Create your own benchmark for your company, do not follow others.

I am not an industry expert. This is just a thought based on my experience. I would like to hear your view on this.

We always compare our company data with industry benchmarks. 99.99%, 83% etc. Actually, we follow someone without knowing our capacity. Most of the time this happens, if we are not doing good and industry benchmark is low than us. We say we are doing good. I am not sure why?

There are two things wisdom and Intelligence.  Wisdom we gain from others. Like children get wisdom from their parents and school. But we gain intelligence through our experience. If you show fire to your small children, he/she will try to put his/her hand in the fire. You will say, ‘NO’ don’t do this. But again he will try until gets experience of burn.

Just like that, most of the company is running based on data. If the data is looking good, the company is doing good. Same way if our benchmark is looking good compare to industry. We feel good.

Believe me, those companies who do not follow anyone and just follow their passion are more successful and they create a benchmark for other companies. 

Benchmark create a fire circle around and we never cross that circle because of fear. This seems we do not have a belief in our self. We are not following our passion; we are following data.

Most of the startup fails because they follow data and others, instead of creating their own space. Let’s take the example of Apple and they created a product for the customer.

The customer never innovates and never asks for a unique product. It is a company who innovate and design and creates a product, and if a customer like it, they purchase it. I don’t think the customer would have gone to Apple and asked for iPhone and then they designed the iPhone. No. Just think of any product in the market. It is a company who is thinking and innovating on behalf of the customer.

I am sure when iPhone and Samsung company was launching a Smartphone then Nokia would have been thinking, who will purchase this costly product? My data in the market is looking good. But you all know what happened to Nokia.

The same way I think we as a human being should set our own benchmark. We try to follow others. Just think about big invention and innovation by anyone. They never have followed anyone, just they had their own belief. Everyone person in this world is unique they have their own DNA. Even twins who take birth have their own fate. Yes, you must have a Guru. Again, do not follow him/her just learn from them. Increase your intelligence.