A Radical, Tactical Shift in Strategy

Lewis Pugh is an environmental activist of the most creative order; the man knows how to get attention for his cause…

Pugh failed in his first attempt to traverse this recently formed lake near the top of Mount Everest.  The bulldog tenacity Pugh obtained in the military worked well for his swim at the North Pole a few years ago; but it failed him dramatically at an elevation over 15,000 feet.  His Sherpas, nomads who had for years experienced the harsh reality of Everest, encouraged Pugh to abandon his previous strategy of aggression and anger in lieu of a more emotionally controlled approach.  Pugh attempted the swim two days later, this time with a radical shift in his tactical approach. He prevailed.

All Entrepreneurs inevitably face a challenge of similar magnitude in the second stage of company growth, but this time their “lake” has no bottom.  My partner, Doug Tatum, coined the phrase No Man’s Land, to describe an inevitable transition when companies are too big to be small and too small to be big.  Entrepreneurs usually approach No Man’s Land with the same confidence, aggression and attitude that Pugh exhibited in his failed attempt.  Their companies are growing, certainly the preferred status but also a condition that can produce false confidence.  Growth can actually generate the greatest illusion and diversion for CEOs from the hidden danger they will face.

My partners speak to scores of CEOs around the country about the realities of No Man’s Land.  Thirty minutes into our discussion, jaws drop and heads nod.  “That’s my company!” one states, “I’m there!”  They also find it fascinating that No Man’s Land holds no favorites; it’s an industry neutral transition that produces confusion and indecision.

Surviving No Man’s Land requires a radical, tactical shift in company strategy relating to assessment, investment and decisions.  Even if what I’ve just described does not send a quart of adrenalin through your entrepreneurial veins, and even if you’re convinced your company has your market segment by the tail on the downhill grade, let me serve as your pro-bono Sherpa for the perilous swim your company will eventually undertake.  You’ll be glad you brought me along; because unlike Pugh, you can’t decide mid-swim to plant your feet on the bottom of No Man’s Land.

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