Adjust Your Strategy When You Get Hit

Everybody’s got plans… until they get hit.
~ Mike Tyson

Wisdom comes from many sources and I believe everyone has something to teach.

Mike Tyson, a warrior, a fighter in the true sense of the word, in his simple, direct, powerful language has uttered the truth. Of course he’s talking as a fighter around his own experience as he explains that as a fighter he has a game plan for every fight. He studies his opponent’s style, determines his strengths and weaknesses and creates a plan for the fight which, in his own words, is a battle plan to support his victory… until he gets hit. Then, all hell breaks loose and the plan gets thrown out the window and it’s a street fight.

He has spoken words of wisdom that we can all apply to our businesses to improve our mission. We all get hit, sometimes hard, but we needn’t allow it things to deteriorate into a “street fight”, the uncontrolled mayhem of being responsive to what’s happening but not in control of it. The ability to reformat a plan to respond to the hit is key to ongoing survival and staying on the right track. Few hits require instantaneous responses. Most business hits will allow us the opportunity to regroup and think and come out with a new, adjusted plan taking into consideration whatever is learned from the hit. What is important here is to understand the need for a plan and not to allow the hit to force you into a “street fight”, an unplanned response, a knee-jerk reaction. That response is flirting with disaster, allowing your ego to control you and not your logical mind.

There are two things to be learned here. First, the obvious – you need a plan before you enter the ring. Second, when you get hit (and you will), you need to regroup and create a new plan. This must be repeated over and over as that is the path to success.

I venture to say that at the end of each round, when Tyson retreats to his corner for that one minute rest, his manager is regrouping with him and adjusting the plan according to the hits he has received and what he has learned, adjusting his strategy in the moment. That’s what we all must do. Take a timeout, regroup and bring your strategy to the moment. This works. A street fight doesn’t.