Why I Am Hiring Military Guys
“We’re time-on-target for the go-live.” Why Mission First also helps in business.
Outing yourself as a military guy is not always well-perceived in the business world. Nevertheless, I do it. I am an active reserve general staff officer in the Swiss Armed Forces, and at the same time, I am the Co-Founder & CEO of a software company.
I am not the only military guy in the company. One of my co-founders was an active reserve officer in the National Emergency Operations Centre, and our employees include a former infantry platoon leader and an RAF Tornado navigator.
The parallels between business and the military are often discussed in the business media, but I want to focus on two very specific aspects which I believe are most relevant in a company of 20 people: mission first, and surviving in a complex world.
Mission First
Both business and the military have clear strategic missions: Businesses should make money, and armies should bring home victory.
Mission Command
These strategic missions are broken down into operational and tactical missions, which are then executed by the subordinated leaders with as much freedom of action as possible. This is referred to as mission…
