Competitor Exercise Like #PartySwap

Just did #PartySwap on @KennedyNation, in which my role was to serve as the left-wing commentator. Here’s my first answer: pic.twitter.com/CUpaQxMU3u

— Guy Benson (@guypbenson) November 13, 2020

There’s fascinating insight from the whole depolarisation drive.

To fully understand another point of view, how much do you immerse yourself in it?

Genuinely try the perspective that;

“you can’t understand someone until you’ve walked a mile in their shoes”.

A famed example from the hothouse that was 2016 British politics featured the brilliance of true critical thinking from future PM Boris Johnson.

Conflicted, like many compatriots then, as the referendum on the country’s membership of the political European Union loomed, he conducted a revelatory exercise.

As a popular and influential newspaper columnist, he decided to prepare two articles. One for Leave, one for Remain. Written with his signature wit, style and insight that would mean either could become published as his stance on Brexit.

He put himself in the shoes of both views.

When finished, he read through the pair. And arrived at his decision.

The American example above – and its longer excerpt – are naturally a touch of media with tongue firmly in cheek.

Yet the power in this approach I think shines through.

A Quarter-century ago, I ran training sessions where sellers would deliver a pitch in the style of a competing option.

They would stand up in front of their peers and deliver a quick couple of minutes, role playing as someone other than ‘us’.

I could choose from around half-a-dozen alternatives. Which could be expanded, depending on certain flavours of status quo continuation.

All thought it a resounding success. A real improvement in learning the USPs, sweet spots and traps of competition. With the added bonus of sharpening pitch delivery, without the salespeople realising.

Maybe it’s time for a brief #VendorSwap exercise in your own arena?