The branch on the already ancient oak tree slowly moved to the side as the moon light shifted on the waxy outer layer of the leaves, creating a clear view of the village for the scout. The caves and makeshift huts were silent and the fires had died down after a long night. The fire and encampment were not longer guarded and a sense of complacency had set in, no one thought it was important anymore. The rock caves walls, that use to provide protection, were about to become the very obstructions that kept the inhabitants from escaping. It was almost time to begin; the scout slowly moved back. In order to reduce any noise as he walked, he rolling his foot from the outside inward, so any leaves on the late fall ground would not crunch under his weight. His eyes had long ago adjusted to the night and he could make out the other members of his war party laying down in a gulley not far away. With a stick the scout drew in the dirt the layout of the village. Now the plan could be finalized and the group would slowly move up into position.
The village, once a beacon of wealth, and basic innovation, had become complacent in its success and now would pay a price. The war party understood that success would help ensure their success in the competitive environment in which they lived. The resources desperately needed where now at hand, and they planned on taking by force what they needed. It was a strategic decision to attack the village where the king made his seat. The tactics were planned and practices, and the time to act was now. They slowly moved up. The group now in place had everything covered. Most of the group would charge forward into the huts and caves. The stone walls would be used to trap their inhabitants as the outer dilapidated defenses would be overwhelmed. Others in the group would be stationed in likely escape routes to prevent anyone from leaving. To ensure their own safety, the group left a few raiders in the rear to guard their own backs, or move up and reinforce areas where the attack may be slowed.
The group moved in at a slow stalking pace through the woods till they hit the broken dirt, symbolizing the boundary of the encampment. Once at the line, they began to run as fast has as they could. The key target was Daniau, the King of the lower valley region, but the others sleeping were in just as much danger. They rushed in with hammers made from bone with either sticks or rocks tide at the top with sinew. In a few minutes it was over. People lay moaning or dead throughout the area, victims of their own complacency. The few villagers who woke up, and tired to escape, were ambushed by the raiders laying in wait at the escape routes. King Daniau was dead. The lower valley region no longer had a king to keep the other tribes in line and focused. Now, challengers from the other tribes would meet to determine who would succeed to the throne. Chaos and inner warfare would erupt if order was not kept. Inner turmoil would allow outside tribes outside of the valley to invade.
Today, businesses face the same problems when they become complacent and lose their competitive advantage; or suddenly lose their key leaders. How do they replace the dead king? Option one, use existing lines of hereditary succession from within the owners? Option two, use the organizational hierarchy where someone who had been training their entire lives for this position? Option three, look deep inside the organization and pick someone who did not ask for the position, but had the necessary skills to take them into the future? Option four, go outside of the organization and bring in someone else to take over. The answer to the question of leadership succession creates the atmosphere for future failure or success of the entire organization, as it did millennia ago with Chief Ugh and “The Tribe”.
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