Big Red Car here. Hey, y’all it’s 102F today in the ATX. A bit warm. The pool is calling.
So The Boss has been thinking about the antiquated notion of victory.
Victory means the ultimate conquest of an opponent or the final resolution of a problem. The Boss suggests that in the modern world we are too quick to embrace compromise, optimization and other half measures giving up on the objective of victory.
To guild the lily just a little, “conquest” and “triumph” could be considered as superlative victories. Victory could be considered as a successful outcome perhaps short of conquest or triumph.
Let me give you some examples of situations today in which the idea of victory needs to be dusted off and pursued.
Gaza
Hamas is a terrorist organization by its own definition. It is not a political subdivision or a religious movement. It is not a governing philosophy. It is not a sovereign country. It is a terrorist organization supported by Iran and other state sponsors of terrorism. It is evil and vile.
Hamas has launched an unprovoked missile attack—over three thousand missiles—on its neighbor, Israel. [Take a second, dear readers, and think how you might feel if Round Rock, Texas launched a 3,500 missile attack on the gentle folk of Austin, Texas. Would Austin likely be irked sufficiently to take action to remove and neutralize the threat? Ponder that and then apply it to the Gaza situation.]
Israel has responded by attacking targets in Gaza with combined arms forces–air power, artillery, armor and infantry. This has happened before and no reasonable person expected the Israelis to respond differently.
Israel should seek to destroy Hamas, to conquer the forces fielded as terrorists and to eliminate them from the planet. The Israelis should focus on victory.
Ebola
The Ebola virus, a particularly nasty piece of business, has emerged as a threat to world health. The United States has a reasonable moat–the Atlantic Ocean and the Pacific Ocean being the primary constituent parts of our impressive moat, my friends–protecting us from ease of penetration by Ebola. Still, we are not immune.
The United States and the world should seek complete and total victory over Ebola on this continent and Africa.
Our standard should be complete and total victory.
Planning
Startups and small companies are notorious for not completing their planning before engaging in extensive product development or fundraising. In many instances they are encouraged by angels and seed funders who are willing to make investment decisions solely upon the merits of a product without regard to the company which must deliver the product to the waiting marketplace. The behavior of investors is quite understandable, they are plumbing the depths for the “next big thing” and not really looking for great companies.
Entrepreneurs and founders are anxious to get to work and therefore overlook or avoid the necessity for formulating and codifying a Vision, Mission, Strategy, Tactics, Objectives, Values and Culture for their companies. Worse they often undertake and complete one or two of these planning building blocks and wing it on the others.
It is hard work and by its very nature is likely to be a less favorite cousin of product development. That is understandable and by its very understanding mandates a precise, measured and disciplined approach. [Who needs any stinking spare tire? I’ve got a full tank of gas. Roll Tide!]
In this instance also, the prudent entrepreneur and founder will insist on a victorious completion of the requisite planning. Why not?
So, sayeth the Big Red Car: “Let’s make our standards total, complete and absolute victory. Not all the time but sometimes. Don’t be afraid of being a victor. To the victor belongs the spoils.”
But, hey, what the Hell do I really know anyway? I’m just a Big Red Car.