Culture is Strategy (Thoughts From The Seven Military Classics of Ancient China)

(updated on 10.03.17)

 To establish a positive strategic culture, it begins with quality leadership.

Following is a listing of those components that establishes this category of leadership:

• the strategic direction (from the senior executives);
• the power and authority;
• the quality of Command and Control;
• the quality of Unity;
• the Dao of Field Managers;
• the quality of strategic organization, administration and discipline;
• the proper evaluation of  people;
• the proper employment of people;
• the motivation of the field expeditors;
• the psychology of competition;
• rewards and punishments; and 
• instruction and training.

 More to come.  ... 

What is Strategic Power? (2)

The victorious army is like a ton compared with an ounce, while the defeated army is an ounce weight against a ton!  The combat of the victorious is like the sudden release of an pent-up torrent down a thousand-fathom gorge.  This is the strategic disposition of force.

Now the army's disposition of force is like water. Water's configuration avoids heights and races downward. The army's disposition of force avoids the substantial and strikes the vacuous. Water configures its flow in accord with the terrain;  the army controls it victory  in accord with the enemy.

How to Be An Expert in The World of Pseudo Experts

(updated at 16:16 hrs)

In the information economy, there are experts and pseudo experts.  

The fundamentals in selling this specific service do not change too often.  ...   The strategic attributes of price, quality, and good customer service do count   

In our "loud" economy,  noise prevails than signal.   Brand experience is about creating a subtle level of deception while .  Selling short term gratification to the naive. 


To be The Expert in a Noisy Setting 
He or she does not  waste much time on "twittering" or "facebooking"  

He  or she does not waste much inspiring people (Preachers who sell smoke, bells, whistles, snake oil and paper noodles, are great at this activity.)     They do not spent time telling people to join their community. Some of them belonged to this group.

They are focused on solving tangible problems while staying ahead of the curve.

Those who don't, usually do not know how things work and why it works.  But they are able to sell instant answers to the mindless audience.  Pursuing that option and succeeding is subjective because the quantity of quality competition. 

Paraphrasing what the late Bill Walsh said in an early 2000's commercial, "the best coach (strategist) is one who stays focused on the game while being mindful of its settings. ... He can see all 22 players in motion."

In other words, seeing how objects and events are synchronized for that grand strategic moment.

The Essence of the Expert 
The "real" experts are the ones who recognize the on-coming question while their counter-parts are focused on understanding the current answer.  

Depending on the configuration of the situation, they can perform that action without a technological mean!

q: Do you know what are the specifics for that methodology? 

So, how does one stays focused on the game while being mindful of its settings? 

Can You Truly Become The Expert?

It depends greatly on the following attributes:

• one's will to learn as much as possible;
• one's will to to persist and to succeed;
• one's network of subject-based experts;
• one's ability to prioritize and 
• one ability to connect the dots 
• one's ability to capitalize on the connection efficiently before the cycle of opportunity is over.

Having the skillset to assess, position and influence is important.  

Remember, the depthness of one's expertise will triumph over  experience.

More to come.

Play Ball! (Insights on the Irrelevancy of Moneyball)

(updated 04.09.15)

Go [ Pick a Team Name ].  Play Ball!

True strategists have never been a fan of this unique "talent evaluation" approach.   It is an integration of hype and minor substance.   Ask Tony LaRussa.

Click here, here, here and here for Tony La Russa's view of Moneyball.

                               

Quick Synopsis

The Oakland A's and many professional baseball teams have been using Sabermetrics as a talent evaluation process for numerous years. 

During the early stage of Moneyball, the A's management somehow discovered a few unique indicators within the statistics  that most of its implementers did not noticed. They became moderately successful with their Moneyball process, that a book was written about it. Then. many other baseball teams began to copy their process.

It was good publicity for the A's. However, no good deed goes unpunished.

Since the inception of the Moneyball book, the Oakland A's still has not won the World Series . However the Boston Red Sox team who possessed a larger strategic foundation (i.e, intelligence gathering resources, economics, logistics, etc.), used the Moneyball process as a part of their strategic foundation to win three World Series since 2004.

Side notes: The odds of the Red Sox reaching the playoffs again are about 50-50.

During the successful years of the A's, an associate and I had a discussion with a local Bay Area sport media insider on the Moneyball phenomenon He told us that the A's management should have kept the technicalities behind the process a secret. It was a major blunder to allow Michael Lewis to get an insider look on the team's talent evaluation process. Even Michael Lewis agreed that his book caused the A's to lose a few opportunities.

Since 2012, the A's have regained some of their magic and began to make a push to contend for the playoffs.  They still have not been able to prevail over their first opponent.

Last season, their record was less than .500.  I suspected they might achieve a similar record.


Assessing Competition From a Macro View
In the information economy, successful innovation is regularly imitated. ... 

The larger and well-resourced competition would usually adapt any successful process or tool into their system quite well. In most instances, they can afford to err. The smaller competitors regularly operated on the margin of near-zero error. The outcome is obvious if they blundered. In most cases, they are regularly focused on low-risk, low reward ventures.

Thoughts on the Moneyball Movie
Years ago, I saw the Moneyball movie and thought that it was ok. It was a nice narrative of a fairy tale.  

I knew people who were A's fans who loved the movie. After they saw the movie, I usually asked them about the projected timeline for the A's winning another World Series.  ... After a few moments of contemplation, they began to have their own breathing challenges. 

Some of them were just bandwagon jumpers until the A's went through a dry spell of losing seasons. Then, they left their team and pretended to be Giants fans. Most of them did not even live in Oakland. 

These bandwagon jumpers do not know anything historical about the game, and the team but the score and the names of a few players.   It was so pathetic.   

Click here on why one might question the loyalty of A's fans.

Ruminations from the Compass Desk

Following is a series of lessons that one can learn from the Oakland A's campaign from the days of Moneyball until now:

Lesson #1

Always credit luck as the origin of your success.

Lesson #2

Never offer outsiders any tangible insight to your trade secrets

Lesson #3

Never provide your competition the opportunity to utilize your trade secrets against you.

Lesson #4

In the information economy, every relevant competitor has a similar tool set. Obtaining the exclusive skill and the strategic experience to master the toolset is always the first challenge. Once success is attained, concealing the secret variation of the general toolkit becomes the other challenge.

Lesson #5

It is nice to cheer for the underdog. However, the majority of the masses only remember the grand winner, not the losers.

Note: So, do you remember the losers for the last five World Series? 

Lesson #6

The complete knowledge of one's grand terrain and the resourcefulness of each contending competitor have usually enabled the "persevering" strategist to succeed on the long run. (Read the last quote from Chapter 10 of the Art of War. You might understand why. )

Lesson #7a

No specific process is perfect. It evolves due to situational changes

Lesson #7b

The precise execution of the process is a prevailing factor. 

Lesson #7c

Regardless of the process or the strategy, the attribute of talent and the accessibility of resources have usually prevail in extreme situations.  A good strategy never hurts

Lesson #7d

In a predictable (and an even parity-based) situation, the strategic experience of the chief decision maker becomes relevant.

Lesson #8

The knowledge of identifying the pretenders, the underdogs and the contenders is quite important in all strategic situations.

Lesson #9

When the scarcity of resources becomes tangible, the competitive strategists have usually spend more time in the act of assessing the specifics.  Then, they compared their own assessment of themselves to the assessment of their competition.

Lesson #10

Connecting the specifics to the grand overview usually means that one has a understanding of the Big Tangible Picture (BTP).

Lesson #11a

One's own comprehension of the configuration behind the Big Tangible Picture (BTP) is usually proportional to the implementation of their strategic advantage (aka. strategic power)

Lesson #11b

No strategic advantage (or strategic power) lasts forever.

Protecting the Advantage
In reference to lesson one, the first chapter of Jiang Tai Gong's Six Secret Teachings (The Civil Teaching) provides a sound and solid perspective on how to protect one's advantage.

Read, review and reflect.

King Wen asked Tai Gong:"How does one preserve the state's territory?"

Tai Gong said: "Do not estrange your relatives. Do not neglect the masses. Be concillatory and solicitous towards nearby states and control all that is under you. Do not loan the authority of state to other men. If you loan the authority of state to other men, then you will lose your authority. Do not hurt those of lower position to benefit those of higher position. Do not abandon the fundamental to save those that are inconsequential.

When the sun is at midday, you should dry things. If you grasp a knife, you must cut. If you hold an axe, you must attack."

"If at the height of the day, you do not dry things in the sun, this is termed losing the opportunity.

If you grasp a knife but do not cut anything, you will lose the moment for profits. If you hold an axe and do not attack, enemies will attack instead."

"If trickling streams are not blocked, they will become great rivers. If you do not extinguish the smallest flames, there is nothing much you can do when it turns into great flames.

If you do not eliminate the two-leaf sapling, you might have to use the axe to remove it in future." "For this reason, the ruler must focus on developing wealth within his state. Without material wealth, he has nothing with which to spread beneficence or to bring his relatives together.

If he estranges his relatives it will be harmful. If he loses the common people, he will be defeated. "

"Do not loan sharp weapons to other men. If you loan sharp weapons to other men, you will be hurt by them and will not live out your allotted span of years."

King Wen said:"What do you mean by benevolence and righteousness?"

Tai Gong replied: "Respect the common people, unite your relatives. If you respect the common people, they will be in harmony. And if you unite your relatives, they will be happy. This is the way to implement the essential cords of benevolence and righteousness."

"Do not allow other men to snatch away your awesomeness. Rely on your wisdom, follow the norm. Those that submit and accord with you, treat them generously and virtuously. Those that oppose you, break with force. If you respect the people and trust, the state will be peaceful and populace submissive." 
- T’ai Kung Liu-t’ao (Six Secret Teachings)

More on this subject matter can be found in the Seven Military Classics of Ancient China.

###

Profiting and Succeeding by Knowing the Pragmatic Practices of Successful Strategists

Following is an update of Pragmatic Practices (3): Compass Rules of Strategy:

• Scripting the first 25 tactical plays, the adjustment plays based on the first tactical plays and situational plays in a sem-predictable setting
• Always ensure that each move has a purpose;
• Study problems and challenges in terms of completeness;
• Always record each relevant project and then study it; 
• Reading the Eight Classics (Seven Military Classics of Ancient China and Sun Bin's Military Methods { Art of Warfare}), Dao De Jing and other classics once per year;
• Listening to audio books while doing non-lethal mono-task.
• Building patience and control by practicing the various "Standing and Centering" exercises of Yi Quan, Taijiquan Baguazhang, and other internal martial art systems.
• Focus on the objective while being mindfully aware of one's settings and beyond
• Assess, Position and Influence

More to come. 

Notes on Jiang Tai Gong's Six Secret Teachings (Section 2 of Chapter 1)

The observed lessons from the second section of chapter one (The Civil Teaching: Fullness and Emptiness) are:

• Some countries (or organizations) are chaotic while others are in order;
• The state and fortunes of any country (or organizations) are due to the leadership qualities of the emperor (chief executive officers), not by chance, divine beings, etc.
• A worthy ruler focuses on the interest of others while not living in a grand comfort nor does he adorns himself with an exquisite setting.
• Greatness originates from one's own integrity and how he/she treats his followers, the outsiders and the observers.
• Rewarding those who are loyal and who respect others.
• Rewarding good acts from people who have done bad things.
• Identifying and prohibiting unethical practices.

Comments From The Compass Desk 
"Full and Empty" is a principle that is connected to the macro concept of Yin and Yang. This concept is also used in Daoism and Chinese martial arts. 

Regardless of the activity, we breathe by alternating the motion of full (yang) and empty (yin).

Fullness can also mean being connected to the entire organization (or country), feeling everything within oneself.  

Emptiness can be described a divesting yourself from activities that are not match your standards of ethics and quality. It also alienate you from the people within the organization.

Fullness implies action. Emptiness involves patience.  There is a place for each quality.  Having a mindful state of the connectivity that exists within the Big Tangible Picture (BTP) is the focus point of the successful strategists.

Applying to Competitive Strategy  
If someone attacked us, we yield displayed emptiness (yin), giving them nothing to press against. As they returned to their position (for the purpose of regaining balance), we follow, stick to the essence of their position with the force of fullness (yang)

Side note
This strategic classic was written by Jiang Tai Gong, the father of Chinese strategy.

(Opps! The order of the chapters are incorrectly posted. Ugh!?. Click here for section three of chapter one) 

Notes on Jiang Tai Gong's Six Secret Teachings (Section 3 of Chapter One )

(updated on 08.03.15) 

The observed lessons from the third section of chapter one (The Civil Teaching: Affairs of State) are:

The key objective of the grand leader is to treat all people as a member of his close family.  Then, everything else follows. Assist them in their endeavor. Do not harm them.  Beside providing them with jobs, offering them positive advice that comfort them, significant meaning to their lives , and happiness. Be more equal. Minimize or zero out the gap between you and your people.   Impose rewards, punishments and duties as if they were for yourself. Comments From the Compass Desk

To lead people, it is important to understand love, trust and respect from a grand perspective of bilateral reciprocity .  One only get what he/she gives.

Side note
This strategic classic was written by Jiang Tai Gong, the father of Chinese strategy .

Succeeding in the Information Economy with the Right Practices: The Belichick's Hoodie

The Myth 
Regardless of the categories of sports, there are those fanatics who liked to imitate their favorite coaches and players for a myriad of reasons.

In the region of New England, there are the hardcore fans who followed Bill Belichick's habit of wearing his trademark hoodie 24/7 for the purpose of being like "Bill".

In most cases, it would be a miracle if any of them can emulate his strategic thinking or strategic decision management skills under duress

The Hoodie
While you can click here, here  and here for more trivia on wearing the Bill Belichick's hoodie, we recommended that you click here for the reason of understanding the psychology behind this practice of wearing the same (or similar) outfit everyday. 

You can secure more information on buying a Belichick's hoodie by clicking here.  I usually preferred the blue one.

We cannot guarantee that you will successfully triumph in your numerous ventures by wearing a Belichick's type of hoodie.  But your competition might somehow remember you regardless of the results.

Side Note: American Giant of San Francisco produces a high-quality "Made in USA" sweat shirt.

What Really Works? The Walsh's Tradition of Scripting
Some people believed that they can be triumphant just by imitating the habits of their idols without ever understanding the true reasons behind the person. 

Many of us at Compass360 CG  preferred to mindfully implement the process of Assessing, Positioning and Influencing the situation before ever utilizing the Bill Walsh's tradition of scripting a game plan. We understand the strategic and tactical reasoning, the means and methods and the situations for applying it

Click here on the understanding the basics of scripting.

"In planning, never a useless move. In strategy, no step is in vain. ..." - Chen Hao

The subtle objective behind having a good "starter play" script is devising a sequence of scripted plays that quietly achieves a multiplicity of tactical objectives. This will assist the playcaller to make the proper adjustment play.


The Benefits
Conclusively, the constant implementation of scripting a plan will enable the practicing strategists to understand the sequence for meeting their goal.

"In the field of observation, fortune favors the prepared mind." - Louis Pasteur 

From our experience and other people's experience, this pragmatic practice psychologically focuses the strategic implementer  to stay centered on the targeted objective while being mindfully aware of one's own terrain and beyond.

The Truth
The myth of the hoodie reminded us of the Art of War Cult who carried their copy of Sunzi's Art Of War wherever they travel and for whatever strange reasons, thinking that the possession of that book would offered them an immediate strategic edge.  

As many of us know, that is a pure myth, just like wearing a hoodie or a red-colored shirt will make you a winner.

Learning how to script a gameplan will make the implementer a better strategic thinker while wearing the hoodie will only keep him/her warm.

When one can assess, position and influence the configuration of their Big Tangible Picture and beyond, the scripting of the tactical plays becomes easier.

The Compass Practice
I have no knowledge whether some of my fellow associates have ever wore a hoodie while standing during the scripting of a plan. But it is a good practice for centering oneself to a task at hand.  Listening to a murmur of Mozart's piano concertos and Bach's keyboard concertos while scripting the strategic plan and sipping a cup of Dragon Well tea will indirectly increase your productivity.

We will post other relevant, but efficient Compass Practices in the future.


Side Note: Viewing the Big Tangible Picture
In ancient China, some of the elite desktop strategists understand their Big Tangible Picture (the BTP) by reading Jiang Tai Gong's Six Secret Teachings and Wuzi's classic (Art of War) before ever concluding a grand decision of pursuing a collaboration or a conflict with another party. 

The essays of Sunzi's, Jiang Tai Gong's and Wuzi are found in Dr. Ralph D. Sawyer's translation of The Seven Military Classics of Ancient China.  

Our experience tells us that the superior but pragmatic practice is assessing the singularity of the Big Tangible Picture before integrating one's strategic script with the various strategic and tactical principles from The Eight (not Seven) Military Classics of Ancient China (Seven Classics + Sun Bin's Military Methods).

Side Note
Go Patriots! Beat the Colts.

(update) 
The Visiting Patriots defeats the Colts  42-20 on Sunday the 16th of Nov..

The Best Practices of Desktop Strategists: Plan Your Work. Then Work Your Plan

Updated at 11:18 hrs

Plan your work. Then work your plan. Does that sound simple?

How can one plan their work when he or she does not know the basics for building a plan?  Better yet, does he or she know the configuration of the situation in terms of connectivity and consistency?

The Compass Process

Step One: Assess.   
Click here for the basics of assessing 

Step Two: Positioning Strategically by Planning and Preparing
Following is an abridged  listing of questions that the newbie project strategist should ask him or herself?

• What is the first step for planning a project?
• When does one establishes the metrics for their goals and objectives?
• When does one establishes the priorities for their goals and objectives?
• When does one establish the risk points for their goals and objectives?

Without the knowledge of those basics, the timeline will not be met and the project costs will escalated.  The project strategist would be lucky if half of the project requirements are met.

Some of our associates have suggested to me that the newbie strategist should take a class on strategic project management while reading the "Eight Strategy Classics" (Seven Military Classics of Ancient China + Sun Bin's Military Methods) during their off hours. It is that simple.  ... 

Step Three : Influence the Setting With One's Strategic Position
We will cover this specific topic in a future post.

Understanding the Big Tangible Picture by Reading Jiang Tai Gong's Six Secret Teachings

The Six Secret Teachings is a favorite book for the serious strategists who wanted to understand the Big Tangible Picture (BTP) of an extreme competitive terrain for over two thousand years. Those who are involved in the modern consulting/ strategy game, could learn something from this classical book. 

The Origin

In the Zhou dynasty of the 11th century BC, an elderly, eccentric advisor known as Tai Gong devised a set of principles relating to government and warfare through the reported conversations with Emperor Wen and his successor, Emperor Wu.

Throughout Chinese history, there were many "secret teachings" and "confidential notebook and essays" in many areas. Labeling these certain items under the category as a secret makes them more desirable as they seem scarce and harder to access. To access these so-called secrets typically requires investment that leads to greater commitment, as the student acts to sustain consistency with their investment.

(There is a long range benefit from learning from this "exclusive" manual. We could tell you. But it is better if you read it.) 

Chapter One: King Wen's Teacher 

The first chapter introduces King Wen and his meeting with his teacher, Jiang Tai Gong who utilizes the analogy of fishing to offer learning points.

He talked about the importance of being a 'True men of worth' and that it is the type of person that any wise ruler should be. By speaking in this manner , the Tai Gong immediately suggested that he could be his close adviser. The king immediately understood the value of Jiang Tai Gong's words (and being advised by his scribe), accepted this relationship.

The Art of Bait and Lure

The point about requiring big bait and a strong line to catch big fish is notable in the importance is places on commitment. If you are cautious or offer only simple bait, the big fish will detect your lack of commitment and either ignore you or capitalize on your weakness.

This section includes a direct reminder to the king to be kind to his people, pointing out how followership is thus created. The lesson that many of today's leaders still need to learn is that there is a base human nature towards the utilization of punishment and reward others when motivation is needed . It requires more skill to use kindness that leads people to truly want to do as you ask.  This enables you to seldomly command the people to do your bidding.

Lessons

• A true man of worth is usually ambitious. Using the fisherman analogy, he pursues whales and sharks. While the common man have ordinary and common goals. As a fisherman, he catches only guppies and minnows. 
• True men are drawn together by common interest in significant affairs.
• To lure a big fish, one needs a big but attractive bait and a strong fishing line. This may require significant commitment from the ambitious leader. Simple, glittering rewards only attract the small fry.
• A worthy (or sage)  ruler utilizes many approaches that play to the emotions of his counter parts. He shows humanity, virtue and righteousness by sharing, sparing, relieving and eliminating hardship. This is the manner to create followers.

Side Notes 
Other future posts on Jiang Tai Gong will include brief notes on the gist of each relevant chapter of this classic.  

For more details on both this chapter and the full translation of Six Secret Teachings, read Dr. Ralph D. Sawyer's Seven Military Classics of Ancient China (1993). 

# In the age of instant information and immediate gratification, some people do not know what is tangible anymore.  The truth that originated from the classics, has never changed.  

More to come 

Using the Sunzi's Victory Temple Model to Solve The McChrystal's Afghanistan PowerPoint Problem

source: the guardian . com 

(updated at 3:33 am)

Some of us were busy with our "Strategic Assessment" book project, a few years ago.  After realizing "the state of the book market" and that the state of the strategy business have changed dramatically, that we decided to de-prioritize our book project and focused on our immediate objectives. 

During the book writing process, we were focused on the various complex strategic assessment situations that would interest our audience of strategic thinkers and implementers.

Following is an abridged example of our strategic assessment approach for a quite complex situation:  

The McChrystal Afghanistan PowerPoint slide: can you do any better?
Is the "Afghanistan Stability/COIN Dynamics – Security" slide a set of meaningless squiggles or a comprehensive guide to Afghanistan? And how would you improve on it?

Gen Stanley McChrystal, leader of American and NATO forces in Afghanistan, was shown a PowerPoint slide in Kabul last summer meant to portray the complexity of American military strategy Illustration: PA

Well you can see why Nato hasn't cracked Afghanistan yet. The Microsoft PowerPoint slide which drove US military General Stanley McChrystal to declare that "When we understand that slide, we'll have won the war" at a briefing in Kabul last summer has led to big questions about the world's reliance on the presentation software.

As Julian Borger wrote yesterday:

The diagram has an undeniable beauty. Done the right way (embroidered perhaps) it would make a lovely wallhanging and an ideal gift for the foreign policy-maker in your life. But it is a bit of a red herring … It was designed to convey the complexity of the Afghan conflict. But the big problem with PowerPoint is that it makes everything seem simple.It does not link ideas or facts in any kind of human narrative. It just lists them as bullet-points, a shopping list of things to do or jobs already done.

So, here's the Datablog challenge: how would you do it? Is there another way to present the information that doesn't look like it has been put together by a kitten with a ball of string?

Post links to them in the comment field below. The best will get displayed here. Or could even change the course of the war. Or something like that.

source: the guardian

Introduction  

Instead of viewing the above situation as a math equation or a "pick and choose"  scenario, General McChrystal and his staff should have observed it from a perspective of a macro object-oriented formula that is composed of many descending levels of other formulas. 

Thinking in terms of relativity and "fitting" qualifiers (instead of the absolute factor)  is the most efficient approach to meet the challenge of comprehending the complexity of the situation as long as one has the time, the resources and the patience to do so.

Using the Occam's approach for strategic assessment is not going to cut it here because of the obvious reason.

A Connection to the Chinese Strategy Classics

The partial framework of our proposed solution model is based on the connectivity of the following two principles from Sunzi's Art of War and an array of other strategic principles from the Seven Military Classics of Ancient China.

"Before the engagement, one who determines in the ancestral temple that he will be victorious has found that the majority of factors are in his favor. Before the engagement on who determines in the ancestral temple that he will not be victorious has found few factors are in his favor. If one who finds that the majority of factors favor him will be victorious while one who has found few factors favor him will be defeated, what about someone who finds no factors in his favor?  

If I observe it from this perspective, victory and defeat will be apparent. ...  After estimating the advantages in accord with what you have heard, put it into effect with strategic power (shin) supplemented by field tactics that respond to external factors. As for strategic power, [it is] controlling the tactical imbalance of power (ch'uan) in accord with the gains to be realized. "

- Art of War, 1  (Sawyer's translation)

A part of this solution could be found in Sawyer's translation of Li Quan's book.  ... You do know what are the factors and how to connect the dots. Do you know it?


A Brief Abstract of our Compass Solution Model

Our proposed solution model is focused on comprehending the "connectivity" state of a specific strategic situation by implementing the following steps:

• Identify the PESTLE specifics of each strategic principal; 
• Determine the validity of each principal by its weight and its balancing point to the Big Tangible Picture; 
• Examine the tangibility of the information behind each strategic principal; 
• Analyze the probable and the possible action of each strategic principal before connecting it to the Big Tangible Picture (BTP); and
• Lead with the assessed choice that offers the best benefits and the minimal to zero drawbacks to the implementers. 

Comments From the Compass Desk 

There is a grand order to everything from the various business terrains to the strategic situations within certain board games. Most people are rarely aware of this universal law, especially if their pseudo strategy experts and/or their clients who are so focused on the rules, the situational simplifications and the simple mindless practices that they do not ever assessing the singularity of a strategic situation and the possible strategic exceptional move.

Understanding the connectivity of those factors is step one. Hypothesizing on the possible responses and the counter-responses of a strategic situation usually enables one to staying ahead of the break even point. 

While the Dao prevails in everything, the challenge is whether one could utilize it in their favor, especially in a complex situation, is a different story.

# # #

More on Assessing Strategically from the Perspective of Sherlock Holmes

Wikipedia

Sherlock Holmes Quotes
'My name is Sherlock Holmes.  It is my business to know what other people don't know.'
-The Adventure of the Blue Carbuncle

---
'I am the last and highest court of appeal in detection.'
-The Sign of Four
Chapter 1: "The Science of Deduction"

---
'There is nothing like first-hand evidence.'
-A Study in Scarlet

 ---
"The world is full of obvious things which nobody by any chance ever observes."
-The Hound of the Baskervilles

Chapter 3: "The Problem"

---
'You see, but you do not observe. The distinction is clear.'
- A Scandal in Bohemia

---
'It is a capital mistake to theorize before one has data. Insensibly one begins to twist facts to suit theories, instead of theories to suit facts.'
-A Scandal in Bohemia

---
'I never guess. It is a shocking habit,—destructive to the logical faculty.'
-The Sign of Four
Chapter 2: "The Science of Deduction"

---
'You know my method. It is founded upon the observation of trifles.'
-The Bascombe Valley Mystery

---
'There is nothing more deceptive than an obvious fact.'
-The Bascombe Valley Mystery

---
"'Is there any point to which you would wish to draw my attention?'

'To the curious incident of the dog in the night-time.'

'The dog did nothing in the night-time.'

'That was the curious incident,' remarked Sherlock Holmes.'"

Exchange between Inspector Gregory and Sherlock Holmes
-Silver Blaze

---
'Eliminate all other factors, and the one which remains must be the truth.'
-The Sign of Four
Chapter 1: "The Science of Deduction"

 ---
'How often have I said to you that when you have eliminated the impossible, whatever remains, however improbable, must be the truth?'
-The Sign of Four

Chapter 6: "Sherlock Holmes Gives a Demonstration

---
'...when you have eliminated all which is impossible, then whatever remains, however improbable, must be the truth.'
-The Blanched Soldier

---
'It is an old maxim of mine that when you have excluded the impossible, whatever remains, however improbable, must be the truth.'
-The Beryl Coronet

---
'Come, Watson, come!' he cried. 'The game is afoot. Not a word! Into your clothes and come!'
-The Adventure of the The Abbey Grange

 ---
"Data! Data! Data!" he cried impatiently. "I can't make bricks without clay."
-The Adventure of the Copper Beeches

  ---
'I cannot live without brain-work. What else is there to live for?'
-The Sign of Four

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'They say that genius is an infinite capacity for taking pains,' he remarked with a smile. 'It's a very bad definition, but it does apply to detective work.'
-A Study in Scarlet

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'There is nothing new under the sun. It has all been done before.'
-A Study in Scarlet

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'I ought to know by this time that when a fact appears to be opposed to a long train of deductions it invariably proves to be capable of bearing some other interpretation.'
-A Study in Scarlet
Chapter 3: "Light in the Darkness"

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'Which is it today,' I asked, 'morphine or cocaine?'
He raised his eyes languidly from the old black-leather volume which he had opened.
'It is cocaine,' he said, 'a seven-per-cent solution. Would you like to try it?'
An exchange between Dr. Watson and Sherlock Holmes
-The Sign of Four
Chapter 1: "The Science of Deduction"

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'I never make exceptions.  An exception disproves the rule.'
-The Sign of Four
Chapter 2: "The Statement of the Case'

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Holmes took his revolver from his drawer and slipped it in his pocket.  It was clear that he thought that our night's work might be a serious one.
Observation of Dr. Watson
-The Sign of Four
Chapter 3: "In Quest of a Solution"

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So silent and furtive were his movements, like those of a trained bloodhound picking out a scent, that I could not but think what a terrible criminal he would have made had he turned his energy and sagacity against the law instead of exerting them in its defence.
Observation of Dr. Watson
-The Sign of Four
Chapter 6: "Sherlock Holmes Gives a Demonstration"

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'I listen to their story, they listen to my comments, and then I pocket my fee.'
-A Study in Scarlet
Chapter 2: "The Science of Deduction"

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'What one man can invent another can discover.'
-The Adventure of the Dancing Man

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'The emotional qualities are antagonistic to clear reasoning.'
-The Sign of Four

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 'I think that there are certain crimes which the law cannot touch, and which therefore, to some extent, justify private revenge.'
-The Adventure of Charles Augustus Milverton

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 'What object is served by this circle of misery and violence and fear?  It must tend to some end, or else our universe is ruled by chance, which is unthinkable.'
-The Cardboard Box

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When I glanced again his face had resumed that red-Indian composure which had made so many regard him as a machine rather than a man. 
Dr. Watson Observing Sherlock Holmes
-The Crooked Man

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 'Having gathered these facts, Watson, I smoked several pipes over them, trying to separate those which were crucial from others which were merely incidental.' 
-The Crooked Man 

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 He [Holmes] loved to lie in the very centre of five millions of people, with his filaments stretching out and running through them, responsive to every little rumor or suspicion of unsolved crime.
Dr. Watson's Observation of Sherlock Holmes
-The Resident Patient

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 'My mind is like a racing engine, tearing itself to pieces because it is not connected up with the work for which it was built.' 
-The Man with the Twisted Lip

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"My mind," he said, "rebels at stagnation. Give me problems, give me work, give me the most abstruse cryptogram or the most intricate analysis, and I am in my own proper atmosphere. I can dispense then with artificial stimulants. But I abhor the dull routine of existence. I crave for mental exaltation. That is why I have chosen my own particular profession,—or rather created it, for I am the only one in the world."
-The Sign of Four
Chapter 1: "The Science of Deduction"

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 'When a doctor does go wrong, he is the first of criminals.  He has the nerve and he has the knowledge.' 
-The Adventure of the Speckled Band

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'Nothing clears up a case so much as stating it to another person.' 
-Silver Blaze

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'I think that you know me well enough, Watson, to understand that I am by no means a nervous man. At the same time, it is stupidity rather than courage to refuse to recognize danger when it is close upon you.'
-The Final Problem

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 'I confess that I have been blind as a mole, but it is better to learn wisdom late than never to learn it at all.' 
-The Man with the Twisted Lip

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'A man should keep his little brain attic stocked with all the furniture that he is likely to use, and the rest he can put away in the lumber-room of his library where he can get it if he wants.' 
-The Five Orange Pips

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'I consider that a man's brain originally is like a little empty attic, and you have to stock it with such furniture as you choose.  A fool takes in all the lumber of every sort that he comes across, so that the knowledge which might be useful to him gets crowded out, or at best is jumbled up with a lot of other things, so that he has a difficulty in laying his hands on it. Now the skillful workman is very careful indeed as to what he takes into his brain-attic.  He will have nothing but the tools which may help him in doing his work, but of these he has a large assortment, and all in the most perfect order.  It is a mistake to think that little room has elastic walls and can distend to any extent.  Depend uon it - there comes a time when for every addition of knowledge you forget something that you knew before.  It is of the highest importance, therefore, not to have useless facts elbowing out the useful ones.' 
-A Study in Scarlet
Chapter 2: "The Science of Deduction"

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'It has long been an axiom of mine that the little things are infinitely the most important.'
-A Case of Identity

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'It is my belief, Watson, founded upon my experience, that the lowest and vilest alleys in London do not present a more dreadful record of sin than does the smiling and beautiful countryside.'
-The Copper Beeches

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  On this page are some of the most famous and perhaps not so famous quotes from the Sherlock Holmes short stories and books as written by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle. These quotes and sayings are from the great Detective Sherlock Holmes, his friend, Dr. John Watson, and others.  For each quote, the name of the person speaking and the short story or novel the quote was copied from have been provided. More of the quote is provided to show context for some of the more famous quotes. There are hundreds of quotes and we seek to be the most complete source of s on the Internet.  Feel free to share any quotes and sayings that we may have missed. Dont forget to provide the source of any quote you submit.  All quotes on this web site were written or spoken by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle unless otherwise stated.

--- Robert Downey Jr,  Benedict Cumberbatch . 

Source: Sherlock Holmes Quotes 

When the crime case arrives to the front door of Sherlock Holmes, the complexity of the crime has already exceed the skill set of the pseudo experts.  They have met the standards of the Peter Principle.

After some rounds of inquiring and assessing, he triumphs at the conclusion of of the story by questioning the quality of certain obvious points while identifying the non-obvious points.

You could say that Holmes usually searched for the zebra not the horses.


Suggestion
From reading Sherlock Holmes, the observant strategist realized that knowing a collage of strategies and the act of assessing strategically are worthless if one is not mindfully observant of the specifics behind the factors. 

Identifying the key performance indicators (KPI) for one's strategic situation is the easy part. Pinpointing the prevailing tactical factors behind each KPI for your situation is the real challenge.  We presumed that you definitively know the reasoning behind that point  If not, contact us.