In May 1940, the German army swiftly invaded France, leading to the astonishing defeat of the Battle for France. This unprecedented downfall stunned Europe, especially considering France’s prior reputation as a formidable Western nation. A tech exec can learn from this lesson in history.
Germany didn’t solely triumph with might; even though the French had a bigger, technologically advanced army and knew about the upcoming German invasion, they should have been prepared to repel the invaders effortlessly.
How did it happen?
The lack of trust and effective communication among French politicians and generals was exacerbated by their stagnation in the past. In 1914, France faced a challenging scenario when German forces overwhelmed them. However, their perseverance and strategic prowess proved decisive. The French tactically withdrew, synchronized their remaining armies, gathered crucial support from allies, and counterattacked. Teamwork made the Battle of the Marne pivotal for the allied forces in World War I.
Twenty-six years later the French were still using 1914 tactics against 1940’s technology.
Leverage your strength but update your strategy. The generals believed armor supported infantry from behind, underestimated planes as frontline weapons, relied on horses to outpace the enemy, and used motorcycle couriers instead of rapid communication. They also misplaced trust in misguided technology and overestimated Maginot Line defenses along the German border. The French generals, WWI veterans, failed to recognize technological advancements and clung to outdated strategies. General Gamelin, head of the French military, even lacked a telephone in his headquarters.
The French thought they knew the enemy.
The Germans effectively employed tanks, planes, troops, and weapons in innovative ways. Tanks, bombers, and infantry quickly penetrated, catching the French off guard. The German generals swiftly adapted their tactics using telephone and telegraph. Unfortunately, France failed to grasp the technological possibilities, leading to their complete defeat within 10 days. Unthinkable, but it happened.
A lesson for companies.
Silos in a company are a natural result of its structure, but they must not impede collective power and success. A tech exec should aim for a unified approach to operations, with shared standards across the leadership team. Keeping up with tech advancements and leveraging them before competitors is crucial. Embrace cross-team collaboration and resource sharing to enhance experience and boost versatility.
Organizations that stick in a ridged silo model and do not collaborate will lose to their competitors.
Leverage your strength and avoid having your teams move in different directions, as it weakens a united force. To effectively leverage your combined organization, do the following:
- Have a common mission and set of objectives agreed to by all leaders.
- Ensure roles and responsibilities between teams are well defined and understood.
- Communicate the operating models for each team to all stakeholders, which will help minimize a silo mentality.
- Better coordinate work going between teams ensure linkages are understood. This improves teamwork.
- Ensure an effective leadership structure where leaders trust and are communicating with each other.
- Have a better understanding of the strengths and weaknesses in our teams so individuals can be deployed appropriately.
- Ensure that technology is understood and used effectively (to meet business needs) across all teams.
Don’t forget to empower your team! If you leverage your strength, the combined organization, you’ll be unstoppable… and you will have a much more cost-effective technology environment.
Click here for a post on how to empower and use the full strength of your team.