Cut Throat Business Games

Often in business someone will make a play to do you wrong, often this person is a close friend, ally, business partner, supplier, lendor, vendor or customers. When it happens you shake your head at the low level of integrity, but understand that it’s often like a war zone out there, worse when the economy goes south, folks who might never think of doing such scandalous things will make those poor decisions to save their rear ends from bankruptcy and get the upper hand.

In business you have to check-six and even if you are fair and honest in all your business dealings, you cannot assume everyone else will be. One thing I learned early on is when business folks cheat you, copy you, lie to you, and then compete with you; you really do have options. And these options include laying out the bait and seeing if they bite. Letting them set their own trap and then simply becoming a spectator.

One thing I used to do when I saw former employees copying me, was to pretend to focus on a certain direction and allow them to copy, then as they put resources towards it I could know if the idea would succeed or fail, without spending a dime. If they were successful with it, hey it was my idea in the first place. If they had trouble with it, I noted their challenges and modified the plan on their dime and capital.

If they failed utterly - oh well, serves them right you know, don’t screw with me. Most business owners get very upset when former employees or business associates come back and steal customers, clients and concepts. I don’t anymore, besides I can use them to test your new ideas, and if they flop, it’s on them.

Better yet, if you innovate fast enough they’ll follow you through hell. Only difference is you aren’t stopping along the way, and when they figure out what happened they’ll have past the point of no return, and they’ll beg for help. You can throw them a bone or not, if you decide too cool, but on your terms, if not, life’s a bitch - God I’m ruthless. It’s okay, I have a fake dog at home (much easier to care for), his name is “Nicolli” as in Machiavelli!

Lance Winslow - Lance Winslow’s Bio. Lance Winslow is also Founder of the Detail Guys, a cool little Franchise Company; http://www.detailguys.com/founder.shtml/