What do Special forces Operatives and Entrepreneurs share which enables their success? The recent series on channel 4, Who Dares Wins, chronicling the progress of 29 regular civilians being put through their collective paces in a truncated and watered down version of Special forces selection painted an interesting portrait of what is required to succeed in such a specialised world. The training was truncated because it was completed over 8 days instead of the regular 6 months and watered down because some of the methods of training for selection aren't suitable to be showcased for the sake of national security which is all entirely understandable. Watching I couldn't help but recognise how different the DS', directive staff, were from their subordinates which made me questions whether there are any idiosyncrasies which are innate to entrepreneurs which evades the employed.
Problem Solving
The special forces personnel, represented by former members of the SAS & SBS in the show, are a different breed to all but 0.0001% of the population. You can see it in the way they talk, the way they hold themselves, the auora of confidence which radiates from within and the conviction in which they make decisions. They truly are the best of the best and my admiration for these people is higher than for almost anyone else on the planet. They are constantly tasked with finding solutions to complex problems in the face of abject danger and uncertainty while simultaneously ensuring the collective health, safety and success of their teams. This married directly to those entrepreneurs who I have had the opportunity to meet and correspond with. They are wired differently and view the world through a prism of opportunity. Where the regular person sees black or white these people are blessed with the ability to spot grey, repackage it and sell it to the public. Breaking down complex problems and tackling each individual element in pursuit of holistic gain is second nature. They view challenges not as problems but opportunity to excel. It's immediately apparent when you encounter these people, in the way they speak, hold themselves and the unflinching conviction they possess that they are brilliantly different.
Attitude
The most interesting portrait was painted not by the insane level of personal fitness required to succeed or types of activities undertaken by the 'recruits' rather is was the surprise of who was most likely to succeed. As the programme progressed towards selection those whom it was assumed were strongest fell by the wayside with only a select less impressive few remaining. Ordinarily it wasn't the physical fitness which failed those who dropped out rather it was their lack of mental capacity to push past the threshold of pain that they believed they could endure in the face of adversity and relentless pressure. This ability to adapt and overcome complex tasks, be it physical or mental, was what differentiated those who succeeded and those who never stood a chance. The sharing of this mind set from special forces to entrepreneur I would argue is what separates those successful startups and those who fail. Those people who are able to face up to adversity and relentlessly pursue action instead of inaction are those who I would back to succeed. This ability to push past the point that we have pre-conceived as our limit is where the inertia leads to success. Only when one has exhausted all their reserves and discovered the replenishment of this energy is self-perpetuating can you achieve the revolution of industry. This mindset cannot be taught, you either have it or you don't.
Recruitment
Selection for the special forces is handled unlike anything in civilian life. Its not just the most impressive individuals who are selected, you could literally make it the whole way through selection, be the most physically capable person, and still be rejected. What it boils down to is who the selecting officers would feel comfortable operating side by side with and entrusting their lives. Who would they rely on when things are at their bleakest to push through and enable collective achievement. Personally, for me, there are great parallels with how selection for the special forces is carried out and what is required at an early stage start-up. I would far rather have someone I could rely on in times of adversity than the most capable person who is unable to collaboratively operate as part of a team to achieve collective success. This aspect of character is incredibly hard to ascertain but can enable the success of any chosen venture. Likewise making the wrong decision can sentence a startup, or squadron, to death. So choose who you wish to partner with or employ very carefully.
Use Your Senses
The overwhelming message communicated on the show was one of exploiting your senses at all times, your life could literally depend it. Listening, seeing and feeling everything that is occurring was on reflection what ensured the success of those who made it. This is equally as critical in business as it was for the special forces 'recruits'. Missing key details because you are unaware of what is happening to you can be fatal in any deal or exploitation of opportunity. By listening and learning from everything you are told, or not told, you are able to make informed decisions which allow you to spot an opening. By seeing trends and understanding what they mean you are able to make judgements or change course based on the feedback you receive. This is even more critical with data, if you look but you do not see you will never understand the significance of the picture the data communicates. You are only capable of this agility if you master your senses. At the same time you must control what feedback you give. Your actions and words can say the things you don't want to convey therefore it is always better to listen than speak. Most people do not listen with the intent to understand; they listen with the intent to reply.
For me making comparisons between two things that at first appear to be extraneous allows me to distil each down to their refined forms enabling me to learn from their tools for success. Adding further credence to the natural comparison I have made is the on-going proliferation of special forces operatives and military personnel within a business setting. Pick any world leading university which offers an MBA programme and you will find it is filled with veterans from all walks of military life. The question for entrepreneurs then is do you have what it takes to succeed or are you destined to fail based on how you are programmed. Sure you don't have to go through a gruelling selection process to find out, instead you have to go through the process of development alone and discover whether you are capable of pushing past that point you have pre-conceived as your limit. For some this could be even more daunting.
Who dares wins? I've never heard a more suitable mantra for business success...
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