When governments decide to go to war, they send in the special forces first and there are many stories of battles. Remembering they have guns with bullets and so does the other side or people lose their lives. In a book written by Mark Owen titled No Hero – the Evolution of a Navy Seal, published by Dutton part of the Penguin Group, New York, 2014, Mr. Owen focuses on the preparation needed to do a successful mission for the SEALS and something many of us non seals can learn. Mr. Owen writes there is no secret sauce – but there is hard work, dedication and drive. The reality is that SEALs do not think of themselves as special. We simply try to do the most basic tasks extraordinarily well.

One of the best leaders I know used to challenge his junior guys to be engaged and part of the team. At what level are you willing to participate, he would ask. All in, all the time was the only acceptable answer.

In Mr. Owen’s book which you can read as a management book to achieve success you will need purpose, confidence, handing fear, stress, trust, and communication. Some of the other topics are related to actions of war, but for most of us if we make an error people still live. On the front lines, mistakes costs lives – therefore there is a high degree of preparation and use of available technology and training to minimize lives lost.

For SEALs purpose is easily defined with a very tough barrier of entry, this barrier to entry makes everyone who tries needing to have a purpose why they should be called one of the best. For most companies, the barrier to entry is reasonably low and the company and individual need to find their fit. This is when confidence is needed. There should be some tests or accomplishments which allow you to have confidence in your job, the company and looking forward to the future.

Mr. Owen has a story about confidence and your three foot world or you might say your cubicle or workspace area. Mr. Owen’s example is both rock climbing (concentrate on what you can do or within your 3 foot world) and parachuting. Although the tips of always be aware are useful, more useful is the walk through. If you walk through before you actually put your gear on, you will be more ready. If you are more ready, you will be able to make better decisions and able to control what you can. Preparation is the key before jumping.

In combat with real bullets flying about there is plenty of stress, however the process is always the same. In combat the idea is to keep things as simple as possible. Assess what is there, not what should be but assess the situation, prioritize it and break it down to smaller tasks which you can accomplish or eliminate or fix immediately. Through constant practice, repetition and experience the process will feel like an instinct and when that happens everything starts slowing down.

.Linking to dividend paying stocks, when you examine the management team you are looking to see if they are working together and not fighting for the top spot. Many organizations falter when two or more fight for the top spot – how does the person gets his team working together or do they?

There are more questions than answers, till the next time – to raising questions.