Setting the right tempo and pace for your business is just as important today as it was back in 1912 when Amundsen beat Scott in the race to the South Pole.

In his book Great By Choice Jim Collins dramatically demonstrates how setting the right pace – a daily 20 Mile March differentiates success and failure.

Amundsen and Scott both venturing out into the unknown, faced the same weather conditions and yet one team paid with their lives for ignoring a basic rule – to keep moving  at a specific sustainable pace almost irrespective of the weather.

In his book, Jim Collins compares the performance of companies that are the business equivalent of Amundsen and Scott and the 20 Mile March evidence is compelling. Those company leaders that set appropriate long term growth rates and targets for their businesses were able to prosper in both the good and bad times while those who were more opportunistic pressed for maximum growth in robust times, thereby exposing their enterprises to calamity in the unexpected downturns.

According to Collins, the 20 Mile March requires hitting specific performance markers with great consistency over a long period of time. It requires two distinct types of discomfort, delivering high performance in difficult times and holding back in good times.

He defines a good 20 Mile March as having the following seven characteristics:

1. Clear performance markers

2, Self-imposed constraints

3. Appropriate to the specific enterprise

4. Largely within the company’s control to achieve

5. A proper time frame – long enough to manage, yet short enough to have teeth

6. Imposed on the company by itself

7. Achieved with high consistency

What is your 20 Mile March, something that you commit to achieving for the next 5-15 years and which will help to give you a competitive advantage and boost your profitability? For more information on how I can help you to set this in place, contact me at richard.bosworth@whatifspecialist.com, go to@richardwhatif on Twitter Link, Richard Bosworth on LinkedIn or www.whatifforums.com