Eric’s presentation was fantastic. I received rave reviews from our members.
Island Hopping
During World War II, troops under the command of Douglas MacArthur suffered significantly fewer casualties than did Marines under a separate command in the same theater of combat. In large part, this resulted from MacArthur being selective about the battles that he fought. Rather than attacking enemy troops because they were there, he employed a strategy of island hopping – attacking only the larger islands that lay between him and his ultimate goal, Japan itself. Enemy troops on smaller islands were left, as MacArthur famously put it, to “wither on the vine.”
Performance Principle: Pick your battles. Fight battles that are important for winning the war, and hop over ones that are not. Do not allow yourself to be drawn into fights that lack a meaningful connection to larger issues.
Too often, people attack an issue simply because it is there, not because it is important. Then, instead of admitting their mistake and drawing back, a dangerous cocktail of ego, pride, and stubbornness causes them to dig in. There are no victors in such political trench warfare – only casualties.
As leaders, part of our charge is to help others distinguish for themselves the battles that are worth fighting. The next time your troops are ready to engage in a new battle, first ask them if winning this battle will help your team to win the war. The better your people are at discerning battles that deserve to be fought, the more focused your organization will be on winning battles that count.
Questions to Consider:
- Are you picking your battles?
- Is your team disciplined about avoiding fights that have no upside?
- Today, are you engaged in a fight out of pride and ego vs. necessity?
