Viper Strategic

Focus Isn’t Always The Right Thing

Author: Neil Wilkins

Neil learnt his marketing with the likes of Orange, NatWest, BP Castrol and Ordnance Survey and now helps individuals and businesses to communicate more effectively. He trains and mentors marketers on professional Chartered Institute of Marketing qualifications through to post-graduate level.

Imagine if you will a steady drive in your car from home to the post office to run a simple errand and drop some mail into the post box. It all appears simple and easy. You are thinking of family, friends, work and things you'll do at the weekend.

Then about 100m in front of of the car you spot some road kill. Not a particularly nice subject for you and I but for the crow that is tearing with complete and utter focus at the fresh meat it's literally a meal on a plate.

As you approach you brake steadily to allow it time to fly away as inevitably they are always able to despite the traffic passing in both directions. Sure enough the crow makes it to the safety of the grass verge.

However, and unbeknown to you a buzzard has been watching the crow from afar and has decided to claim its prize and strike. From a distance far away it begins its fast and accurate descent, eyes fixed on the road kill and talons ready for the crow. Total focus is almost its downfall as it speeds past the side window of your car, suddenly coming into view within a fraction of a second and before claiming the fresh meat it bounces on your bonnet. Fortunately, and thanks to the actions of the crow, you have braked enough for the buzzard to adjust and fly up and away to safety despite having made quite a significant contact with the metal that it simply didn't see coming.

The moral of this story is about focus.

If the poor indistinguishable road kill creature had focused on the fact it was actually in the wrong place at the wrong time then perhaps it would have been able to enjoy this Christmas. The crow was focused on its objective but kept constant vigilance about its surroundings. The buzzard was simply very very lucky. It focused on a single prize, had no contingency plan and whilst on the surface appeared to be the eventual winner at the start of the contest was actually the victim of its own over confidence. And fortunately the car driver was capable, aware and able to react quickly to changing environment.

In management and marketing we see too often this scenario and now and again a rigid focus can actually be an inhibitor to progress and in fact, life itself. So the moral is to yes have a plan, yes have contingencies, yes have the drive and commitment to make things happen, but always, always remember to keep a watch on the competition and changing environment around you... don't risk being the buzzard and most certainly don't risk becoming another victim of a dangerous road.

(this was a true story)

- Posted on Tuesday 12 Jan 2010 at 18:26 by Neil Wilkins

Tags: focus (1), planning (33), strategic planning (3), strategy (27)