Pirates held the utmost contempt for anything that diluted the focus of the mission at hand. Pirates were focused on one thing and one thing only; bringing home treasure. Everything they did revolved around that one goal.

The pirate ship was run as a democracy with each member of the crew given a vote. The leader or captain was elected at the beginning of the voyage but didn't always come home commanding that same authority. If the crew was not satisfied with the results produced by the elected leader or had lost trust and confidence in the methods employed, a new leader could be elected. The deposed leader had the choice to walk away gracefully or fight the entire crew. Clearly, maintaining a good relationship with the crew and supporting them attaining their goals was not only a priority but also a survival technique.

Since booty was the goal, everything was built or designed to gather in that booty. Ships of that time were built to contain ballast in the hull that changed the characteristics of how the ship sailed. The ballast was usually composed of rocks or some other dead weight. While the ballast was important to sailing, it was less important than the booty. If the haul exceeded the weight capacity of the ship, the ballast was quickly traded to increase carrying capacity. In some extreme cases, a strategic decision was made to pitch cannons overboard to allow for more treasure. There were no sacred cows or cries of "but we always sail with dead weight in the hull." There was only focus on gathering treasure and getting it home no matter how creative the solution had to be.

Once the treasure was gathered in, the celebrations began. Guns were fired, mead was drunk, backs were slapped and cries of "Huzzah!" filled the air immediately after the work was done. In addition to their share of the treasure, pirates receive instant gratification and reward that binds the team together and creates legends that can be referred to as motivational stories for years to come.

You don't have to rape and pillage villages to be a corporate or an entrepreneurial pirate. You have to be focused, take care of your team, and celebrate every accomplishment.

Are you ready to wear an eye patch to your next business meeting?