I am reading a fascinating book called, Start-Up Nation- the Story of Israel's Economic Miracle, by Dan Senor and Saul Singer. Start-Up Nation shows how Israel, a country that lacks natural resources, produces more start-up companies than large nations such as Japan, China, India, Korea, Canada and the United Kingdom. Israel is more than just a country, but a comprehensive state of mind.
Israel, only 60 years old, is a country of 7.1 million people. It is surrounded by enemies and in a constant state of war since its inception. This adversity-driven culture breeds an exceptional combination of innovation and entrepreneurism. Americans have a great deal to learn from the Israeli entrepreneurial model, which parallels its military. American's tend to emphasize a hierarchy of corporate channels, with much complication, in order to get an idea off the ground. Israeli's emphasize "chutzpah," which means "nerve" in Yiddish. When an Israeli has a business idea, it is started that week.
When it comes to the Israeli military (Israeli Defense force or IDF), Israeli soldiers do not hesitate to challenge commanders. At debriefing, all levels of command review what went right or wrong, and know that if something went right in one situation, it may not apply to a future situation. Similarly, Israeli workers will challenge management if something does not seem right. You do not find either situation in America's military or corporate world. Everyone at some point serves in Israel's military. Their military skills seem to transfer out in the business world tenfold.
From the beginning of the book, Israeli persistence in entrepreneurism is outlined, with one example of IBM choosing Israel's "power horse" microchip for its personal computers. It was the Israeli's pestering and persistence-it's chutzpah-that got their product in front of the right people. Israeli management always solicits input from workers. Although there may be hierarchy on paper, you'll find management eating lunch with hourly workers and honing their input on projects.
My friend's father, an Israeli developed an extremely successful company in America, recalls how her father approached American CEOs with confidence and impudence, given the language barrier, and was able to get his product in front of the right person. She also recalls how father would always each lunch with his workers, in the factory that he built from the ground up. Personally, I remember providing a worksite wellness program to a very successful company in Michigan who was gangbusters even in our severe economic downturn. When my friend reminisced about her father, it dawned on me that the CEO of this particular company always intermingled with hourly workers. The company was like one big family and operated for the good of all.
In Israel, it is important to show your pride along with the lessons learned from a military or business mistake. In other countries, there is so much shame that it becomes difficult to move forward. Other countries or states continue to rely on the same industry because it worked before, blinded to the fact that times are changing around them. A perfect example is the automobile industry in Detroit, Michigan. Instead of foreseeing ahead and even today, Michigan is still bound and determined to rely on what they are most comfortable with-even though the industry is broken beyond repair. There is no effort made to rethink, revamp and transform.
So if you would like a great summer read, pick up a copy of Start-Up Nation. It will motive you to be brass and nervy in order to fuel your own business. Joining the military still may seem a bit scary, but becoming open to viewing your business as a mindset will help you succeed tremendously.
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| About Beverly Price, RD, MA, E-RYT |
 Beverly Price is a Registered Dietitian, author, newspaper columnist and public speaker who made a name for herself with her unique approach to nutrition counseling. After 11 years in private practice, she sold Living Better Sensibly-- one of the largest private nutrition practices in the country- to a private nutrition consulting firm, and started Jump Start Consulting specializing in management and marketing strategies for dietitians and other health-care professionals, along with distance learning products for continuing professional education. Beverly currently operates a private practice, in Royal Oak, Michigan, where she specializes in eating disorder recovery and yoga therapy. |
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