What comes to your mind when the word “Fort” is mentioned? Riders galloping out the gate? Desperate last stands? These images and impressions have been reinforced time and again by Tinseltown movies. Are they true? Of course! Partially. Do you know what a fort is really for?

Of course. A fort is sited, meaning positioned, and constructed so that it can best provide security for a predetermined piece of terrain. A fort is built to ensure that the populace in the area it is responsible for are able to carry out daily agricultural, industrial, commercial  and social intercourse without interference from external marauders. It employs force or the threat of force to carry out its security mission and does so in conjunction with other forces which can be called upon to engage threats to the area in cooperation with the fort’s own forces. Forts were often the centres of commerce because of the security they provided.

Turned the other way, forts were also a good means of exerting control over captured territory or when administering a vassal state. In other words, forts were akin to Centres of Influence.

Are you able to identify the Centres of Influence at your workplace? Who are the people who seem to make things happen wherever they happen to be? Are their aspirations in line with yours? Where else in your business environment do you need to establish Centres of Influence? Take time to think about it. Your business operations depend on them more than you care to think!