I learned a lot about life and about myself during my time in the Marine Corps. I wasn't a rough and tumble kid who needed to be remade in bootcamp, but it did make me more of what I was. It instilled confidence, assertiveness and flexibility in the way I attacked life. I want to share some of the Warrior Ethos that every Marine has driven into them, that I will not only make your a better businessman, but a better person.
Move, shoot, communicate
One of the first rules of gun fighting is Move, Shoot, Communicate. If you are not moving, you are shooting, if you are not shooting, you are communicating. If you do nothing, you are dead.
Now I'm not saying you need to treat the business world like you treat a hostile battlefield, but in your business, time is your most valuable asset.
Move- Do market research, set up a marketing plan, look for knew products, make connections, always be ready to pivot if the market tells you to. You should always be agile and moving, not always forward, but making your way to the next step.
Shoot- Everything you do in your company should be aimed at one goal, Sales. Selling and closing is the shooting in business. You should always be targeting the right people/market/leads and pulling the trigger. Pick up that phone and cold call, direct market to your warm leads, go door to door and sell your product.
Communicate- Communication can be just as valuable as sales in business. On the battlefield, commutation means pointing out targets or calling in support. In the real world, communication means collaborating with your partners/employees, interacting with your customers, establishing relationships, and networking.
What ever you do, don't sit and wait. If you're like me and waiting for your app to be developed, I clearly cant sell what doesn't exist, but I can move and communicate. Be setting up the next move, prep, and get ready to push on. But never stagnate.
Leaders eat last
There is a tradition in the Marine Corps that is fundamentally different than the traditions of our parent branch, the Navy. Leaders always eat last. It doesn't matter if its hot chow at the shop, pizza at the barracks, or rations in theater. You always make sure the people you serve (that's right, a leader serves those below him) are taken care of first. If there is not enough left over for you to eat, at least those you rely on to win the battle are fed and have energy. The Navy does the opposite. Enlisted mess, Chief's mess, officer's mess. Officers and senior enlisted are treated like elites, have waiters and better food. What message does this send to those below you?
If you rely on employees, contractors, or any other form of human work, for your business, they are the soul of your company. Happy employees equal happy customers. If your employees feel under appreciated they will not do as much as expected of them and that lack of quality work can impact your product, customers, and sales.
Take care of your employees first. They will take care of your customers, who in turn will take care of the business and then you.
Adapt and Overcome
This has become one of the unofficial mottos of the Marine Corps. If any obstacle is in your way, figure it out. If there is anything you take from this post, take Adapt and Overcome to heart.
You need to be flexible and think out of the box, but most importantly, you must stare down adversity, not matter what it may be, and find a way over it. Don't focus on following the rules. If you come to a wall with a locked door, the rules say find a way to unlock it. But if you need to get past this wall, go over it, through it, or around it. While you are solving a problem, make a decision. A good decision now, is better than a great decision later. Remember, time is your #1 resource.
I have more I will share later. Take these lessons, do with them what you will. But always be agile, conscientious, and cunning. S/F
Move, shoot, communicate
One of the first rules of gun fighting is Move, Shoot, Communicate. If you are not moving, you are shooting, if you are not shooting, you are communicating. If you do nothing, you are dead.
Now I'm not saying you need to treat the business world like you treat a hostile battlefield, but in your business, time is your most valuable asset.
Move- Do market research, set up a marketing plan, look for knew products, make connections, always be ready to pivot if the market tells you to. You should always be agile and moving, not always forward, but making your way to the next step.
Shoot- Everything you do in your company should be aimed at one goal, Sales. Selling and closing is the shooting in business. You should always be targeting the right people/market/leads and pulling the trigger. Pick up that phone and cold call, direct market to your warm leads, go door to door and sell your product.
Communicate- Communication can be just as valuable as sales in business. On the battlefield, commutation means pointing out targets or calling in support. In the real world, communication means collaborating with your partners/employees, interacting with your customers, establishing relationships, and networking.
What ever you do, don't sit and wait. If you're like me and waiting for your app to be developed, I clearly cant sell what doesn't exist, but I can move and communicate. Be setting up the next move, prep, and get ready to push on. But never stagnate.
Leaders eat last
There is a tradition in the Marine Corps that is fundamentally different than the traditions of our parent branch, the Navy. Leaders always eat last. It doesn't matter if its hot chow at the shop, pizza at the barracks, or rations in theater. You always make sure the people you serve (that's right, a leader serves those below him) are taken care of first. If there is not enough left over for you to eat, at least those you rely on to win the battle are fed and have energy. The Navy does the opposite. Enlisted mess, Chief's mess, officer's mess. Officers and senior enlisted are treated like elites, have waiters and better food. What message does this send to those below you?
If you rely on employees, contractors, or any other form of human work, for your business, they are the soul of your company. Happy employees equal happy customers. If your employees feel under appreciated they will not do as much as expected of them and that lack of quality work can impact your product, customers, and sales.
Take care of your employees first. They will take care of your customers, who in turn will take care of the business and then you.
Adapt and Overcome
This has become one of the unofficial mottos of the Marine Corps. If any obstacle is in your way, figure it out. If there is anything you take from this post, take Adapt and Overcome to heart.
You need to be flexible and think out of the box, but most importantly, you must stare down adversity, not matter what it may be, and find a way over it. Don't focus on following the rules. If you come to a wall with a locked door, the rules say find a way to unlock it. But if you need to get past this wall, go over it, through it, or around it. While you are solving a problem, make a decision. A good decision now, is better than a great decision later. Remember, time is your #1 resource.
I have more I will share later. Take these lessons, do with them what you will. But always be agile, conscientious, and cunning. S/F
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