Portfolio / Expertise / Competitive Benchmarking
Competitive Benchmarking
You can’t set a target you haven’t measured against. I benchmark against competitors and best-in-class to ground strategy in the real bar — not an aspirational one.
The Workflow — How I Approach It
Define what to benchmark
Pick the metrics that matter to the decision — not everything that’s measurable.
Select comparators
Direct competitors, adjacent players, and best-in-class — three different bars.
Collect comparable data
Use the same definitions and periods for everyone being compared.
Normalize before you compare
Adjust for size, mix, and market — otherwise the comparison lies.
Analyze the gap
Explain the gap — is it strategy, structure, or just scale?
Set targets and actions
Convert the insight into a target the organization can actually pursue.
My Operating View — The 2 Cents
Benchmarking fails on comparability. My 2 cents: normalize before you compare — a different cost base, mix, or market will mislead you into the wrong target. The gap is only useful if it’s an apples-to-apples gap.
What Worked & What Didn’t
What Worked
- Targets grounded in a real, normalized bar — credible to leadership.
- Gap analysis that explained the why, not just the gap.
What Didn’t
- Comparing non-comparable data — a beautiful chart, a false conclusion.
- Benchmarking without action — insight filed, target unchanged.