21st Century Business Lessons from 1776: On Revolution and the Evolution of Biz-Combat

21st Century Business Lessons from 1776:

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On Revolution and the Evolution of Biz-Combat

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An original Business blog article by Yonatan Maisel

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Please forgive me for looking back upon history and judging with 20/20 hindsight. Judging "The Redcoats" to be exact.

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For anyone not familiar with the American Revolution (1775-1883), though a history-buff myself, I will not bore you with a long-winded account. Rather, I will just say that once-upon-a-time, 13 American Colonies went to war to break free from the mighty British Empire of King George III. It was a long, bloody and protracted war which eventually saw the birth of the United States of America.

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But back to those darn "Redcoats." Yes, it was the name given to British forces due to the, yes, bright red coats which they wore. And yes, those red coats have implications, as we shall see, on the…

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World of Modern Business…

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What the HELL Were They Thinking???

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Yes, with 20/20 hindsight, I’m going to go out on a limb and say it: "IT WAS THE STUPIDIST WAY TO FIGHT IMAGINABLE!"

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First of all, let’s not hide or make any use of barricades, foxholes or trenches. Let’s just stand out in the open in long lines. Yes, it’s the "gentlemanly way to conduct combat."

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image Credit: i.ytimg.com

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Secondly, let’s wear bright red uniforms so that the enemy can have the maximum chance of hitting us. Perhaps British Command even contemplated painting "bulls-eye" targets on their uniforms?

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Needless to say, the Colonial American forces had little trouble mowing down their "red" counterparts. With a musket and a target screaming "HIT ME" would you have missed?

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Image Credit: www.isinc.com

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21st Century Business-Combat:

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Thankfully and mercifully, 21st Century Business battles are conducted with mouse-clicks, communication and networking rather than with deadly weaponry.

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But make no mistake about it. Finding that next customer or client and landing that next project ahead of your competition is a battle which is fought in the trenches!

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It is a battleground which demands changes in thinking and the evolution of new "combat" methods. It demands modern-day tools such as blogs, newsletters, great websites and new Marketing and Advertising techniques unheard of a few short years ago. It demands an online presence. And it necessitates the savvy use of Social Media tools such as Twitter, Linkedin, Facebook and Digg.

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Happily, these modern tools can also be blended with good old-fashioned Business principles such as relationship-building, communication, honesty, integrity and personalized service.

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But those who refuse to adopt these modern methods, yes, those who refuse to take off their red coats, risk being left behind.

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Image Credit: images.sodahead.com

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Combat Evolution:

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Since the times of the Redcoats, combat principles have changed markedly. Standing out in the open has given way to taking cover, however "ungentlemanly" that might have seemed in 1776. Yes, the British Army has long-since given up their bright-red garb for camouflage. And Kevlar helmets have supplanted those ridiculous powdered wigs!

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It’s given them a "fighting-chance" where once they were mere "cannon-fodder" all-too literally!

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New times demand new tactics, methods and approaches.

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Change is Not Always Easy…

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New ideas are sometimes met with skepticism and reluctance…

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But in these times, we as businesspeople must ask ourselves:

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Will I adapt?

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Or do I risk becoming a casualty?

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Dear reader, thanks for stopping by! If you’ve enjoyed, your Re-Tweet would be much appreciated: 

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Yonatan Maisel is a Business blogger, history buff and author. He specializes in all aspects of Business writing.

From speeches to resumes, from corporate bios to research, from blogging to website content, from articles to ghost-writing, he provides the highest level of quality at a very reasonable price.