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Napoleon was the very embodiment of entrepreneurship. He started
small, so to speak, and built an empire. We businesspeople can learn from such a person.
In Part I, we explored Napoleon’s military maxims as
they relate to planning, researching, and executing business ventures. Here, we’ll
examine his maxims as they relate to entrepreneurs and intrapreneurs themselves.
Napoleon said: "The first qualification of a general-in-chief is to possess
a cool head, so that things may appear to him in their true proportions and as they really
are.”
The route to business success is unmarked, with many distractions along the way. Some are
important; most are not. That’s why it’s crucial to understand how your
enterprise fits into the big picture - local, national, and even international issues and
relationships. This broader understanding helps you see and evaluate “things”
objectively. You can distinguish events that will affect your business from events that
will not. You can prepare for cyclical forces, like the economy. And, you can separate the
opportunities from the pitfalls.
Successful entrepreneurs keep their wits about them, because they know what’s going
on around them.
Napoleon said: "An irresolute general who acts without principles and
without plan, even though he lead an army numerically superior to that of the enemy,
almost always finds himself inferior to the latter on the field of battle.”
Planning is a key step in any business venture. However, plans must be based on sound
principles. For example, even abundant capital can be quickly squandered without a plan
based on the principles of sound financial management. Plans are flexible and many.
Principles are firm and few. Your principles should reflect your overall business goals
and philosophy. These principles guide your plans - and your business - steadily toward
your goals, regardless of any unexpected twists and turns along the way.
Successful entrepreneurs execute principled plans.
Napoleon said: "The effect of discussions, making a show of talent and
calling councils of war will be what the effect of those things has been in every age:
they will end in the adoption of the most pusillanimous or (if the expression be
preferred) the most prudent measures, which in war are almost uniformly the worst that can
be adopted. True wisdom, so far as a general is concerned, consists in energetic
determination.”
Business success often requires relying on experts for help in specific areas, such as
engineering or finance or marketing. Still, there is only one decision-maker: you. Most
entrepreneurs readily take charge. As responsibilities weigh heavier, however, there is
the danger of falling into the committee-think trap. That’s when you find yourself
asking your financial advisor for an opinion on your marketing strategies, your marketing
consultant for financial advice, and your spouse for both. Now, these could all be
intelligent people, experts in their fields, with your best interests at heart. Put them
together, though, and you get committee-think: “safe” solutions that are in fact
the most dangerous to your business.
In business, as in war, there is no substitute for positive leadership.
Napoleon said: "It is exceptional and difficult to find all the qualities
of a great general combined in one man. What is most desirable and distinguishes the
exceptional man, is the balance of intelligence and ability with character or
courage.”
Contrary to popular belief, successful entrepreneurs are not always visionaries. They have
a vision, certainly. But it takes broad-based knowledge, skills, and spirit to turn a
vision into reality. Entrepreneurship is one endeavor which rewards the tightly focused
generalist. The key word here is “balance.” After all, a brilliant idea poorly
executed will fail as surely as a poor idea brilliantly executed. Brilliance is not
necessary for business success; balance almost always is. To achieve or maintain such a
balance, many successful entrepreneurs team up with partners or hire consultants with
needed knowledge or skills.
Successful entrepreneurs need it all: a cool head, a broad mind, firm principles, flexible
thinking, leadership, smarts, skill, and guts. This is an exceptional combination, to be
sure. Then again, entrepreneurs, like great generals, are exceptional people.
Continue to Part III: growing the enterprise.
NOTES
The Military Maxims of Napoleon are quoted from Roots of Strategy, edited by Brig.
Gen. T.R. Phillips (1940, reprinted Harrisburg, PA, Stackpole Books, 1985), pp 401-441,
from an original compilation by Gen. Burnod.
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Advertising strategy and other lies
An advertising copywriter’s bookshelf: recommended books
Brands and branding: a white paper
Do you make these mistakes in advertising?
Free (yes, free) advertising copywriting resources
Four ad copy traps that ensnare even experienced copywriters
How to become an advertising
copywriter
How to take your copywriting portfolio to the next level
How to write a brochure: advice from an advertising copywriter
How to write better ads
Long John Silver on writing ads
More career advice: what’s it like being an advertising
copywriter?
Napoleon’s advice to entrepreneurs, Part I: starting the
enterprise
Napoleon’s advice to entrepreneurs, Part III: growing the
enterprise
The ART of repurposing marketing copy (Or, why you shouldn’t use brochure copy as web content)
The economy (and what to do about it)
The Tightwad
Marketing project
When you should consider hiring a freelance copywriter
Advertising copywriting
mentorship
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