Go Ballistic! Lessons from The David & Goliath Concept in Business

Southerton Business Times
Mar 22
3 min read

By Professor Mufaro Gunduza

How often have you heard people say that ‘It’s not the size of the dog that matters, but the size of the fight in the dog’? Or have you heard the saying that ‘If you think you are too small to make an impact, try going to bed with a mosquito in the room. These two statements elucidate the power of smallness and how situations can be easily conquered even when odds are stacked against you.

Apart from being this humongous and formidable giant standing on where angels fear to tread, Goliath is also a symbol of the stagnating and vegetating old generation that operated by old rules. He is stuck to what he knows as the ‘tried and tested’ formulas, forgetting that there is always room to innovate. Looking at his sword and shield and the conventional battle dress, one clearly sees a warrior comfortable with his previous successes and battle record. He is used to fighting in the ‘road most travelled’. The description given in the book of Samuel is as graphic as it is revealing:

“He (Goliath) had a bronze helmet on his head, and he was armed with a coat of mail, and the weight of the coat was five thousand shekels (about 55kg) of bronze. And he had bronze armour on his legs and a bronze javelin between his shoulders. Now the staff of his spear was like a weaver’s beam, and his iron spearhead weighed six hundred shekels (about 6, 6 kg); and a shield bearer went before him.’’ (1 Samuel 17: 5-7)

Goliath is weighed down by excesses. He is bloated and overloaded, thus impeding brisk movements and manoeuvres. He has no capacity to be nimble or agile in the fight. Yet from the outset, it is inconceivable that a youth barely dressed for battle can conquer the day and create historical footprints for generations to come!

Food for Thought

Which companies do you think are underdogs in your industry?
After going through the David and Goliath principle, what kind of wild card surprises can they spring to snatch market share away from the traditional market leaders?
Is smallness necessarily a disadvantage?

Key Lessons

Do not look down upon the smallness of a competitor company, look at the potential size of their fight.
Innovation is a game-changer and trend setter.
Playing by the old rules can jeopardise today’s business practice & opportunities.
As Goliath prepared to fight like a ‘knight in shining armour, David stood out as a symbol of disruptive innovation and went ballistic with a simple, smooth stone!
The David and Goliath narrative tells us that one should not judge a book by its cover.
Small companies today can easily mutate into giant corporations of tomorrow.
Disruptive innovation and disruptive thinking are key in changing situations, no matter how difficult or impregnable.
Don’t rely on formulas of yesteryears, change is necessary to suit the demands of today.

About the Author

Professor Mufaro Gunduza coaches and mentors Business Intelligence at Mount Carmel Institute (Harare), Indian School of Management (New Mumbai), and UNISA, among others. He is the SADC Investments Advisor for the Future Trends Group. He has written several books, including Unleashing Blue Sky Thinking, Spotting Business Opportunities, and Big Picture Thinking (Bookboon Publishers, London & Denmark). He has just assumed the Presidency of the Southern African Chamber of Commerce.