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Wow! I just realized that Survivor, the TV reality competition, is into its 41st season. As a competition, I found the programme instructional, as it takes the same skills to win the competition as it takes to win in the corporate world.
Being a student of human behavior, I avidly followed the first seven seasons, and the following are five things corporate warriors need to keep in mind.
Eye on the Prize. Stay focused on what you want. Do not be distracted, or tempted, to abandon it. Sometimes alternate paths may present themselves, but you can never know if they are red herrings meant to take you out of the competition. Being focused on the prize also helps guide you in deciding which battle to fight. Not all battles are strategically important. Fighting the wrong battles will not only deplete your resources, but winning the wrong battles could actually cost you the war.
Have a Plan. There is a saying that if you fail to plan, you plan to fail. In complex long games, this saying takes on greater significance. While some do succeed flying by the seat of their pants, in complex long games, this almost never happens. Without a plan, which will form your basis for change, luck becomes the predominant strategy. And, if you want the prize, you should never leave it to chance.
