Tariff war as a phenomenon has done something remarkable.
It has forced the headlights on this forgotten factor in formulating business strategy,
which is FOCUS. Here is a list of focus centres that determine the
success of business strategy especially when navigating against uncertainty:
1. Do not show that you are retreating at the outset but exhibit a trend of re-thinking, re-aligning using delaying tactics.
2. Shift the onus of response for an eventuality either upon opponent or his allies. Here you are good cop and enemy and his allies become badass.
3. Remain calm throughout the pendency of challenge mounted by the enemy without coming out openly and fight him head-on like what the bulls do. Instead use your own narrative in a subtle and subdued manner such that you forecast a message befitting an adult in the room to him and his allies that your primary enemy uses force & power as his base concept in fighting you unjustly.
4. In intense business warfare you concede little here and there without harming your strategic focus of bringing him to his senses. Remember any forceful counter measure generally turns out to be counter-productive where the buyers of your products have the chance of shifting alliances.
5. Navigating against uncertainty requires a paramount vector: Diversify your trading partners in three grades; viz: large medium and low volumes of order. For example, if you face stiffer competition from your opponent in the high-end product line concentrate on medium & low-end to compensate for loss of revenue derived from the high-end market.
6. When the enemy tries to isolate you do not fall prey to his business manoeuvre. Isolation is something you can easily get into but difficult to get out if such isolation persists for quite some time. By any chance, if you see this threat, then encourages the opponent to open few more fronts similar to you to fight on along with you. The idea is to tire him out of competing with you alone as he has to face multitude of other firms.
7. If your opponent is bent upon the concept of “forcing trading partners to choose one against the other” do not fall onto this trap. As far as it is feasible fund & support your allies and his enemies to continue countering his onslaught.
8. When your enemy escalates and get you to fight him in business warfare, which he has unleashed do not defy him neither surrenders to him. Instead motivate and encourage partners & associates to understand his posture and wean them away from him towards your side fostering fear in their psyche that once you are clobbered the opponent would add them for his next slaughter one by one.
9. Where the enemy’s hand is stronger an you have weak hand the best business manoeuvre, is give in momentarily or extend him partial success in outsmarting you for the time being. As and when the intensity of business warfare wanes you go for his jugular and finish him once and for all.
Cheers!
Muthu Ashraff Rajulu
Business Strategist
Mobile: + 94 777 265677
E-mail: cosmicgems@gmail.com
Blog: Business Strategist