High Ground (#165)

High ground is a term that is used both in the military and in corporate settings. This is the third in the series on lexicon. Earlier posts were on Lexicon — #155 and Tempo — #158.

Webster’s Dictionary defines high ground as a “position of advantage or superiority.” For the military, the high ground is the most advantageous place to be on the battlefield. Usually the high ground for a military unit is a hill or a mountain from which it could best defend themselves, build up their forces, and then attack to seize the next objective. In Afghanistan and Iraq the high ground was the people. Securing the people and keeping them safe from the insurgency gave the US Army and its Afghan/Iraqi partners a definitive advantage in a counterinsurgency.

High Ground Exercise

For corporate groups, high ground is that one thing that gives the company a competitive advantage that must be preserved at all costs. Asking your team “What’s our high ground?” is a great conversation for any group to have. It’s an excellent exercise because it forces the group to arrive at a consensus on what the one, and only one thing, that give the company a competitive advantage in the marketplace.

Your company’s high ground could be a group of people within the organization. Or it could be a product that is better than the competition. Or it could be the group’s culture. Or it could be the group’s collaboration. For example, Wal-Mart’s high ground is low prices which has given them a competitive advantage ever since Sam Walton opened the first store in Rogers, Arkansas. Whatever your company’s high ground is, obtaining a group consensus on what it is and then getting everyone to work hard to preserve or enhance it is incredibly powerful.

Currahee Mountain and High Ground

Currahee Mountain is the tallest mountain in Stephens County, Georgia. It is also where Easy Company, 506th Parachute Infantry Regiment, the company made famous in the book and miniseries Band of Brothers trained and built their incredible culture. Bring your team to Currahee Mountain and let’s spend some time discovering your company’s high ground. Click here to start the discussion.

Develop consensus on your organization’s high ground and then go on the offensive in 2020 and 2021 to preserve or enhance it.