"企業がベンチマーキングを行うほど、ますます似てくる。"

When companies constantly compare themselves to their competitors, they tend to become more and more similar to them. This simple idea highlights that too much benchmarking can stifle innovation and uniqueness.

Let's think about when and why this might be said. Imagine the tech boom of the early 2000s. Companies were popping up everywhere, each trying to outdo the other. Many of them, in their race to the top, started looking over their shoulders, trying to mimic the successes of others. Instead of blazing their own trail, they ended up following in the footsteps of their competitors. The result? A sea of sameness.

Consider the smartphone market. Remember when the first iPhone came out in 2007? It was revolutionary. Before that, phones had tiny screens, physical keyboards, and were primarily used for calls and texts. Fast forward a few years. Every major phone manufacturer had sleek, touch-screen devices that looked eerily similar to the iPhone. Sure, some differences existed, but the core design? Almost identical. They had benchmarked so thoroughly that innovation took a backseat.

So, what’s the takeaway here? If you’re running a business or leading a team, don’t fall into the benchmarking trap. Sure, it’s good to know what others are doing. But if you’re constantly comparing and copying, you’re not leading—you’re following. The companies that stand out are those that dare to be different, those that innovate rather than imitate.

Imagine this scenario: You’re the head of a marketing team in a mid-sized company. Your team’s been tasked with launching a new product. Naturally, you look at what your competitors are doing. You analyze their ads, their social media campaigns, their messaging. But here’s the thing—if you just copy their strategies, your product launch won’t stand out. It’ll blend into the background noise. What if, instead, you took a different approach? Maybe you decide to use a unique storytelling angle, something that truly resonates with your audience’s emotions, something no one else is doing.

Let’s take a detour into a more personal story. I remember back in high school when my friends and I were all into skateboarding. We’d watch videos of pros and try to replicate their moves. But there was this one guy, Dave. Dave didn’t just copy what he saw. He’d come up with his own tricks, blending styles from snowboarding and surfing. We used to think he was a bit crazy—until he started winning local competitions. He wasn’t the best because he benchmarked endlessly; he was the best because he brought something new to the table.

So, what’s the advice here? Benchmark your competitors, sure, but don’t lose your unique edge. Look at what others are doing, learn from it, but then ask yourself: How can we do this differently? How can we add our own twist? If you’re constantly following the leader, you’ll never be in front. But if you take risks, think creatively, and trust your own vision, you might just set the trend that others will follow.

In essence, don’t be afraid to break the mold. The more you benchmark, the more you might just blend in. And who wants that?