A case for NOT using military metaphors in business
A case for NOT using military metaphors in business

A case for NOT using military metaphors in business

We are in an era where the social being has an opportunity to reason about its existence and importance from a different vantage point- importance of the individual and it’s friends. Using military metaphors and the definition of what a “hero” is, are confusing us into believing that the world is in a zero-sum situation. I find it quite interesting that “heros” are often described as military leaders that lead vast amounts of people to their demise. Can’t we use reasoning that is more peaceful and humanistic in nature? Why the demise of civilisation may be inevitable…

Check this video (one more reason while military metaphors scare me when used in business ):

Is strategy really a zero-sum game? Are all our innovations in business only to eliminate competition? I beleive NOT. Do we need an annihilated opponent that we take control of, in order to win? There has been a mindset developed over generations of human development, that got us to a point where the gore and human suffering go unnoticed. The ability to report on news in real-time, the frequency, and ultimate disconnected nature of the media experience has changed our views forever.

We need new metaphors and stories to describe hero’s and acts of competition. Biological and ecological systems are in trouble due to the human race’s single minded focus on control. I believe that the balanced ecosystem metaphor is much more relevant to the modern business. An organism can thrive in an ecosystem without monopolizing it. Look at the emergent social network phenomena – a group of people living a virtual and artificial existence. Where does this leave the business model of the future?

There is a new generation entering the workplace that only understands military related talk from what they learn through a Playstation/X-Box interface. How will they see the competitive situation? Maybe there are some answers in co-opetition.