If you're anything like me, you have found the last year of the pandemic to be particularly challenging. Travel, visiting family, eating - these are all difficulties, but earning a steady income has been the most daunting task for multitudes of people.
Let's see how we can turn things around in our lives and make our writing, blogging and businesses reach their objectives instead of the virus beating us down.
Momentum and Energy
Sun Tzu ("The Art of War") contends that momentum can be transformed into an advantage in tactical maneuvering when the momentum of the group is applied as a single fighting force. He explains that the impact of a group is exponentially bigger than the impact of any skilled individual.
A skilled general (business or blog owner) knows how to utilize the collective power of a united fighting force which has a greater effect than the efforts of a few talented warriors. This is because when an army is united, it generates momentum. In turn, this momentum creates power and force that is difficult to counter. He likens the power of a united army to the kinetic power of rolling logs and rocks down a slope.
In chapter five of his bestselling book, Sun Tzu explains the value of energy to military tactics and maneuvering. Energy is both still and in motion. He advises that military tacticians utilize the energy of their soldiers wisely and collectively. Sun Tzu argues that a wise general would take advantage of the “combined energy” of his men to synergize their individual power and abilities. In turn, this creates a bigger and more powerful mass of energy that is significantly harder to counter.
This is also applicable to your business or blog.
Application and Examples
Let's have a look how you and I can apply the above-mentioned momentum and energy to create more income. I've already observed substantial results.
The application of the principle of energy and momentum is seen in Jeff Cox and Eliyahu M. Goldratt’s The Goal and Howard Schultz’s Onward: How Starbucks Fought for Its Life without Losing Its Soul.
In The Goal, the protagonist, Alex Rogo, faced the daunting task of improving the productivity of the UniCo Manufacturing plant in his hometown of Bearington. In the middle of the novel, Alex consolidates his team and uses their various talents and abilities to reach the goals of the company.
Alex discovers that the use of robots in the plant reduced productivity. He was able to identify other constraints in the plant with the help of various employees from the accounting, production, and inventory departments.
In the same manner, Alex was able to identify the various bottlenecks of the plant by collaborating with the employees. By collaboratively working with various departments of the plant, Alex is able to apply Sun Tzu’s principle.
He is furthermore able to determine the cause of the plants lack of productivity by eliciting the help of various departments. Consequently, he uses the energy of the employees to turn around the performance of the plant and correct the unproductive practices to reach his objectives.
In the same manner, Howard Schultz explains how combined energy was instrumental in achieving the overall goal of his organization during the recession of 2008. In the chapter “A Galvanizing Moment”, Schultz describes how the Starbucks Leadership Conference was instrumental to Starbuck’s survival during the difficult and challenging period of economic downturn.
He states that improving the morale of its managers was essential because it was an: “…invaluable, reinvigorating deposit” during tough times.
Ring any bells during this pandemic-related uncertainty?
Schultz describes the challenges that he faced planning and setting up the leaders conference as well as the details of the conference and the effect it had on the attendees. The effect of the leadership conference on the attendees was significant, but it was essential during difficult times. Schultz highlights the importance of consolidation, collaboration, and motivation during times of economic difficulty.
Details of the conference illustrate how the morale and dedication of employees are important to sustaining momentum within the company when facing difficulties. Most CEO’s would cancel events such as this to show austerity to shareholders, but Schultz understands the value of energy and momentum among his employees to reach his goals.
Like Sun Tzu, he understands that the importance of momentum and how it is able to push employees (or business owners) on to reach their objectives. The leadership conference was instrumental in creating energy among managers to revitalize the morale of employees and help them push harder to achieve the organization’s objectives despite challenging periods in the economy.
Using these strategies can increase the potential for success of your blog or business. Why not begin implementing them today.
