What The U.S. Special Forces Know That You Should Also

Somewhere a True Believer is training to kill you.  He is training with minimum food or water, in austere conditions.  He doesn’t worry about what workout to do – his rucksack weighs what it weighs and he runs until the enemy stops chasing him.  The True Believer doesn’t care “how hard it is”; he knows he either wins or he dies.  He doesn’t go home at 1700; he is home. He knows only the cause.

  Now, who wants to quit?   

These are  the words that hang on a nondescript door, in a nondescript hallway, in a nondescript building on a military base somewhere in the United States.  There is a small plaque next to the door with a room number embossed and the word: SOCom – military speak for Special Operations Command.   What the leadership of SOCom understands so well is that belief is more powerful than resources. Devotion is more potent than technology. And “the cause” is what inspires people to take extraordinary risks or suffer awful conditions for no other reason than to advance the cause.  

Business is no different. 

Apple, Southwest, Disney, Harley-Davidson, Container Store and the handful of other companies that seem to have mystical powers and unbalanced success all have something in common.  They are defined by their cause, not their products or technology. More importantly, they only want to hire “True Believers,” those who believe what they believe.  And for good reason. People who believe what you believe will work for you with blood and sweat and tears.  People who don’t believe what you believe work for your money. Customers who believe what you believe will pay you a premium, suffer inconvenience and give you a lifetime of loyalty.  Customers who don’t believe what you believe will demand that you offer them a cheaper price and even if you do, they’ll still never be satisfied.

A company of True Believers will always frustrate the competition, regardless of how well resourced the competition is.  Apple frustrates Microsoft.  Lexus frustrates GM. Google frustrates pretty much everyone.  And Obama’s grassroots $5 and $10 fund raising frustrated both the Clinton and McCain campaigns.

Being flush with resources does not guarantee success.  In fact, it seems the better resourced an organization is, the more its people seem to stop caring about the cause.  They become more concerned with how many hours they’ve worked, the size of their offices and the benefits they will get.  The huge advantage companies with a cause have over even much bigger competitors is that everyone who comes to work is there for the same reason - to be a part of something bigger than themselves. They have no resources.  They have no expense accounts.  They play the hand they are dealt and they will fight on for no other reason than because they believe. 

People who go to work to be a part of the cause don’t go home.  They are home.

Now - who wants to quit?

Comments

[coach purses]

It’s true that we don’t know what we’ve got until we lose it, but it’s also true that we don’t know what we’ve been missing until it arrives.

[Tony Hollowell]

Desire is more important than resources. I get it. And I agree!

[Laurie March, @EvangelistaLA]

huh?

[Kolyan]

“Customers who don’t believe what you believe will demand”
Well, when we go to fly from point A to point B we (at least I’ve never heard of) do not search for “truly believers among major carriers. We’re looking for cheaper seats first, and most accommodating route to choose. Some stupidity at first glance may strikes: relatively cheap fare from point A to point B with a jump at point C will take 6-7 hours while car traveling will take 12. But to pay “premium” and get direct flight u’ll pay 3-4 times over.
So this isn’t membership or loyalty – it’s the usury.
Generally, in capitalism there is no loyalty – it’s a package of discounts offered by, that what holds you with the vendor. If we’re talking about memberships such “Dunhill” or something that useless and snobby – yes, there are always group of rich morons who will promote such crap of “exclusivity”.

“ The huge advantage companies with a cause have over even much bigger competitors is that everyone who comes to work is there for the same reason - to be a part of something bigger than themselves”
Nope, these with smaller folks probably could not get a job at these big dogs.
Remember “You’ve Got Mail”? Classic example.
These in smaller store used to work there by occasion and ease, not by choice to stay there whatever it takes. As soon as storming competition landed – loyalty had gone with all kinds of excuses. It is capitalism – everything sells.
Your parallel with Special Ops boys a-bit off-site here. These who choose SOG are like to do it, no matter which regiment, no matter who is their commander in chief, size of paycheck, or who their enemy will be.
That is loyalty.
In business – everyone sells or trades anybody, depending on market condition, contractual obligation or their lawyer’s nose size.