After World War II, islanders in the South Pacific built makeshift airstrips, hoping to summon cargo planes like those they saw during the war. They believed that copying the appearance of success would bring the same results.
This “cargo cult” mentality can be seen in business today when companies imitate others, expecting to achieve the same outcomes without understanding the unique factors driving that success.
I once worked with a CEO of a $10M company who said, “I want to be like Google,” despite having only 30 employees and a single product to sell. The urge to copy was strong, but none of the necessary structure was in place to support it.
Copying someone else almost never works. Every company is unique. Differences in installed base, product strengths, reputation, customers, company history, financial stability and the people involved make it impossible to simply copy another business’s formula for success.
In addition, every resource (financial, human) you waste copying someone else is a resource you can’t use to differentiate yourself further from your competitors.
Success isn’t about copying others. Instead, it comes from understanding your own business—its strengths, market position, and people—and developing strategies that fit your unique situation. Just as the islanders’ imitation of airstrips didn’t bring cargo, copying another company without considering your own circumstances won’t lead to the success you seek.