11 Marine Corps Principles to Apply to Business

1 1 M A R I N E C O R P S
P R I N C I P L E S
F O R S U C C E S S O N W A L L S T R E E T
A N D O N M A I N S T R E E T
b y K e n M a r l i n
S E E M O R E A N D D O W N L O A D A N E X C E R P T A T M A R L I N L L C .C O M
#M A R I N E W A Y T O W I N

M A R I N E S H A V E A C H I E V E D V I C T O R Y
T H R O U G H O U T H I S T O R Y B E C A U S E O F
O U R C O R E V A L U E S .
http://www.marlinllc.com/marinecorpsway

I T ’S A B O U T H O N O R , C O U R A G E ,
C O M P E T E N C E , C O M M I T M E N T ,
T E A M W O R K A N D L O Y A L T Y ,
D I S C I P L I N E , R E S P E C T A N D
P E R S E V E R I N G I N T H E F A C E O F
A D V E R S I T Y .

T H E R E 'S N O S U C H T H I N G A S A
"F O R M E R M A R I N E ."

WALL STREET ONCE WAS ABOUT DOING
THE RIGHT THING FOR THE CLIENT -
BEING A TRUSTED ADVISOR

T H E N C A M E :
Ivan Boesky
Michael Milken
Gordon Gekko
Bernard Madoff
Enron
WorldCom
GM
VW
Vietnam
Iraq
S&L Crisis
Great Recession
conflicts of interest
currency
manipulation
fraudulent mortgages
and more...

SEVEN OUT OF TEN SAY EVERYONE ON WALL
STREET IS WILLING TO BREAK THE LAW FOR
BIGGER PROFITS.
ONLY OUR POLITICIANS FARE WORSE.
TWO-THIRDS OF
AMERICANS THINK THAT
THOSE WHO WORK ON
WALL STREET “ARE NOT
AS HONEST AND MORAL
AS OTHER PEOPLE,”

“THE REASONABLE MAN ADAPTS HIMSELF
TO THE WORLD; THE UNREASONABLE ONE
PERSISTS TO ADAPT THE WORLD TO
HIMSELF. THEREFORE ALL PROGRESS
DEPENDS ON THE UNREASONABLE MAN.”
- GEORGE BERNARD SHAW

THE MARINE CORPS IS
FILLED WITH
“UNREASONABLE”
PEOPLE TRYING TO
CHANGE THE WORLD...

THE MARINE CORPS WAY HAS ELEVEN
PRINCIPLES WHICH, WHEN COMBINED, CAN
IMPROVE THE ODDS OF SUCCESS ON THE
BATTLEFIELD, ON WALL STREET, IN
WASHINGTON AND ON MAIN STREET – AND
LET PEOPLE FEEL GOOD ABOUT IT.
IT WORKS

TOO MANY PEOPLE FOCUS ON TACTICS
(MAKING SALES, REDUCING COSTS,CLOSING
DEALS)– AS OPPOSED TO FOCUSING ON THE
ACTIONS (OR TRANSACTIONS) THAT
ADVANCE US MOST TOWARDS STRATEGIC
GOALS.
1) TAKE THE LONG VIEW:

IT IS NOT NECESSARY TO FIGHT EVERY BATTLE
THAT PRESENTS ITSELF.
JUST AS ADMIRAL NIMITZ AND GENERAL
MACARTHUR SKIPPED ISLANDS IN WWII,
SOMETIMES, NOT TAKING ADVANTAGE OF
OPPORTUNITIES CAN ADVANCE YOU TOWARDS
YOUR OBJECTIVES MORE EFFICIENTLY THAN
FIGHTING THEM.
IT'S ALL ABOUT KEEPING THE LONG-TERM
MISSION AT THE FOREFRONT.

“IN THE SIMPLE MORAL MAXIM THE MARINE
CORPS TEACHES: DO THE RIGHT THING, FOR
THE RIGHT REASON. NO EXCEPTION EXISTS
THAT SAYS: UNLESS THERE'S CRITICISM OR
RISK. DAMN THE CONSEQUENCES.”
MISSION AL JAZEERA: BUILD A BRIDGE, SEEK THE
TRUTH, CHANGE THE WORLD
- JOSH RUSHING
2 )T A K E A S T A N D :

HAD SOME SENIOR PEOPLE AT VOLKSWAGEN
TAKEN A STAND ON EMISSIONS TESTING, VW
WOULD NOT NOW BE LOOKING AT BILLIONS
OF DOLLARS IN LOSSES—AND A SERIOUS
DENT IN THEIR REPUTATION.

HAD SOME SENIOR PEOPLE AT GM TAKEN A
STAND ON FAULTY IGNITION SWITCHES,
MORE THAN FIFTY-ONE PEOPLE MIGHT BE
ALIVE AND GM WOULD NOT BE NOW PAYING
COMPENSATION TO THE FAMILIES OF
THOUSANDS OF VICTIMS.

HAD SOME US POLITICIANS TAKEN A STAND,
FIFTY-EIGHT THOUSAND AMERICANS (AND
MORE THAN A MILLION CIVILIANS) MIGHT
NOT HAVE DIED IN THE VIETNAM WAR;
AND WE WOULD PROBABLY NEVER HAVE
SENT FORCES INTO LIBYA, SYRIA, OR IRAQ .

HAD SOME POLITICIANS AND A FEW BANKERS
TAKEN A STAND THE WORLD MIGHT HAVE
AVOIDED THE GLOBAL FINANCIAL CRISIS OF
2008, MILLIONS OF LIVES MIGHT NOT HAVE
BEEN DISRUPTED, AND BANKS WOULD NOT
BE PAYING HUNDREDS OF BILLIONS OF
DOLLARS IN FINES.

WALL STREET, MAIN STREET AND
WASHINGTON HAVE TALENTED
TRANSACTION EXPERTS – BUT IN TOO MANY
CASES THE LEADERSHIP HAS LOST ITS
EXPERTISE IN OPERATIONAL AREAS.
3) BE THE EXPERT :

MY FATHER, WHO IS A RETIRED
MECHANICAL ENGINEER FROM THE
CUMMINS ENGINE COMPANY, USED TO
BEMOAN THAT SENIOR EXECUTIVES AT THE
COMPANY KNEW ALL ABOUT GENERAL
MANAGEMENT TECHNIQUES BUT DIDN’T
KNOW A CRANKSHAFT FROM A PISTON ROD.

MARINES GET ALL THE INTELLIGENCE THEY
CAN ABOUT THE PEOPLE ON THE OTHER
SIDE - THEIR GOALS, THEIR CAPABILITIES
AND THEIR MOTIVATIONS.
4) KNOW THE ENEMY:

PEOPLE RARELY SEE THEMSELVES AS THE BAD
GUYS.
PEOPLE RARELY SEE THEMSELVES AS ILLOGICAL
DEMONIZING THEM, CARICATURING THEM,
OVER-SIMPLIFYING THEM, UNDER- OR
OVER-ESTIMATING THEM CAN BE VERY
DANGEROUS.
UNDERSTANDING THEIR GOALS AND MOTIVATIONS
IS CRITICAL TO LONG TERM SUCCESS.

KNOWLEDGE IS POWER. WITH GREATER
KNOWLEDGE ABOUT THE OTHER SIDE YOU
CAN BETTER ANTICIPATE HOW THEY WILL
ACT AND REACT TO YOUR MOVES.

5) KNOW WHAT THE TERRAIN IS WORTH
BEFORE COMMITTING TO BATTLE:
NO MARINE WOULD SAY THAT BECAUSE WE PAID
FOR IWO JIMA WITH SIXTY-THREE HUNDRED
AMERICAN LIVES (AND TWENTY-FIVE THOUSAND
CASUALTIES) PLUS TWO US NAVY AIRCRAFT
CARRIERS, THAT THIS PRICE SOMEHOW DEFINES
THE PRICE (LIVES, CASUALTIES, SHIPS) WE WOULD
PAY TO TAKE GUADALCANAL.

FOUR QUESTIONS BEFORE YOU ENGAGE IN
BATTLE:
1) IS WINNING THIS BATTLE ON THE PATH TO
ACHIEVING THE LARGER MISSION?
2) IS THE TIMING RIGHT;
3) IS THE COST OF TRYING BOTH AFFORDABLE AND
REASONABLE?
4) IS THE REWARD WORTH THE RISK?

HUBRIS LEADS TO FAILED DEALS AND FAILED
STRATEGIES—
HUBRIS LED HP TO BUY COMPAQ FOR $25 BILLION,
IT’S HOW YAHOO! WOUND UP PAYING $5.7 BILLION
FOR BROADCAST.COM
TIME WARNER AGREED TO A $164 BILLION DEAL
WITH AOL.
IT LED THE UNITED STATES INTO QUAGMIRES IN
VIETNAM, AND THE MIDDLE EAST.

6 ) K N O W Y O U R S E L F :
IDENTIFY AND CAPITALIZE ON YOUR COMBAT
ADVANTAGES

EVERY CEO AND EVERY BANKER SHOULD BE
ABLE TO ARTICULATE WHAT THEY DO THAT
IS BETTER THAN ANYONE ELSE ON THE
PLANET.

“YOU CANNOT ALLOW ANY OF YOUR PEOPLE
TO AVOID THE BRUTAL FACTS. IF THEY
START LIVING IN A DREAM WORLD, IT’S
GOING TO BE BAD.”
-GENERAL JAMES MATTIS, USMC

IT’S NOT ABOUT SURPRISE.
7) TO WIN, CONTROL
THE TIMING:

SADDAM HUSSEIN COULD NOT HAVE BEEN
SURPRISED AT THE ASSAULT BY U.S.-LED
COALITION FORCES IN THE FIRST GULF WAR.
HE PROBABLY WATCHED THE BUILDUP ON
CNN. IT TOOK MORE THAN FIVE MONTHS.

FOR TOO MANY CORPORATE EXECUTIVES,
POLITICIANS AND BANKERS THE TIMING OF
MAJOR STRATEGIC MOVES IS PURELY
REACTIVE—

8) NEGOTIATE FROM THE
HIGH GROUND:
FROM A TACTICAL PERSPECTIVE, THE HIGH
GROUND IS THE PHYSICAL PLACE YOU WANT
TO BE, SINCE IT’S USUALLY BOTH MORE
DEFENSIBLE THAN THE LOW GROUND AND A
BETTER PLACE FROM WHICH TO LAUNCH
ASSAULTS.

CLEARLY, THE HIGH GROUND HAS A
SECOND, ETHICAL CONNOTATION TOO. IT
INVOLVES DOING THE RIGHT THING FOR
THE RIGHT REASONS, EVERY TIME.

BE COMMITTED TO ACHIEVING YOUR OWN
"REASONABLE" OBJECTIVES.
(IF THE OTHER SIDE PERCEIVES THAT YOU
ARE UNWILLING TO WALK FROM THE TABLE,
THEN YOU ARE NOT NEGOTIATING. YOU ARE
JUST BEGGING.)

MOST WARS END NOT IN SURRENDER BUT
WITH A NEGOTIATED PEACE, AFTER WHICH
THE TWO SIDES OFTEN NEED TO LEARN TO
LIVE WITH EACH OTHER.

9) SEEK FOREIGN ENTANGLEMENTS - IT’S
AN INTERCONNECTED WORLD:
COMPANIES, POLITICIANS AND
BANKERS WITH A COMPETITIVE
ADVANTAGE ARE THOSE THAT DO NOT
DEFINE THEMSELVES BY GEOGRAPHIC
BORDERS.

MARLIN’S EIGHT RULES FOR CROSS BORDER
NEGOTIATING:
1: BE SENSITIVE (BUT NOT TOO SENSITIVE) TO CULTURE. YOU
CAN’T GO “NATIVE.”
2: BE AWARE OF THE OTHER SIDE’S OBJECTIVES. IT’S NOT
ALWAYS ABOUT THE TERRITORY, OR THE MONEY
3: KNOW THE LOCAL RULES—AND THE LOCAL CONCERNS.
4: FIGURE OUT WHO IS CALLING THE SHOTS. IT MAY NOT BE
OBVIOUS

5: SET REALISTIC DEADLINES (AND MEAN THEM!)
6: SEEK FACE TIME
7: DON’T OVER-LAWYER
8: PUT SOMEONE ON THE GROUND WITH AUTHORITY TO
NEGOTIATE

10) TRUST AND VERIFY:
CAREFULLY VETTING YOUR ASSUMPTIONS CAN
GO A LONG WAY TO ENSURING VICTORY.
IT’S SOMETHING THAT MARINES DO NEARLY
EVERY DAY.

NEITHER CONTRACTS NOR TREATIES CAN PROTECT
AGAINST EVERYTHING
THEY ARE ONLY WORTH WHAT THOSE BACKING
THOSE CONTRACTS ARE LATER ABLE TO DELIVER.
FEW PARTIES ARE WILLING TO ACCEPT ALLOCATION
OF ALL RISK.
THERE ARE NO PERFECTLY CLEAR CRYSTAL BALLS
MACROECONOMIC CONDITIONS CHANGE
FORECASTS MISS THE MARK.

11) LUCK IS NOT A PLAN:

WINNING REQUIRES PLANNING,
PROCESS, DISCIPLINE AND
LEADERSHIP

MARINES LIKE WINNING.
WE DON'T LIKE DRAMA.

LUCK IS NEITHER A PLAN NOR AN EXCUSE.
MARINES DO NOT RELY ON LUCK.
AND WE REFUSE TO BE ITS VICTIM.

DISCIPLINE MAY BE A HALLMARK OF THE
MARINE CORPS, BUT WE DON’T HAVE A
MONOPOLY ON IT. GENERAL ELECTRIC AND
WARREN BUFFET BOTH HAVE LONG BEEN
KNOWN FOR THEIR DISCIPLINED
APPROACH.

THE MARINE CORPS WAY IS NOT EASY.

IT REQUIRES RIGOROUS PLANNING,
THOROUGH PREPARATION, HARD WORK,
LEVERAGING RELEVANT EXPERTISE, CLEAR
COMMUNICATION, AND THE PROFESSIONAL
LEADERSHIP OF A WELL TRAINED AND
PROPERLY MOTIVATED TEAM.

IT'S ABOUT HONOR, COMPETENCE,
DISCIPLINE, TEAMWORK, LOYALTY,
RESPECT, COURAGE, EXCELLENCE AND
PERSEVERANCE IN THE FACE OF
ADVERSITY.

THE MARINE CORPS WAY IS A PATH TO
VICTORY AND HONOR ON THE
BATTLEFIELD, WALL STREET – AND ON
MAIN STREET.

READ MORE AND DOWNLOAD AN EXCERPT AT:
WWW.MARLINLLC.COM/MARINE-CORPS-WAY
CONNECT WITH KEN:
AVAILABLE FOR PRE-ORDER NOW:
@kmarlin

11 Marine Corps Principles to Apply to Business

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