At any given time some companies are doing well, some are fairly static, and some are failing. I cringe when I hear people talk disrespectfully about a struggling company—we’ve all had friends and colleagues caught in that scenario or been there ourselves. Competition is a wonderful thing. If a competitor produces a better product at a lower cost, there is tremendous incentive for me to improve. If I do not, I will lose business. If I am providing a better product, I still must strive to improve it, knowing that others will soon be trying to gain ground. Customers benefit from fair competition, because quality and consistency improve while prices hold or increase only slightly. As we go about our business each day, we should respect both those who work with us and those who compete against us. In the end, we all work to make each other better. It’s also pragmatic—we all know not to burn bridges. As business changes, a competitor may suddenly become a coworker. This is a relatively small fraternity and treating people poorly will not only reflect on us as people, but may affect our future in the industry as well.