We arrived at the Grand Wailea hotel in Maui today, a beautiful property that’s part of the Waldorf Astoria.
After swimming in the ocean and baking on the beach, my husband and I decided we would like to lounge and enjoy a cocktail. To provide some context, the beach for the hotel is public and a public walkway winds between the beach and the resort property.
In order to get access to the service staff we moved to a couple of lounge chairs inside the property. The only problem was that from our new vantage point, about 30 feet from the beach, we were looking directly into a hedge that was separating the public walkway from the property.
This resort exists because of its proximity to the beach, however in an attempt to maintain exclusivity, the connection to its reason for being here was gravely undermined.
The same thing can happen to any business. Just that morning my husband had asked me if it wasn’t dangerous for me to post my presentations on SlideShare and LinkedIn. Wouldn’t it be better to protect my ideas from competitors who might steal them, he asked.
He makes a valid point. However, it’s through sharing my ideas and IP that I can provide value and build exciting business relationships. If I held onto them with a white-knuckle grip I’d be caught behind my own hedge.
Consider this for yourself and your own business. Are there ways that you’re protecting your business that are actually undermining what’s special about it and making it blind to the outside world?