Why I am proud to be a sponge.
Written by Deborah Mazoudier, Founder & Principal Tender Specialist (Brisbane)
When I was little my mum told everyone that would listen that I was a “sponge”. I have always been a particularly literal person, so at age 5 why my mum was describing me as a porous squishy wet thing that you washed dishes with eluded me. But just as I have grown to love metaphor, I have also grown to understand why I am proud to be a sponge.
It takes years of hard work and dedication to acquire deep knowledge and specialised skills in a particular field. Your expertise as an individual or a business is your greatest asset. However, it is essential not to become complacent. Let’s face it, a dried up sponge isn’t much use to anyone.
Complacency is a threat to all “sponges” out there in the tendering world. It minimises potential and leads to stagnation. It’s certainly not a mindset that belongs in competitive business.
The world is constantly changing
The world is changing at an unprecedented pace, and your area or your business’s area of expertise is no exception. New technologies, methodologies, and best practices emerge every day. If you become complacent, you risk falling behind and becoming irrelevant.
Your competition is always improving
Chances are there are other experts out there who are just as good as you. They may even be better! If you become complacent, you risk losing your competitive edge. Your competition will continue to improve, innovate, and evolve, leaving you behind.
You may miss out on new opportunities
When you become complacent, you're less likely to seek out new opportunities. Or you may be too late to seize them when they are presented to you. You may miss out on exciting projects, collaborations, or opportunities to develop new service offerings.
You become vulnerable to disruptors in your field
Technology is advancing at a rapid pace, and new players are emerging in every industry. If you are too comfortable with your current way of doing things, you may miss out on opportunities to innovate and adapt. This can put you at a significant disadvantage and make it difficult to compete with others who are embracing new ideas and technologies.
That’s the way we have always done it, is not good enough.
So, be a sponge. Seek out new experiences, surround yourself with diverse perspectives, embrace failure and keep learning from your colleagues, your industry and other experts in your field. The moment you stop learning and growing is the moment you start falling behind.