So much has been said about disintermediation that trend-watchers now call it "old news." But to business executives, with more to do than watch trends, the impending demise of the middleman is not only topical, it's a threat to their companies' very existence.

Remember when ice cream was vanilla, phones were black, nail polish was red, beds were "single" or "double," and stores closed on Sundays?

Why is Wayne Gretzky one of pro hockey's all-time greats? Gretzky says the trick is "skating to where the puck's going to be, not where it is." Anticipating his teammates' moves and competitors' reactions, he dynamically positions himself to take the shot. This time-tested strategy has landed Gretzky among the National Hockey League's leading scorers for the past ten years.

Today's management mantra is "do it faster, better, cheaper, smarter (FBCS)" and customers will beat a path to your door." While this is often sage advice, there are industries were FBCS is of little use. If your target market happens to be one of those industries, FBCS will bring you frustration instead of profits. Your product or service may be genuinely faster, cheaper, better, and smarter -- but they won't buy it. It seems irrational, but is it?