ to capture these competitive moves on your Issues List. During the IDS® portion of the meeting, evaluate the threat by asking whether addressing it helps you serve your target market better.

If the competitor is using AI to deliver your exact service faster, that is an operational issue, not a strategic one. Address it by optimizing your own processes. But if they are just launching shiny new offerings, stand firm. Use AI to double down on your own Core Focus, making your delivery of your niche service untouchable. True strategic discipline means choosing what not to do.