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The Whole Nine Yards
When Mark Linton bellows ‘Change Speakers’ following an abrupt, piercing blow of his whistle, no-one argues! Tens of business decision makers are happy to take orders and move swiftly to network with the next candidate, in large part due to the persona given to Mark by his army beret and ex-army credentials.
At first glance the military-to-events transition doesn’t seem like an obvious step, but a military background has more benefits than the obvious meeting of one minute deadlines necessary for running a successful Speed Networking session. Mark’s military past is credited as being one of the major factors contributing to his success in the Events Management industry today, allowing him to found and grow his own successful company, Corkscrew Events.
Indeed drills and 5am starts may seem old fashioned and unnecessary, but many of the values that the forces instil for the benefit of their own strategies are just as effective when building a competitive advantage in business. From the shine on your boots to the careful development of a plan B, businesses have a lot to learn from the military:
An obvious comparison is that of a business plan to a military strategy: both need to be consistently reviewed and tailored to their competitive surroundings for a chance of survival. “Failing to plan is planning to fail”, a philosophy drilled into Mark during his time in the army and one that has certainly stuck with him: “I am very careful to continuously look at market trends, my competition and our current productivity to make sure that my business plan matches them as best possible.” It would be a safe bet to assume that the companies that survive economic downturns and competitive markets do the same. “Everyone needs a plan B to make sure that the customer is always well served despite any unforeseen circumstances”.
Another common downfall, for smaller companies especially, is the failure to execute a strategy once a good business plan is in place. The military have this part down to a ‘T’, particularly when it comes to attention to detail. Mark runs his events in the same fashion and has instilled those skills in his company culture. From making sure that everything is on time and within budget to adding the ‘cherry on the cake’ factor, Corkscrew Events are thorough in their execution. “Impeccable timing is crucial to the successful organisation of an event and my clients trust that we understand that” (Mark Linton).
Another common ground for business and the forces is that of uniforms: where the army have their Ceremonial and parade attire, business has its best suits. For example, a salesman going into a large Corporate to try and land a big deal will benefit from making sure that his shoes are shiny, his suit is smart and his tie is straight. Or where the army has its Combat uniform, some businesses may have specific uniform to suit a more hands-on environment. For Corkscrew Events, this is a black branded shirt and a pair of smart black trousers that they wear when running an event.
Mark is very proud of his time in the army, and attributes much of his business success to the skills and training he gained during those years. Of course not all military strategies can be applied to the world of business, but a good grasp of the basics is sure to aid any company in today’s competitive markets. If you have any doubts, simply catch Mark in action while running Speed Networking the Corkscrew Events way!
