TFM 📽: Winners Study the Competition

BE AN IMPACTFUL LEADER

The Film Room

We miss many opportunities to improve when we are too focused on our envy and not the opportunity.

For example, I recently heard a story shared by a former Chick-fil-A executive.

He was talking about how he and others would spend time every month to go into Chick-fil-a locations and spend a day - either as a 'secret shopper' or as a fly on the wall.

That's not very surprising - but what he said next was.

He went on to share that McDonald's would not only send some of their leaders into stores to observe how they would treat customers and operate efficiently.

Even better - he even knew of at least one market where McDonalds required newly promoted managers to spend an afternoon at Chick-fil-a before they started their first day in this new role.

Chick-fil-a knew about McDonalds' employee visits and didn't mind.

Even though they are both 'fast food,' the two chains aren't in direct competition. They offer similar (but different) products and they market to similar (but different) customers.

It's a perfect example of how seeing a competitor through the lens of helpful comparison and not harmful envy can help you improve.

The Practice Field

Most people get tripped up in envy when it comes to comparison. They can't help but attach their own self-worth to the gap between where they are and someone else is.

A confident Competitor, however, pulls their self-worth and confidence from within. It's built on how they handle things 100% in their control, allowing them to view others with curiosity instead of unhealthy comparison.

You know your biggest competition is with yourself. The more you can remind yourself of that and lean into it, the more you can start looking to others doing well to learn.

1. See Competitors as Teachers Instead of Threats

Instead of feeling threatened by someone else’s success, ask yourself: What can I learn from them?

Identify specific behaviors, strategies, or mindsets that have contributed to their success. Then, write down how you can adapt and apply those insights to your role.

Ask: What's one specific action of a person or organization you admire that you can incorporate into a daily/weekly routine?

2. Conduct Your Own “Competitor Audit”

Set aside time each quarter to observe, research, and analyze top performers in your industry—whether they’re peers, competitors, or leaders in similar fields.

The goal isn’t to compare where you stand, but to pull valuable insights that can help you improve your own habits, systems, or leadership approach.

Act: Schedule your first 'Audit' and write down up to 3 insights you can test the following quarter. This is your 'scouting report' for growth.

3. Measure Against Your Own Progress.

Comparison becomes toxic when it turns into self-criticism. Instead, focus on tracking your own progress and defining what success looks like based on your unique goals.

Viewing others’ achievements as benchmarks to inspire - not define - you keeps you grounded in your personal improvement journey.

Compete: What are 2-3 things you personally want to improve at over the next two months and what's a daily/weekly action step that will help you improve at them?

Your professional 'competition' can be a negative shadow that constantly hangs over you or an inspirational learning model that helps you grow.

Open the door to improvement without the emotional baggage of envy.

I'm cheering for you to impact others today, Reader,