WHY UNDERDOGS START AS FAVOURITES

In the middle of the punishingly deep pile of books I got for Christmas is Malcolm Gladwell’s latest offering “David and Goliath – underdogs, misfits and the art of battling giants”. Ever since his first book “Tipping Point” I’ve enjoyed his ironic, inquisitive style and his ability to spot the counter-intuitive. His best insight to date was of the company which spent more time and money than anyone else recruiting the best talent from the MBAs in the USA.

That company (outright victor in the war for talent) was Enron.

This book first of all describes why David, armed with the pre BCE equivalent of a .44 Magnum (his lethal sling) was the guy to bet on when faced by an overweight clown armed with sword and spear. (Even I would take on Mike Tyson if I had a gun and he didn’t.) His point is that size is not everything.  Yet all the accepted wisdom is power comes from scale. Not if you’re Indiana Jones of course…

Ask little Aldi –grocer of the year for the second year running with sales up 31.5% year on year with car parks resembling that of a posh funeral, as they themselves ironically observe, as they count the tills being filled by their middle class conquests. They and Waitrose are close contenders for the best outfit.  Their trick? Price… yes but quality too. They keep on outscoring the others for taste and quality – sixteen gold medals from the Grocer Magazine - but they’re not so good on what David Cameron, allegedly, called “green crap.” They are on the verge of doing a David on the Goliaths –Tesco/Aldi. They also have the best advertising – check it out.

It must be hateful to fight the Vietnamese and Taleban when all you have are costly tanks and stuff with your soldiers away from home when your opponents have improvised explosive devices and motor bikes so they can get home for tea.  The key words are improvisation and home.

One of his other points is the law of diminishing returns. He cites alcohol. Most doctors will tell you a glass or two of claret a day is good for you. Friends of mine have taken this advice to heart and, just to be on the safe side, have doubled the dose - to nil beneficial effect.  But carry on to a bottle or so a day and the effects are detrimental. More of the same is not a recipe for success. Balance is the key.

Back to scale.  The thought that bigger organisations are ipso facto better is what’s troubled me for ages. Our inbuilt instinct for M&As and “buy-and-build” are plain daft as anyone sitting on an ailing out of town superstore will admit. This inbuilt instinct allied to the desire consultants have to apply old business models to new situations. (Well it worked for RBS ….QED.)

That’s something fast-on-his-feet David didn’t do.

DO YOU WANT TO BE A HERO?

On Fast Company I saw this ….
“What does an archaeologist-slash-action hero, out to save the world from maniacal Nazis have to do with battling boring bureaucracy?”

The argument that followed was a bit thin – the Nazi bureaucrats who live in a short term tactical world “the Fuehrer asks for regular reports and he expects progress”; the multitasking hero whose life is solidly based apart from random projects; shooting that sword swinging mullah demonstrating how to get to a swift solution.

The reality surely is this: That we have a  need for heroes and to be one too, ourselves.

Just listen to that music In Indiana Jones and we all have to go, kick arse and stop nonsense….we are on a mission from God (check out the Blues Brothers).  This, because it’s so much more fun trying to be extraordinary rather than just accepting the accolade of mere competence.

I have this theory about creating an album of totally inspiring sit-in-the-car-and-then-go-hunting-and-winning music. Here it is. My top six are music from:

1. The Magnificent Seven – this has the rebellious, beat the system confidence that anyone going to a meeting needs. And some great thoughts lying behind that music:
Chris: You don't owe anything to anybody.
Lee: Except to myself.

2. The 633 Squadron – play it for 1 minute 10 seconds (it then slows down) – that’s all you need – this is class A adrenalin- it’s fast, it’s urgent, it’s dangerous. Play it to your sales people and say like Roy realising they were (probably) going to their doom
Wing Cmdr. Roy Grant: Blue Leader to all sections. Enemy anti-aircraft intact. Keep your eyes open. We're going in.
…unsaid – “anyway”

3. The Good, the Bad and the Ugly – it’s those weird sounds after that initial drum beat. It has a primal urgency. Listen to this and you won’t be nice. But, my God, you’ll frighten, surprise people and achieve the amazing.

4. The Sweeney – when I was an absurdly young MD I modelled myself on Jack Regan, my staff called me “Guv” and I swore a lot in a cockney accent. This music is about a rough, tough world. It still makes my hair stand on end and make me feel  that I’ve got to inspire my team to win (and – see below – drink).

5. Rockford Files – life is not all about thrills and kills. Here’s a jokey piece of fun music about a laid back private detective – James Garner.  What a fun CEO he’d have been.

6. Officer and a Gentleman – “up where we belong, where the eagles cry on a mountain high”. OK I’m a hopeless romantic. But winning doesn’t have to mean you’ve got be a bastard.

Enjoy the music.
Be a hero.

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