Cobras STILL have a MASSIVE problem.
Can you relate?
Cobras have many resources that give them a massive competitive edge.
A well known defensive posture, venom, sharp fangs, etc.
Cobras eliminate competitive threats, most of whom avoid direct competition.
Cobras are “the leaders in their space.”
So what’s their problem?
Cobras view reality in a highly programmed way, with no room for flexibility.
Cobra orientations are wired tight and excel in all situations that fit the script of “Business as Usual.”
In novel situations, Cobras double down on their models.
Cobras believe that “it will always work.”
And then a Mongoose appears.
A Mongoose is bold, has no fear when entering a Cobra’s space, and does so with speed, variety and deliberate action.
A Mongoose doesn’t care how Cobras see themselves.
A Mongoose sees that a Cobra’s perception of itself is locked and inflexible.
When a Mongoose sees that the Cobra approach is misaligned from reality, it decides to attack that gap.
When a Mongoose emerges, Cobras immediately assume a defensive posture and cycle through their inflexible flowcharts, spreadsheets and checklists.
A Cobra always does this when encountering a competitive threat.
The problem is that a Mongoose does not match the Cobra’s models.
A Mongoose makes moves that surprise the Cobra.
As a Mongoose mystifies, a Cobra will take the one course of action it knows:
Double down on “the way we have always done it.”
But it doesn’t work, bringing it further from the new reality of a Mongoose.
Confusion and frustration set in.
A Cobra realizes it can’t make effective decisions and actions compared to a Mongoose.
Now totally exhausted, a Cobra makes one more attempt at “business as usual.”
This is when a Mongoose strikes!
A Cobra is neutralized, completely losing its capacity for free and independent action.
A Mongoose, emergent and unanticipated, wins.
Why?
A Mongoose reorients and adapts faster than a Cobra.
Cobras choose not to deviate from their script, thereby creating advantages for a Mongoose.
Cobras can’t adapt to the new, unanticipated reality, thus making the power of their advantages irrelevant.
The cost of not adapting:
Irrelevance at first, then sudden elimination.
What potential costs await us if we think like Cobras?
On paper we have everything needed to win.
Yet in spite of our resources, a Cobra approach prevents us from adapting to unforeseen challenges, like a Mongoose.
The result:
A cascade of chaos, decline, and obsolescence.
Even great teams can suffer from “The Cobra Problem.”
They believe they are impervious to novel threats and unanticipated, exogenous events that always emerge in VUCA.
And when a “Mongoose” appears they react by doubling down on outdated models, which only amplify ineffectiveness.
Two points:
- If we currently think like a Cobra, how will we fare when a Mongoose emerges?
- What if we are a Cobra that can learn to think like a Mongoose?
#innovation #management
Mongoose Photo
https://commons.m.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Mungos_mungo_11437878.jpg
Cobra Photo:
https://commons.m.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Egyptian_Cobra_Snake.jpg