Do You Have A Warlike Soul?
You Have no Choice But to Attack, Attack and Attack.

By James W. Obermayer

During a recession, business executives from CEOs and presidents to sales and marketing managers confront one of two choices:

1. Do we defend our business, therefore shrink, possibly survive, and in the process risk the death of our enterprise?
2. Or do we fight and take market share from those who choose defense and cannot manage their business?

If your company chooses defense, it takes the chance it will "save" itself into a corporate graveyard.  If it survives, it risks giving up a large chunk of its market share to a more aggressive competitor.

If you take the option to shrink by cutting back on sales and marketing, your company may die a bankrupt death, or barely survive to compete.  You must then rebuild the marketing and sales departments and your credit lines.  Your future is bleak, but you may have a future to accomplish nothing more than to sell to a competitor who understands the meaning of the word attack.  

But we don't have to pay too much attention to the"defenders."   We should turn all of our attention instead to those who use their wits and their cunning marketing and sales departments to attack. George Patton said,

“Nobody ever defended anything successfully, there is
only attack, and attack, and attack some more."

If your company makes the crucial decision to fight, you will emerge stronger, healthier and ready for an extraordinary, renewed growth.  When the recession ends, if you've used the four"P's"  (price, promotion, product and place) to wrestle, rip, tear and scratch your way to growth, you'll win by increasing market share, even if sales dollars are less, the same or moderately more. Because of your decision to stand and fight, your post-recession years will be blessed with the increased yield your new market position provides. 

Do you work for someone with a warlike soul?
Through the years I've found that some people have a tendency to attack and some to be timid.  In a good marketplace when demand is out-growing capacity, there is room for both.   But in a down market, there is only room for the quick and competitive.  There are few opportunities for leaders who play defense.   

After the decision to attack, attack, and attack some more, you must decide how you will do it and with whom.   You must find sales and marketing managers with the same grit and gumption you have to grow the company.   They must be high on the persistence scale, because those who are low on persistence die.  They must have energy where others have doubt.  Again, as Patton said,

“Attack rapidly, ruthlessly, viciously, without rest,
however tired and hungry you may be,
the enemy will be more tired, more hungry. Keep punching."

In my business as an interim sales manager, I selectively take on new clients who want to compete, have the drive to win, and hate failure above all else.  They may not know exactly how to combine sales and marketing expertise to grow in the teeth of a recession, but they have the desire.  If they have the desire, they only need to attack, attack, and attack without rest.  I avoid those who just want to defend.

How do you know who is warlike?
Until the battle begins, you often don't know if you work for the timid or the aggressive.  I have watched the meek turn into aggressive competitors.  I have seen the"jocks" of an industry turn inward and fail.  There is only one way to tell with whom you are dealing and whether you have a winner or a disappointment for a leader:  you ask them. 
You look in their eyes and you ask if they've decided to grow, or just survive and maybe depart the marketplace.  If they look away from you, or downward, if they hesitate and look apologetic, excuse yourself and don't look back. 
But if they look at you and glare, if they lean forward or stand solid, if their voice is firm, determined, or a bit angry…ah, then you have met the one out of one hundred who will attack, attack and attack again.   Defense is so offensive to them, that this must be the person with whom you go to war.  No other deserves your skill and determination.   They have a warlike soul.  Whether this is a person you hire or a person you work for, either way you want them on your team!   

Of course, attack always means a struggle, but it comes easier than you think by hiring the right people, creating an aggressive marketing and sales plan, and walking the talk.  In closing, I rely on Patton again who said,

“In war the only sure defense is offense,
and the efficiency of the offense depends on the
warlike souls of those conducting it.”