The Economist argues that there’s a lot business can learn from the military. Highlights of the article include:

• Behind enemy lines, cut off from communication, soldiers are expected to think on their feet and find ways to complete their mission. This kind of delegation and trust is invaluable in business.
• Businesses try very hard to develop a corporate culture. The military has done a great job of preserving its culture.
• Soldiers also have to have soft skills. They spend long periods of time with strangers, and this requires them to be amicable people that others enjoy working with despite difficult circumstances.
• Business would envy a training program that so effectively teaches soldiers to do arguably the most difficult thing imaginable: take another human life at the risk of your own.
• The military’s training also has the advantage of preparing troops for the next rung of leadership. Businesses must do something similar if they want to train the next generation of effective leaders.
• All of these make the military an important case study and veterans an invaluable asset. Perhaps the reason why Israel has so many high-tech startups is because they have mandatory military training.

Read more about how businesses used to be in awe of the military…but have since lost interest, how businesses can capitalize on this arsenal of talent, and other lessons that they can learn over here.

Source: The Economist