Only the Paranoid Survive

First, figure out who your key competitor is by asking a hypothetical question that I call the "silver bullet" test. It works like this: if you had just one bullet in a figurative pistol, whom among your many competitors would you save it for?

You don't have to seek these Cassndras out; if you are in management, they will find you. Like somebody who sells a product that he is passionate about, they will "sell" their concern to you with a passion. Don't argue with them; even though it's time-consuming, do your best to hear them out, to learn what they know and to understand why it affects them the way it does.

If you are among the first to take advantage of a career inflection point, you are likely to find the best pick of the opportunities in your new activity. Simply put, the early bird gets the worm; latecomers will get only the leftovers.