Most of the readership of this blog is consisted of well-read strategic thinkers of various levels. We decided to focus the premise of this article on the process of strategic assessment by presuming that the majority have read the Sunzi's Art of War essay and understood the premise behind this essay..
Click here for an introduction article on the Sunzi's The Art of War.
Our recent research told us that some of the readers selectively viewed the Art of War essay and preferred to focus their time and their attention on the building of the plan, the strategic maneuverability and the engagement of the conflict.
Professionally, we have always considered the initial chapter- Strategic Assessment as the most relevant chapter of the book. It is one of those sections that people read quite often, but not understand how to apply it strategically.(We are working on a book that explains the theory and applications of this chapter).
The primary purpose of this chapter is to understand the big picture of one's settings before doing anything relevant. One can only improve their own future performance by properly assessing the big picture of their grand terrain and the obstacles that are within it.
How does one use the strategic assessment process in their business?
Assess and Reflect
Following is a set of 13 Sunzi principles-related questions that we have occasionally given to my clients who were trying to assessing their current state of business:
- Does my strategic assessment process included anything in the gathering of intelligence?
- Did the act of intelligence gathering improve the decision-making points of my venture?
- Has my current decision making process always helped me in prevailing in the various situations?
- Was my position in those situations based on my initial understanding of the entire terrain?
- Did my comprehension of the entire terrain show in my strategic maneuverability?
- Did my strategic maneuverability improve my adjustment to the situation?
- Did my adjustment enable me to prevail during the engagement of various obstacles?
- During my engagement of obstacles, was I able to pinpoint its weaknesses and strengths?
- After the strengths and weaknesses were pinpointed, did my strategic influence prevail?
- Was my strategic influence based on my initial strategic disposition?
- How much of my strategic disposition were delineated in my initial plan?
- How much of my own plan was based on my initial understanding of the challenge?
- Was my grand understanding of the challenge based on my initial strategic assessment?
(The list has been slightly altered for this reading audience. The context behind this topic is deeper than those questions.)
After reviewing your response to those questions, you can determine whether the specifics of your strategic assessment approach need to be improved.
After each major project milestone, you should spend a macro moment to assess your experience.
While reflecting on your overall experience, focus on comprehending the strategic disposition, the strategic influence, the weaknesses and the strengths of each relevant competitor, including yourself..
Transforming the Assessment to Relevancy
“In planning never a useless move. In strategy, no step is in vain."
- Chen Hao
Once you are able to consciously understand yourself and your strategic disposition within your settings, it becomes easier for you to build (and improve) your plan toward adjusting to the grand settings of your competing (market) terrain.
Compass Rule: The dimensions of your goals and your current settings sometimes determine the predictability of one's future settings.
The key to transforming the assessed data to something of value is to understand your goal. Knowing your goals and objectives will enable one to focus their time and effort in a positive and constructive way.
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