Marketing Consulting Blog

I've been sitting here in front of the computer trying to think of a good way to honor Dr. Martin Luther King. Many thoughts have entered and exited my brain before I settled on 'what do you think he'd want someone to do to honor him?' Little old me can't possibly honor Dr. King in an appropriate way all by myself, but I think the answer might be to remember him as someone who stood for something major--equality.

Dr. King was a persistent man in his search for equality because he probably heard a million "no's" for every one "yes" he received in his quest. In the end, he won so it was a successful quest. I admire the man for standing for something very important, not compromising his beliefs, and making the world a much better place. That's quite a legacy that very few of us will leave, and it's befitting that we honor a great man today in various ways. Thanks Dr. King for making the world far better for those of us you left behind. Regardless of your upbringing, race, or creed, the world IS a better place because of Dr. King and his quest, and we owe him a debt of gratitude if nothing else.

If you want to honor Dr. King in some personal way, I'd suggest starting by asking yourself a few questions. What do you stand for? What are you unwilling to compromise in your pursuit of whatever it is you strive to achieve? What is keeping you from pursuing that dream now?

2006 is almost history so it's time to consider some resolutions for the New Year. Even if you don't believe in making New Year's resolutions, you likely want to improve your business or your professional status right? Sticking with that theme, why not consider the following:

Take an objective look at your competitors and make a list of the things they are not doing well. Pick out the areas your company is best equipped to take advantage of those current weaknesses and focus the appropriate effort on differentiating yourself versus attempting to do the same things well they are doing. There are plenty of "me too" companies out there so why not turn the tables on your competitors by attacking them where they're weak for a change?

The beauty of this exercise is it can be equally effective for executives and employees alike. If you're an employee looking to rise in the ranks, this will help set you apart from your co-workers and increase your perceived value to the organization. Executives should be making time for this type of analysis but many don't because of the day-to-day operational concerns.

In the meantime, make it a great New Year!