During my formative years, I did medieval recreation as part of the Society for Creative Anachronism. A Midwest field in the middle of summer with 20+ pounds of armor, a helmet with a limited field of view, and “enthusiastic” fellow combatants gave me some interesting perspectives.

Battle rings are formed when there are fewer of you than of them. Today it’s an example of what we call taking a scarcity mindset and converting it into abundance thinking. 

In the competitive business world, it's common for teams or businesses to find themselves outdone. The competitor has more resources, a more well-known brand, or they are an established or dominant player in the sector. Forming "battle rings" can be an effective strategy to survive and thrive. 

• Know thyself.
• As a team and organization, do you have an inventory of all your skills, abilities, and resources? For example, did you know Kim in Accounting grew up doing business in the country of the new overseas prospect? 
• Each business project, large task, or proposal will test and grow you. You may surprise yourself with how well you pick up a job or scale up to deliver.
• Foster Teamwork and Collaboration
• You depend on those standing to the right and left of you for a great deal. Learning to work together and in rhythm is more than a weekly status check-in. Do you invest in collaborative road mapping and team exercises in a cross-functional manner? Individuals should be comfortable speaking up, taking the initiative, and coming together without prompting.
• As a leader, you want to know that people come together when things are tough. 
• Be adaptable and innovative.
• Situations can be fluid and have unexpected turns on the road. Be willing to adapt and change on the fly. Know whom to can call upon in each situation.
• Is everyone clear on their role and expected contribution? Again, you can’t adapt if you don’t know what the expectation is. 
• Form strategic alliances.
• Are there partners you can call upon? Even as a temporary infusion to support your team? 
• Do you know how you fill the whitespace in your company?

I acknowledge that martial metaphors like battle rings won’t appeal to everyone. The goal of these writeups is to be memorable. My goal is always to create a mnemonic anchor so that it rises to the occasion when you need the lesson.