Bensonian Rule of Survival

11/11/2014

As an infantryman In Viet Nam, the laws of survival were always against you.  You could get killed or maimed by an enemy ambush, a booby-trap while on patrol, shot out of the sky in a helicopter, blown up by a box mine while in a vehicle, killed by an accidental discharge by a fellow Marine, or killed carrying out an order from one above you who was unfit to command.  Moreover, asinine rules of engagement (e.g., no rounds in the chamber of your M-16, or magazines in your weapon even in high threat areas) and unreliable weapons systems (e.g., the early versions of the M-16 frequently jammed) plagued us constantly and decreased the odds of survival.

The Bensonian Rule for Survival was simple, but I preached it to my troop leaders continuously.  The rule was "Walk where you don't want to walk (walk in the muck, rice patties, and jungle but stay off of the trails, especially the trail junctions)" and "do what you don't want to do (e.g., clean your weapons continuously, maintain your personal hygiene, always dig in for the night, take frequent security halts when on the move, etc.)".

The corollary for business is "do what you don't want to do even when it makes you uncomfortable.  You must terminate workers with whom you have lost trust and confidence, counsel those whose performance is slipping, encourage those who are discouraged, and get out of your office frequently leaving the administrivia for another day.