Alternative learning
A FULLY EXTENDED ARM IS USELESS
Marketing lessons from Krav Maga
A FULLY EXTENDED ARM IS USELESS
You could feel the tension in the air.
There was the great King Rajendran, standing on his fort’s ramparts, looking beyond the vast open space into a hill beyond. He was staring at something or someone. It appeared that another pair of eyes were staring back.
Gaja, his commander, knew better than to say a word as did all the people around Rajendran.
Silence. Crackling tension as if a flash of soundless lightning was enveloping all of them.
The people inside the fort, his people, were all silent as they knew what was coming.
WAR.
Rajendran was a worried man, inside, though his face did not show much emotion. There he stood as if bearing the weight of the world. Tall, dark, and handsome, as all the South Indian kings before him. His aura spoke as much about him as the silence around him.
Gaja started pacing as yet another messenger arrived at the fort, waving a white flag.
Rajendran was the king of that particular region, and his territory was under attack. He had built a fort; he took excellent care of his kingdom and the people therein. His people.
Wherever there is prosperity, jealousy, and envy breed.
Kagnuk, the neighboring kingdom’s head, had been burning with envy for the last few years. How could Rajendran’s kingdom be so prosperous and the people so happy. “That needs to be mine,” thought Kagnuk.
He hatched a plot and formed a series of alliances, large and small. Promises of a bounty, of growth, and more slaves, brought in many to his side — the organised armies as well as rag-tag ragamuffins.
Kagnuk and his commanders studied the fort and decided to stifle Rajendran. Rob him of the space and the provisions they needed regularly. They also picked out a vantage point, a hill, to lay siege and wage war.
Rajendran looked across the vast ground onto the hill where his enemy was congregating. Kagnuk’s emissaries sent letter after letter taunt after taunt, inviting Rajendran to get out of his fort and enter the war field.
Rajendran did not have a choice. His supplies were going to run out soon. He had to open up the fort. He had a strong army, but he was not for violence as the first option. Parleys were dismissed; negotiations thrown out until he had one choice only; to enter the battle. And so he did.
They opened up the big gate of the fortress, and his army stepped out, in war formation. The enemies played the bugle the war cry trumpets and invited them to come and get them.
Rajendran’s army stood right next to the fort, unmoved. His army waited and waited until another letter came saying,
“Are you serious? Are you a coward? Can you not get on in and fight?”.
At that point, Rajendran was incensed, and he sent the first wave of his army in, lead by his commander Gaja.
The army went right down to the foothill and involved in a brief skirmish. Rajendran’s famous army seemed to be in disarray and fighting in a very random manner. After the first wave of attack, Gaza’s scared visage was unmistakable for the enemy to see. He turned around and ordered his army to retreat. The soldiers did not understand. Their commander was asking them to withdraw — this was something new for them. They were confused, and this smell of fear reached the enemy rank and file. There was a long pregnant pause when everything seemed to be very still. The sound of the feet running away broke the silence.
Gaja was leading his soldiers back towards the fort. The enemy soldiers looked at each other, not knowing what to do. This confusion prevailed for another minute, after which one brave enemy soldier could sense the scent of victory. He could taste it. Success will be his. Bloodlust drove him to run behind the retreating soldiers.
This chase was copied by several around him. With loud shouts and yells, the entire enemy army started chasing Gaja and his soldiers.
Rajendran’s people who were looking out from the fort were surprised by this move. Their king was not a coward. How could Gaja betray all of us? We are known for our valour and bravery, and now this!!!!?
By this time, Gaja and his soldiers had reached the fort. They sat down! As in, butt on the earth.
What was going on?
It was quite some distance between the hill and the fort, approximately 1.5 miles. The entire enemy army had left the hill and was now close to the fort. The attacking soldiers were smiling with glee. This was going to be a cakewalk victory. Some started counting the gold coins and other glories they would pillage.
Suddenly, the fort door opened, and another set of soldiers came out on horseback. Foot soldiers followed them. Gaja and his resting soldiers immediately came to attention.
The momentum of the enemy soldiers meant they could not stop. Though confused, they continued their attack on the fort. Inwardly, the front line soldiers felt a sinking feeling in their heart. Things started moving in slow motion after that. The confusion caused paralysis, which, well, ensures that the brain ceases to function! At this point, Kagnuk’s army had been on full steam run across the vast ground. Panting and wheezing, their run was more of a slow limping jog.
The combined army and horse troops of King Rajendran wreaked havoc on Kagnuk’s army, which was twice the size of Rajendran’s. Destruction of the alliance forces.
What happened?
Rajendran knew that the enemy was on a hill, and therefore, they had the advantage. Plus, he was not aware of the size of the enemy’s army. The hill hid the enemy forces. Rajendran could not just go in blind; he had a duty. He was the king he had to take care of his army men. He was responsible for their lives.
In defense, a fully extended arm is useless.
This statement is a Krav Maga message taught by my coach “Krav Maga” Sreeram.
In defense, a fully extended arm is useless.
Rajendran was defending. Suppose he had let loose his entire army go up to the hill, which was not his strong point. It would have been a costly loss, a loss of the war, and a loss of his men. Instead, he acted smartly and made the enemy come over and stretch that defense so he could cleanly walk over them.
How is it for you in your business and your life? How is it for your career? Are you entirely stretched?
Let’s take the case of Ramesh. He is working in a company and is known to be very friendly. Very. So much so that he never says NO. He is always there to help his colleagues, at times taking on their work and completing. This mode continues until he is forever feeling overwhelmed. It starts affecting his performance for the tasks he is supposed to get done. By opening up his arms to support all those around him, his defence is weakened. This note is not to discourage people from helping each other. It is akin, though, to the message we get in a flight as a preparation. First, put on your oxygen mask, and then help others. Always ensure that you have some time for yourself and to complete your tasks.
In a company, the same scenario plays out in different ways. When the client asks for some more features and some additional services in the same project scope, it creeps in through the system leaving your defenses weak. Your job is to ensure that you deliver, then over-deliver, on the scope you signed up. When you are stretching to provide for one particular request, there will be other areas where you will be weaker in delivery. When your defense is stretched thin, you are allowing for chinks in your armor.
If those around you, especially those you are competing with, know everything about you: you are fully extended.
Magicians never tell, but even when you think you know how he will trick, or what he will do, the move surprises you. There is always one more move up their sleeve.
What is the environment you are working in? What are the competing forces/elements?
Where is your surprise trick, card, or army to ensure that you will survive? And succeed.
Pravin Shekar is an outlier marketer, parallel entrepreneur and a raconteur.
mic @ PravinShekar.com .
For creative collusions, join: http://bit.ly/JoinMyOutlierTribe
Pravin is the author of seven books: Devil Does Care, Marketing lessons from Mythology, Getting paid to speak, a Virtual Summit Playbook, Climb your way out of hell & a collection of travel pics/romantic poems, and stories from the heart!
http://tiny.cc/PravinShekarBooks
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