Warriors Win.

by Kathy Seaton

Business is war and you better fight to near death if you want to win.

Waking up and driving to work can be sort of a death wish. We’re all barely surviving a framework of business that pushes people to behave in very deceitful and cutthroat ways. I can’t imagine how many people are “thrown under the bus” on any given day.

But it doesn’t have to be like that. There are leaders that are different—operating according to unmistakably unique moral code. They approach everything from a “people” point of view—understanding that without people, there is no chance for success.

Hail the warrior.

A warrior is the epitome of a true humanitarian. These type of leaders are respected and honored for their commitment to others. They have proven, time and again, that they put themselves on the line for others and take care of their people in all-encompassing ways.

You don’t need to be uber educated, wealthy, or a Fortune 500 CEO to be a warrior. Warriors come from all walks of life. Behavior is what defines a warrior.

People follow warriors, not because of “what” they did, but by “why” they did it. Warriors create “buy-in” so that every staff member, from the top to the bottom, are enfranchised to believe in and execute the corporate philosophy and vision.

This isn’t about showing up for a job—anyone can do that. Warriors are the outliers. They thrive because they have the drive to find passion and purpose in their work.

Warriors run toward opportunities, challenges, and obstacles, they don’t back down—ever.

Bob Marley said, “You never know how strong you are, until being strong is your only choice.”

There are 3 important rules that define warriors. These are clear reasons why you would want to evolve into a warrior or have the unique opportunity to serve one.

RULE #1: Warriors only move when it’s beneficial.

This is might sound selfish right? But when you consider the high stakes of business, making billion dollar decisions, then it’s crucial to make intentional and disciplined choices.

By being decisive, warriors aren’t walking the line with a 50/50 gamble. They’ve evaluated the pros and cons. They are emotionally intelligent, studious, mindful, and aware of the impact of their decision-making. There is nothing haphazard in their minds. They create a routine, modify it as necessary, and execute the routine every day.

And what’s interesting is that there is some type of “zen” approach to this. The routine gives warriors peace of mind, so that when it comes to making a choice, the right one is made.

Warriors are pragmatic and carefully find a clear path to victory.

RULE #2: Warriors are in the zone.

Remember, warriors make decisions that are smart and routine, leading to a masterful and efficient use of time and resources.

Warriors know how to unlock their beast and when to turn it on. They experience an endorphin rush that powers their minds. And this rush gives them the sense of direction to run toward opportunities and to face challenges in an inspiring way—never backing down.

Warriors allocate the time it takes focus 100% on work at specific and uninterrupted times. In fact, you might see warriors “go underground”—almost missing in action for a periods of time.

It’s kind of like a songwriter that dives into the basement for three days straight and then walks to the top of the stairs with an entire album written.

This is part of a warrior’s mind-set; it’s their process to identify and produce strategic, creative, and avant-garde ideas.

RULE #3: Warriors commit.

Failure is expected and actually met with optimism. Warriors learn from misfortune in unprecedented ways. These missteps are as important as fortune.

The idea of being “tested” is important to warrior leaders. It’s what guides them through to the next milestone of critical thinking.

These tests, so to speak, are what warriors commit to. It’s the notion that they’ve made the deliberate decision to be a leader and have accepted that their expectations of themselves are higher than those around them.

The expression of their commitment shines bright as the warrior champions stronger, transcendent relationships with their teams, customers, and industry communities.

Altruistic. Meticulous. Authentic.

The warrior is well deserving of his or her place in business (and society.)

And if nothing else, you can trust that a warrior will never let you fail, you are never alone—a warrior will join you on the journey.

“Victory is reserved for those who are willing to pay its price.” –Sun Tzu