The business world and life in general are full of challenges.  How you respond to those challenges makes all of the difference as a leader.  Most of your business challenges are brought on by your competitors.

To lead your team and beat your competition, you need to do the following:

1. Analyze where and why your competitor has an advantage
2. Review and adjust your strategies to close the gaps
3. Execute your plan perfectly

Three simple steps involving 25 simple words are the most elusive part of any business plan.  Why is it so hard to see where your competitors are better than you, to change your plan on the fly, and for your team to follow your vision?

The reason is that people are resistant to change.  And managing through change is the hardest thing a leader has to do.  Using the following techniques, you’ll improve your skill and your team’s performance will thrive.

1. Over Communicate.  During times of change, normally sound minded people tend to overact to every situation.  By making sure your team is loop into every part of the analysis and strategy, you will reduce some of the fear of the unknown associated with change.
2. Stay Positive.  It is easy during a period of change for you to lose confidence and worry.  But a true leader will always look to the end goal and pull his team with him.  Being negative is not going to help your team beat your competition.
3. Be Open.  When reviewing competition, look at them from all sides and really focus on their positives and negatives as well as your teams.  This will help you actually improve your performance and narrow the gap between the teams.  Take your corporate glasses off and see what is really happening.
4. Plot and Plan.  Once you see what is really going on, build a plan that both maximizes your team’s strengths and your competition’s weaknesses and neutralizes your weaknesses and competition’s strengths.  This is not usually a five-minute meeting.  Take the necessary time to do it right.
5. Act Decisively.  Once the plan of attack has been approved, lead your team in a focused way to achieve your new goals.  Trust that you have done your best to provide the right roadmap and make sure everyone is following it.
6. Be Prepared- to Change Again.  No plan will work forever.  Make sure your team is ready to embrace changes on the fly.  Look at how football teams change their play calling every down to maximize how the other team lines up.  You need to be ready at a moment’s notice to punt- or to throw the ball down the field.

You need to be an agent of change if you are going to be a successful leader.  By practicing change management, you will become a pro and your team’s performance will soar.