Every person counts. And four other important rules to work
by.
In the military, there are shared beliefs, consistent
values, and deep traditions across all military units. In comparison, it’s
often unclear in businesses what values a company operates with. In the
military, certain protocols exist such as respect for rank regardless of the
military branch, following orders, communicating clearly , and giving only
one’s absolute best. But corporate cultures vary--from top-down hierarchies to
vague or flat leadership.
Military culture is traditional, historically informed and
fixed, whereas corporate cultures differ based on the leadership or other
variables that oftentimes create challenges for employees at every level.
Military personnel have a clearly structured and transparent path to promotion,
while in the world of business, there's often no defined career progression and
the necessity for employees to manage their careers.
It's clear that above all else, the Navy SEAL’s functional
and effective teamwork is among one of its top strengths. The following SEAL
insights could, and should, be applied to working teams in business.
1. A Navy SEAL does not discriminate.
Regardless of shape, size, beliefs, or culture, the biggest
personal trait demanded of a SEAL is demeanor. A Navy SEAL does not display a
superior attitude or arrogance, but rather a confidence in his physical and
mental abilities for the good of the team.
2. Every person counts.
Settling for mediocrity is the death of an organization.
Every SEAL knows with 100% confidence that the person behind him will be able
to save his life. Corporate leaders need to be able to say the same about their
management teams. Employees’ livelihoods depend on it.
3. SEALS train.
When SEALs are not on combat deployment, they spend the vast
majority of their time in training. In contrast, executives spend the majority
of their time executing. The importance of training for new employees, or even
a veteran team, is vital to the success of the business. Navy SEALs spend
thousands of hours honing their skills, and so should employees in a
profession.
4. Everyone is expendable.
All SEALs are trained in a nearly identical manner, so no
one SEAL is indispensable to the unit or the mission. The understanding during
combat is that anyone can be lost at any time and the rest of the unit can
carry on the mission successfully. Businesses need to ensure contingency plans
are in place for any unforeseen personnel circumstances within their
organization so the team can carry on without any delays.
5. You never know the measure of people until they are
tested.
People are more resilient and tougher than imagined. During
SEAL training, instructors prove that their men are capable of 10 times more
than what they ever imagined. Until your team is really tested, you can never
be too sure who will step up and who will falter in any given situation.
Shawn Parr
Shawn Parr is the The Guvner & CEO of Bulldog Drummond,
an innovation and design consultancy headquartered in San Diego whose clients
and partners have included Starbucks, Diageo, Jack in the Box, Adidas, MTV,
Nestle, Pinkberry, American Eagle Outfitters, IDEO, Virgin, Disney, Nike,
Mattel, Heineken, Annie's Homegrown, The Michael J Fox Foundation for
Parkinson's Research, CleanWell, The Honest Kitchen and World Vision.
www.BulldogDrummond.com
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