70 years later, Businesses Can Learn From Pearl Harbor

This morning, 70 years ago, the Japanese assault US militia at Pearl Harbor claiming 2,390 American lives.  What can we as businesspeople, learn from the day that lives in infamy?

Be prepared.

When Japan attacked the US by air and by sea, the servicemen were not expecting it.  Aboard the USS Arizona, they had just finished breakfast and were starting their day’s work.   The loss of lives, equipments, and supplies were devastating. 

 

As businesspeople, when we are prepared we have a plan A and a plan B.  If the worst should occur, a prepared professional already knows how to respond.   Consider, as painful as it may be, the worse-case scenario for your business, department, or team.  Loss of a major client?   Company-wide layoffs?  Your go-to guy hits the lottery, retires, and takes all his knowledge with him?  Put a contingency plan in place now.   For those things you can prevent, prevent.  For those things you can’t prevent, prepare.

Expect the unexpected.

Sometimes in business we succeed when we thought it was a long shot.  Sometimes we fail when we thought for sure we would prevail.  When you expect the unexpected you won’t be traumatized by failures and you won’t rest on the laurels of your successes either.  Instead you will leverage both to catapult you to the next level.  Failures and successes – wins and losses – are learning opportunities.  Get the lesson for them and remain diligent, focus, and ready.  Above all expectations, expect to win. 

Don’t count yourself out even when you’re down.  

When the USA was attacked at Pearl Harbor, Japan expected us to respond by retreating from WWII.  Instead, we escalated our involvement. 

When circumstances are tough and things don’t go your way in busy, it doesn’t have to be the end.  You may be down, but you are not necessarily out.  There is a way, a time, and a reason to regroup.  Remind yourself of what’s at stake.  Remember what you have to gain and loose.  If you didn’t win that contract or you’ve had a very lean quarter, look for it.  Look for the way to re-gain momentum, the time to strike out with a new venture, and the reason to try again.