a navy seal’s tale: a value proposition story and analysis
TRANSCRIPT
A Value Proposition Story and Analysis
A Navy SEAL’s Tale
Navy SEAL Officer “Blue”
500 Classified Operations Led
23 Countries
1 Force in the World
9 Deployments
St. Thomas/ St. Johns
Trinidad Tobago
Costa Rica
Puerto Rico
Iraq Afghanistan
Qatar
Germany
Luxembourg
Canada
Ecuador
Kuwait
Spain
Honduras
Columbia
Chile
Bolivia Peru
Philippines
Bahrain
Malta
Mexico
Panama
The following is a true story about how one highly
decorated Navy SEAL officer (we will call “Blue”)
views value proposition strategy and tactics as
examined during an extended negotiation with a
Village Elder in the Philippines.
Navy SEAL Officer “Blue”
500 Classified Operations Led
23 Countries
1 Force in the World
9 Deployments
St. Thomas/ St. Johns
Trinidad Tobago
Costa Rica
Puerto Rico
Iraq Afghanistan
Qatar
Germany
Luxembourg
Canada
Ecuador
Kuwait
Spain
Honduras
Columbia
Chile
Bolivia Peru
Philippines
Bahrain
Malta
Mexico
Panama
10 Philippine Soldiers Killed recent past
CAPTURE or KILL The SEAL’s desired end state was to
the rebels responsible for the murders
Mountain village, Philippines
The SEAL team went to the village where
the murders occurred.
The SEAL team arrived at the Village Elder’s home in an armor
platted Hummer. Blue proceeded to take off his body armor and
approached the home.
Mountain village, Philippines
Blue went inside, sat directly next to the village
elder and they had tea.
Mountain village, Philippines
Many weeks and favors
later, Blue ordered a well
built for the village.
Mountain village, Philippines
Then the village elder gave away the
names of the murderers to Blue.
Mountain village, Philippines
We asked Blue to share the strategy
and tactics behind the story.
Using the R7 Value Proposition Framework, we asked Blue
to consider which of the 7 value proposition strategies he
used in the story?
Money (economic anchor)
Goods
Information
Services
Status
Involvement (economic anchor)
currency and standardized value
tangible products, objects, materials
advice, facts, opinions, instructions
giving of time talent and energy
fulfilling and meaningful activities
Positive feelings of warmth, friendship, camaraderie, togetherness
Status Prestige, admiration, respect
Money
Information
Meaning
Status
Involvement
Freedom
Economic
Social
Value Proposition Desired Outcome
Blue said he used the strategies of status and goods to
achieve American Freedom.
Services
Goods
Money
Information
Meaning
Status
Involvement
Freedom
Economic
Social
Value Proposition Desired Outcome
Blue explained how the status tactics were implemented.
Services
Goods
When Blue proceeded to take off his body armor as he
approached the home of the village elder, it was a status tactic
that removed power-distance (after all the Village elder did not
have a Hummer, modern weapons, or body armor).
Mountain village, Philippines
Then Blue sat directly next to the village elder during tea, another status
tactic. It is customary for high status individuals to sit next to each other.
Mountain village, Philippines
Services
Money
Information
Meaning
Status
Involvement
Freedom
Goods
Economic
Social
Value Proposition Desired Outcome
Blue explained how the goods tactic was implemented.
Many weeks and favors
later, Blue ordered a well
built for the village.
Providing a well was a goods tactic. Blue explained that
in the village they did not have clean running water.
Mountain village, Philippines
We asked Blue to share how the
strategy and tactics behind the story
could have gone WRONG?
Services
Money
Information
Meaning
Status
Involvement
Freedom
Goods
Economic
Social
Value Proposition Desired Outcome
Blue explained that inexperienced Navy SEALs may have
selected other (less effective) resource strategies. For
example, he said that hypothetically “bribes” don’t work.
Services
Money
Information
Meaning
Status
Involvement
Freedom
Goods
Economic
Social
Value Proposition Desired Outcome
Blue explained that even if the strategies were correct, the
tactics could be ineffective. Let’s consider status tactics.
Blue described that ineffective SEALs would leave their body
armor on (out of fear of getting shot) as they approached the
home of the village elder, it would be an ineffective status tactic
that increased power-distance (as already discussed, the Village
Elder did not have a Hummer, modern weapons, or body armor).
Mountain village, Philippines
Blue told us that ineffective SEALs would sit opposite the village
elder during tea in hopes of appearing deferential, a status tactic.
Instead, the Village Elder would feel disrespected that the Navy
SEALs sent an “unequal” to negotiate (he that sits opposite). The
Village Elder would ask for “the SEAL that is actually in charge!”
Mountain village, Philippines
Navy SEAL Officer “Blue”
500 Classified Operations Led
23 Countries
1 Force in the World
9 Deployments
St. Thomas/ St. Johns
Trinidad Tobago
Costa Rica
Puerto Rico
Iraq Afghanistan
Qatar
Germany
Luxembourg
Canada
Ecuador
Kuwait
Spain
Honduras
Columbia
Chile
Bolivia Peru
Philippines
Bahrain
Malta
Mexico
Panama
The preceding was Blue’s story (and analysis) of
value proposition strategy and tactics.
Every organization is filled with value proposition stories (perhaps as
interesting as Blue’s). Go beyond the stories and test your clients’
value proposition with the R7 Value Proposition Assessment.
Learn more »
Assessments for Professional Services Firms
www.sixqsoftware.com