As you recall from your Bible history, Goliath was an experienced soldier. He had all the latest equipment – shield, body armor, sword, and helmet. Not only was he a big, big guy, but he thought all his fancy equipment would protect him. David, on the other hand, had none of the fancy stuff. He had a strong faith in God, a lot of personal confidence, an exercised and toned body and the ability to move and act quickly.
In the history of the species, protective armor has almost always spelled disaster. Animals with a shell are slow, finding it difficult to forage for food and making themselves an easy target for fast-moving predators. Animals that take to the sea or sky, and that move swiftly and unpredictably are infinitely more powerful and safe from enemies. The British soldiers marched in perfect formation with their beautiful guns and armor – and were ambushed and overwhelmed by the guerrilla tactics of the sparsely equipped American revolutionaries.
So how does this relate to the workplace? I see people hide behind their long resumes, fancy credentials, work history and false sense of entitlement – and then are dismayed when someone comes along with a great smile, little work history but a lot of enthusiasm and grabs the best opportunities. The seductive and ultimately fatal path of developing traditional armor in today’s work environment may in fact be part of your demise. Be prepared to react swiftly, shift gears in midstream, and welcome radical change as your response to the unpredictable workplace.
And you know “the rest of the story.” David picked up five smooth stones, put one in his little slingshot and found the one vulnerable spot on Goliath’s head, taking down the big, cumbersome, well-equipped giant. I’ve seen it happen a thousand times out here in the business world. Identify your competitive advantage, your unique area of competence, and be ready to grasp the best and newest opportunities.
Greetings Dan,
Love this! My thought is that you describe quite well what many long term employees also seem to feel. In a word, complacency which I am beginning to think, can be insidious. Perhaps we should have as part of a personal annual review a set of questions which can help us see whether we are becoming complacent. I’ll bet that the vast majority of people who have become complacent don’t realize it at all. As always, thanks for the thought provoking material.
Love the story of David and Goliath. Super appreciate the analogy regarding work. I am an adjunct prof teaching business communication and I love to consistently challenge my students by having them answer thought provoking questions about personal branding in the new economy. At first they are resistant, but by the end of the term they appreciate having been challenged. One thing I ask is, “What is your life’s mission and how can you best accomplish that?” David was called to something greater than himself, thus giving him courage and momentum.
New ideas, you may want just to shun
If it’s not the way daddy had done
You should think like a fox
And go out of the box
And in a very good way, you can stun
I love how you connected David and Goliath to the modern business world. Unfortunately, I think the message most of the young people are hearing is that you need to be Goliath, with fancy degrees and credentials. At least that’s what I heard. But eventually we learn what we really need. Fun post, Dan. I really enjoyed it!
Holly – yeah there’s still too many hearing that message. But the feedback from the real world is providing them with a wake-up call. Be creative and unencumbered and you can win!
Love this post, Dan. It is easy to compare what we don’t have with what someone else seems to have and be paralyzed. I want to be nibble and use what I have.
Debbie – yep – it’s easy to compare. But then we notice those five little stones at our feet.