“In a fight between a bear and an alligator,
it is the terrain which determines who wins.”
– Jim Barksdale
The importance of terrain is so incredibly simple that leaders often overlook its decisiveness. Once we progress out of the Platoon Leader days of land navigation, we think we have the terrain thing figured out.
Yet, history proves time and again that there is no other factor of war that can so quickly and destructively turn the tide of battle. As such, when reading this quote (again and again), leaders would do well to keep in mind the following:
- “The first responsibility of a leader is to define reality for the team.” (Max Depree) It’s the leader’s job to interpret and translate the terrain, operating environment, market conditions, etc., so that every member has a common framework in which to apply their efforts.
- Know whether you are the bear or the alligator. Leaders must understand their organization’s strengths, weaknesses, and ideal operating terrain before stepping into the fight.
- Terrain changes, so be flexible. Leaders must be open-minded about the operating environment and ready to react when conditions shift. There is no “unfair” when dealing with an uncontrollable variable like terrain. Each side has the same opportunity to use the environment to its own advantage. Expect to fight in a way you never expected and train adaptability into the organization.