|  THE
BUSINESS MIND
By
Christine Zialcita
The Hedgehog
Concept
“Jack of all trades,
master of none”. I grew up believing that
this was something admirable and worth aspiring
for in life. Imagine all the learning to be gained
from being around somebody who just knows about
so many things and could talk intelligently about
a variety of subjects. Can you picture all the possibilities
and the opportunities that may come to someone whose
knowledge and capabilities are so diverse?
Well, not long ago,
I came across the Hedgehog Concept. This
did not only burst my bubble, it also presented
a perfect analogy for anyone who is interested in
starting a business.
I first read about
this in Jim Collins’ book “Good to Great”
where he pointed out the difference between the
hedgehog and the fox. A fox is quick, cunning, and
crafty whereas a hedgehog is a dull, simple-minded
creature that looks like a genetic mix-up between
an armadillo and a porcupine. Between the
two, one would surely think that the fox is right
on top of the chase and an obvious winner. Well,
the irony of it all is that despite the fox’s
obvious advantages, the hedgehog always wins. You
must be wondering how. It’s very simple really.
The hedgehog’s natural defense against its
attackers are its spikes; when he senses the fox’s
attack, he rolls himself into a perfect ball of
spikes that faces all directions. This leaves the
fox no other option but to retreat. Unfortunately,
this is a lesson that the fox doesn’t really
take to heart because he will repeat this process
of circling around the hedgehog’s den waiting
for his chance to attack day-in, day-out. What a
waste of time and effort!!!
In setting up a business,
one must be like a hedgehog. The key is
in being able to simplify the many complex ideas
to a unifying thought. A hedgehog’s existence
revolves around finding food and keeping his den
clean. He survives because he is focused on performing
just these things. When his safety is threatened
in his attempt to perform these tasks, he knows
that he will just have to form himself into a ball
for self-protection.
In relation
to business, one should focus on what is essential
and important. Knowing how to be the best
and/or working towards being the best is not the
core of a business. Instead, it is the complete
and clear understanding of where you can be the
best. Do not fall into the trap of entertaining
so many wonderful ideas (like the fox who thinks
of all the things that he can and will do to the
hedgehog). Of course, all good ideas will present
opportunities but if you are not fully dedicated
and passionate about what you are going to do, success
attained (if any) will also be in half-measure.
Take into consideration all
the factors related to the business idea and determine
if this is something that you can be the best at
and able to commit all your resources into for the
long run. When you’ve done this, then you
are another step closer to attaining success.
[Christine
B. Zialcita is a businesswoman and a Placement Consultant
of Jobsdb Phils Inc. She is also an instructor and
partner of The English Chatroom, an English-language
training center for professionals. Christine may
be reached at Christine.z@jobsdb.com.ph.]
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