Replication in Business

The examples of Wyser-Pratte & Co., a small firm that has moved markets, and Capital One, a large company that has redefined a market thus illustrate the ultimate aim of the application of the Marine Corps Way in the business environment. While these master practitioners command of the seven principles may seem intuitive and therefore daunting, you can replicate their successes ”through careful study and deliberate , systematic effort.

Use the seven guiding principles as a mental checklist to guide your thought process, decisions, and actions. Ask yourself regularly, if not religiously :

• What are my competitors Achilles heels, and where are customers needs most underserved?

• What risks am I willing to take to capitalize on these opportunities, and what are the potential rewards?

• How can I legally exploit and/or control information to shape encounters with competitors before those encounters even begin?

• Where and when am I willing to commit the maximum amount of my organization s finite resources to achieve a decisive outcome?

• How many of my people have the guidance and latitude they need to make decisions at their respective levels? What am I doing to arm them with information and supervise them?

• How can I accelerate my own decision-making speed and my organization s overall pace of operations so as to force competitors into a constant state of reaction to my moves?

• How can I creatively combine my organization s complementary capabilities to increase their collective effectiveness and eliminate all of my competitors potential responses?

As you begin to internalize each of the principles, look beyond the individual questions posed ”to the logical order in which they appear. In so doing, you will move from the use of each principle on a one-off basis toward a fully integrated application. And remember that you are not the only member of your organization that needs to internalize this mind-set ; as a leader it is your duty to ensure that your people understand and can implement the principles.