Killer Instinct

Another Fabulous article by Madhav Mohan (http://MadhavMohan.com) on the Killer instinct.

On the sun-drenched veldt in Africa, a deadly drama of life and death is enacted daily. The lioness is on the hunt! She’s spotted her prey and is going for the kill! Ears flattened, body downwind, every muscle taut, all senses focused on the hapless wildebeest. Nothing registers in her consciousness except the prey. And then, a blur of frenzied movement followed by death cries: the wildebeest is meat for the pride.

Snapping up orders


On a lazy Saturday afternoon, the door chime signalling a visitor snapped Shabnam out of her reverie. As the store manager of a large retail furniture and furnishing outlet she is responsible for the store’s performance. She leads a team of 20 people and knows that every walk-in could be a huge sale. She homes in on the visitor and locks on! After 30 minutes, a sale worth Rs 4 lakh materialises. Shabnam has treated her prospect to coffee, established a strong rapport, answered every question and provided just the right solution.

In market after market, the drama is similar! The salesman spots the prospect and closes in for the sale. Total focus and single-pointed attention to clinch it! All faculties are tuned to the customer and his objections; every question is an opportunity to move a step closer to the consummation. And finally, the order is at hand!

Watching Shabnam in action, I’m struck by her resemblance to the lioness on the veldt! The same concentration and dedication and the same total commitment to the job at hand. Both have something in common: the killer instinct. A complete and irrevocable commitment to finish the job on hand, to close the circuit and achieve the result, under all conditions! No prey or prospect can ever slip away!


A must for every CEO


Every CEO must, of course, possess that killer instinct. More importantly, as a leader and organisation builder, he must look for people with this instinct in every functional area. That’s when the organisation is guaranteed to grow and prosper. Far too often, competence is blunted by the absence of the killer instinct and so opportunities simply evaporate. It’s somewhat like the hockey centre forward who dribbles past three defenders and the goal keeper only to shoot the ball wide off the mark! Many companies snatch defeat from the jaws of victory by entrusting important projects to people without the killer instinct.


Spot the trait


It’s difficult to spot the killer instinct, though. One key indicator is consistency. If a person has a record of consistent achievement in any field (academics, sport, previous assignments) it is quite likely that the achievement has been fuelled by the killer instinct. A second indicator is initiative: can the person think through and act quickly? And finally, if stamina and perseverance are present, the killer instinct could also lurk in the background.

The recruitment process must probe deeply into the background and psyche of the candidate. Career development and training programmes must build the capability to deliver results at all times. In today’s hyper competitive environment, there’s a premium on the killer instinct. Organisations that don’t institutionalise it are in danger of being devoured by those that do!