We need to develop the correct habits and attitudes in our ethos, our strategy and our warrior mode to propel us towards our purpose. When these are in harmony we will be at our best. Where people tend to struggle with this approach is by focusing too much on either strategy or warrior. But the warrior and the strategist are not separate; one may be stronger inside us than the other, but in that case we have to work harder to achieve balance.
Strategists use logic when they plan, looking at facts and risks. They seek solutions to problems, and remain open-minded until a decision is required. They hold themselves accountable. Warriors then put the plan into effect and lead the way towards each milestone. Once there, they reassess the situation, look to the next goal and move on in collaboration with the strategist.
To succeed, we must be in control of both elements and switch seamlessly between the two, depending on the situation. And at our best we use our warrior and strategist aligned with our ethos, guiding our actions and decisions, as one single unit. We must know when to fight, when to plan, when to lead and when to follow. If we live in either area too much, we limit our development and harm our potential. Knowing this is a natural consequence of adopting the Compass for Life approach, and it is where our intuition comes into play. Once we know that we are giving equal weight to our strategist and warrior sides, in line with our ethos, we can begin to trust ourselves to make the correct decisions, knowing that we’re no longer favouring action over planning, or vice versa.
On one occasion in the SAS, we had a wounded man, were 210 kilometres from safety, were surrounded by the enemy and needed a new strategy. So how did we respond? We were flexible. As a team we were able to adapt to our difficult circumstances. We were innovative and did not conform to conventions. We established a defensive line, concentrated our force in the right direction, used the appropriate amount of aggression, and systematically gained control of the situation by attacking the
weakest part of the enemy, turning it into a full-scale assault. This required a mixture of individual bravery and the group holding firm under fire.
We did not hesitate to support or challenge one another when things didn’t seem right. Those who are called out must not take it personally. We knew when to be leaders and when to be followers. Roles change from one to another depending on the requirement: at times, I have called for assistance to defend a flank where I am in charge, and not much later have found myself having to support another group where I am reacting to another leader’s directions.
The leader made a decision for us to break contact and move away from this location. We fully committed to that decision. Although it is important for everyone to have their say, once the leader has made a decision everyone must commit to it wholeheartedly. This is not about consensus or democracy, but about finding the best plan. We understood the need for efficiency: we had to leave some equipment behind, but we knew that the most essential equipment had already been packed away. We knew exactly what we needed to take and no more, which allowed us to be quick and nimble and cross terrain in the most effective way. By having a clear purpose alongside a combined strategist and warrior approach, we were able to emerge on top.
In life we are often torn between seeking our purpose and preserving our safety. Our need for safety is very powerful and can restrict us in our endeavours if we decline to take risks or seize opportunities that take us out of our comfort zone. If we are open to opportunities we will quickly find that we see them everywhere. Conversely, if we close our minds, we won’t. If we adopt a combined warrior and strategist approach, it will help us to recognise opportunities that present themselves on our journey to our Super North Star, and have the courage to take action and grasp that opportunity.
I once spoke with a football manager who, in the early 1970s, at the age of 17, had the chance to join Arsenal and play in their first team. He turned it down because he didn’t want to leave home and be away from his family. Arsenal went on to win the double (the league and FA Cup), while he returned to play for Huddersfield FC. He regrets this decision and wishes he’d been able to see what an incredible opportunity it was and had jumped at the chance.
It’s important not to be glib about opportunities because, in many parts of the world, they’re truly limited: women can’t drive cars; men and women can’t vote; people lack access to education, food and basic healthcare. Even in prosperous and more democratic countries, people’s life chances are often circumscribed by conditions over which they have no control, and even those with the best of starts can grow up constricted by the expectations of others.
However, I think it’s safe to say that unless you live in a dictatorship, failed state, deranged theocracy or war zone, there are plenty of opportunities surrounding you, probably more than you realise, and the biggest difference between individuals is whether they seize them or not.
The best soldiers I knew were all exceptional opportunity seizers; they were never flustered about which direction to take, or bothered if they only had a rough map. They knew their purpose and their end point, were happy to adapt and fill in the details of their journey along the way. They could either be a strategist or warrior depending on the needs of the situation.
In real life, few journeys have a clearly prescribed end point. All we can be certain of (apart from taxes) is that at some stage our lives will end. We just don’t know when. So, to maximise our time, we need to keep healthy, enjoy life and remain alert to opportunities, as and when they present themselves – or, even better, go out and find them.
Excerpted with permission from Warrior, Strategist and You: How to Find Your Purpose and Realise Your Potential, Floyd Woodrow, Elliott and Thompson.