Succeeding and Profiting Through the Process of Assessing, Positioning and Influencing (The SF Niners Style)

This post is an updated version of a previous entry on the San Francisco kicker.  

Throughout the past football season. some of us followed  Phil Dawson's progress. (Side note: The others are New England Patriots fans.)

In early December, Dawson was responsible for the final score against Seattle and named NFC Special Teams Player of the Week for his four-field-goal performance. 

After that game, Phil Dawson,was named the NFC’s Special Teams Player of the Week again against the Phoenix Cardinals.  ...  He centered himself and kicked the winning field goal again.

The head coach thought quite highly of his performance. Statistically, his scoring record was greater than the quarterback.

A few months later, The San Francisco Forty Niners re-signed him for another season for his previous season successes.

The 2013 Post

Everyone prepares for a competitive situation in their own way.  Some mediates. Others either talk and wait or practice their tactical routines.  Phil Dawson of the San Francisco Forty Niners strategizes his next game time situation by studying the weather reports and practices his kicks.

#
Dawson, 38, routinely mines data from Weather.com, AccuWeather.com and WeatherBug.com.

“I’m pretty psycho, I’ve got to admit,” he said. “It’s a borderline problem.”

Dawson’s history in wind, sleet and horizontal-blowing snow became relevant when he signed with the 49ers in March. Dawson’s new home stadium, Candlestick Park, is known for its swirling winds that mess with field-goal attempts, and kickers’ heads.

But Dawson has been there. Endured that. He’s played 204 of his 215 career games outdoors, with 108 coming at the Browns stadium, which is perched on the shores of blustery Lake Erie.

Dawson has played 12 percent of his career games in Cleveland in December. The average forecast for the city in the final month of the year: High of 30.9 degrees with 12-mile-per-hour winds and .38 inches of snow fall (that’s from climate-zone.com, Phil).

... Despite consistently weathering less-than-ideal conditions, Dawson ranks ninth in NFL history in field-goal percentage (84.0) and third in percentage from 50-plus yards (70.6). Seventeen months removed from his 40th birthday, he’s improving with age: He ranked second in the NFL in field-goal percentage (93.5) in 2012 en route to his first Pro Bowl and has drilled 14 of 15 attempts from 50-plus yards since 2011.

The 49ers believe they’ve upgraded after six-time Pro Bowler David Akers, 38, who was cut in March, endured his worst season in 2012. Dawson has missed 14 attempts (93 of 107) since 2009, one more than Akers missed in last year’s final 14 regular-season games.

Given his sustained success, Dawson is optimistic he can handle the inevitable surprises during the 49ers’ final season at The Stick.

PHILD“I think those experiences can only help, but they’re no guarantee,” Dawson said. “So I’ve still got to put the work in. I’ve got to wear out Weather.com like I always do trying to figure out hourly forecasts and wind directions. Has it rained that week? Is the field going to be soft? Is it going to be firm? All that kind of stuff. I’ve got to do my homework.”

Dawson did some advance Stick scouting in the offseason, visiting the stadium several times to get more acquainted after only playing two career games in San Francisco. In 2003, Dawson missed his only attempt, a 48-yarder, at Candlestick. In 2011, he made his only kick, a 52-yarder. Not surprisingly, Dawson recalls that he kicked in ideal conditions during his previous visits to the stadium.

“The weather’s been perfect,” Dawson said. “I’m still holding out hope that I’m bringing that with me. Lord knows I’ve played in rough stuff elsewhere.”

Dawson has also endured rough seasons, from a team perspective. He’s appeared in just one postseason game and the 49ers’ recent success was alluring when he weighed his free-agent options.

Now, the weather wonk who has kicked in all elements is eager to experience playoff conditions for the first time since 2003.

“I’m more looking forward now to kicks that are more team-centered, rather than personal accomplishments,” Dawson said. “It’s been communicated to me that’s why I’m here.”

The full post may be read here. Click here for another view of this story

Assessing the Process of Phil Dawson 
On the field, Mr. Dawson operates without any gadget. His research already told him what would the weather be at that game day and at that specific time. Dawson knows the direction and the momentum of the wind at any part of the football field at any specific moment during the game and methodically follows his sequence of "readiness to implementation" with no hesitation.

Assess
He assesses by intuitively focusing on the range, the wind direction, the wind speed (by looking at the flags), the temperature, and humidity. 

Position
The first step of Positioning is the maneuvering toward the right place where Dawson begins the process of visualization while synchronizing his breathing with the projected execution. He then pre-positions his kick to the ready position while being mindful of the wind direction and the location of the yellow-colored goal posts.

Influence
This step begins when he scores the field goal and after the play is over. His team becomes more confident with him. In a climate-challenging situation, they know that there is a positive chance that he will score the field goal.

Influence always comes from a well-honed assessment and well-planned positioning.  Execute the influence is the endpoint of the process

To an outsider, it looks simple. But, Mr. Dawson have spent many hours, preparing himself for all types of complex-driven competitive situation. But nothing is ever simple especially in a highly stressed, high reward situation where there are other multi-components that also allowed the kick to be effective.

The Questions of the Day
Regardless of the situation, do you assess, position and influence your strategic situation with a script?

Like Phil Dawson, are you willing to spend the time assessing the specifics of your situations or bonding with your teammates?

Remember, victory love preparation. 

The Compass Approach to 
Maneuvering and Prevailing 
in a Complex Situation

Compass Rule: The time that it takes to assess, and position is inversely proportionally to that the time it takes to influence.

By realizing the complexity, the risk, the uncertainty and the volatility of a given situation, the successful strategists take their time to assess their situation systemically.  After a few sessions of intense preparation, the practice of implementing the "assess, position and influence" steps becomes automatic in a "real-time" competitive situation. 

The process model of Assessing, Positioning and Influencing requires absolute act of planning, preparation and practice.  Do you have the time, the discipline and the drive to do that?

From our experience, assessing, positioning and influencing through a script enables the implementer to become psychologically methodological. With practice, one could becomes subtle in one's own action. 

Some More Questions 
Do you ever methodically assess the targeted terrain before implementing your action? 

Do you make selective assessment a daily habit?   

Side note: The key to building this habit begins with the act of centering.

# # #

A Subtle Message on the Essence of Competition From California Governor Jerry Brown

Source: xtelesis

updated at  21:39 hr

Governor Brown expressed his reservations about legalizing marijuana for recreational use.  

"fiscal discipline is the fundamental predicate of a free society, ...  but it may help if everyone isn't getting stoned.  ... Well, we have medical marijuana, which gets very close to what they have in Colorado and Washington,  ... I'd really like those two states to show us how it's going to work. The problem with anything, a certain amount is OK.  But there is a tendency to go to extremes. And all of a sudden, if there's advertising and legitimacy, how many people can get stoned and still have a great state or a great nation? The world's pretty dangerous, very competitive. I think we need to stay alert, if not 24 hours a day, more than some of the potheads might be able to put together."

Read more here: http://blogs.sacbee.com/capitolalertlatest/2014/03/jerry-brown-worries-about-marijuana-legalization-and-potheads.html#storylink=cpy

Read more here: http://blogs.sacbee.com/capitolalertlatest/2014/03/jerry-brown-worries-about-marijuana-legalization-and-potheads.html#storylink=cpy

Sources:   Politico,   Sacramento Bee and  Washington Times

It is rare that the top-down results-based people and the field level "ground up" people are able to see the possible positivity and the possible negativity that could originate from the opposite view.  . . .  Governor Brown is one of those rare individuals who understands the opposing sides that originate from the legalization of marijuana.  . . . 
, 
Look at the state of Copenhagen, Denmark. One man's positive is another man's negative and vice-versa.   . . . Read and reflect on why other countries are still illegalizing marijuana.  . . . 

It takes an abundance of rules and regulations to manage this legal process. Who is willing to create the system and manage it? Is the projected outcome is greater than the projected income?

The State of Competition
"Competition is the greatest matter of any capitalistic economy, the basis of success and failure, the Dao to survival or extinction. It must be thoroughly contemplated and analysed." 

- Art Of War 1

The understanding of the social-economic psychology behind a grand situation enables one to see the risk benefits, the risk consequences and the challenges of a major political-social decision.   Could you see the chain reaction that could originate from this above decision?

The only way to stay safe is to assume the worst until one could see the matrix of connectivity that lies within the situation. 

Side Notes
The competitively innovative people are regularly mindfully alert. The state of being mindfully "stoned," will usually lower the state of competitive efficiency. 

One stays alert by practicing the art of mindful centerness. From personal experience, mindful centerness and sipping some good tea will assist one in become innovative.  ... While necessity is the mother of invention, mindful experience and conscious awareness are usually the causes for great innovation.

# # # 

Surviving a Knife Fight With a Gun! (Assess, Position and Influence)

Source: Wall321.com 

Updated at 15:55 hr

This past Friday,  an  unknown subject (unsub) was wielding a knife and walked around the San Jose State University campus,  looking quite threatening and lethal.  ... 

Two San Jose State University police officers arrived at the scene and ordered him to drop to the ground. The "unsub" advanced toward the police officers.  One officer attempted to use a taser device to neutralize him. Somehow, that tactic failed. The other officer who feared for his life and his partner's life, killed this knife-wielding person with two gunshots.

Neither officers were injured.

Assess, Position and Influence
“These are the ways that successful strategists are victorious. They cannot be spoken or transmitted in advance. ... Before the confrontation, they resolve in their mind that they will be victorious, have determined that the majority of factors are in their favor. Before the confrontation they resolve in their mind that they will not be victorious, have determined a few factors are in their favor.

If those who find that the majority of factors favor them, will be victorious while those who have found few factors favor them will be defeated, what about someone who finds no factors in their favor?

When observing from this viewpoint, victory and defeat will be apparent.”

- Art of War 1 (Paraphrased from the Sawyer's translation)

The police assessed the field (the configuration of the terrain) and concluded the open state of the space, the number of sidewalk speculators and  determined the character of the person (external leadership) as dangerous all within 10 seconds or less.

Position
The police officers used the tactic of staying a minimum of 50-100 feet away from their "unsub" while drawing their firearm on him.  ... They had the resources of the firearms, the tasers and the probable backup support from the other law enforcement officers . 

Because of the open terrain, the distance and the technology (firearms), the police strategy was to subdue the "unsub" immediately with no harm done to anyone by using the taser first. If the tactic is not effective and the armed unsub becomes a threat. Their only option was to neutralize him quickly.

Influence 
One officer used the taser.  However the tactic failed.  The other officer was forced to implement the lethal option.

Comments  
There are people who have watched too many martial art movies or cop movies, thinking that the skilled martial artist or police officer would use some finesse move to stop an criminal from performing any harmful acts.  . . .  Life is different.  . . . The police will take the most effective but pragmatic decision for the purpose of self-preservation. They are trained to follow their near-perfect training system while following the letter of the law. If these professionals are threatened during and after the duty time, the act of self defense is always justified. 

It has been rumored that highly skilled knife players who could position within certain distance of their gun-wielding fighter, have an equal chance of prevailing.   ...  However, no one feels lucky enough to experiment that scenario in real time.

Humorously, this post could have been titled "Never take a knife to a gunfight." ...   In a near-unpredictable tactical situation, the successful field strategists have always focus on their strengths while concealing their weaknesses.  . . .  It is a basic strategy rule.  . . . 
Knowing the exception to that rule is the tangible secret that ultra class strategists hold to the breast pockets of their suits.

Hint:

Preparing for this scenario is always a challenge. Click here for some pointers.  Personally, I preferred a pen over a sword.  . . . 

Side Notes
Unlike this situation, we have always believed in having an implement that has a greater technological advantage than to rely on a tactical-driven implement.  
 . . .  When operating in a tactical scenario where the competition has the technological advantage, the successful strategist who has the diversity of tactics, knows how to prevail over that disadvantage.   . . . The probability of prevailing in this situation is always questionable because of the pertinence of the time factor and the resources factor.  . . .  

"Thus one who excels at warfare first establishes himself in a position where he cannot be defeated while not losing any opportunity to defeat the enemy.
For this reason, the victorious army first realizes the conditions for victory, and then seeks to engage in battle. The vanquished army fights first and then seeks victory.
One who excels at employing the military cultivates the Tao and preserves the laws; therefore, he is able to be the regulator of victory and defeat.  ..."  -Art of War  4

Profit by Assessing Strategically: Assessing the Quality of a Sword

(updated at 5:55 hr.)
Source

How do you assess an certain object in an uncertain setting?

While studying the video of a displayed sword or an actual sword at an auction, you wanted to know if it is an actual antique sword or a well-made replica.  

Lets say that you have decided to purchase a jian (a Chinese double-edged sword). Based on your "sword collecting" experience and some sword play training experience, you have already known that it is the lightest of the Chinese medium-sized weapons and requires a great "intent-driven" skill to manipulate.  

Purchasing a Sword

As the blade was being slid from the sheath, you noticed the color of the blade as a glow of light that was reflected on it.

You were quietly impressed by the opulence and the elegance of the sword. After a few moments, you decided to seriously assess this exotic sword. 

The first step was the estimating of the weight, the length of the sword and the width of the blade in a New York second. 

The next step is the visual inspection of the pommel, the tang, the slab, the cross guard and the blade.

While estimating the thickness of the handle, you are also studying the design of the hilt.  Because of your expertise, you understood the origin of the design, the possible quality of metal from hilt to blade and the weight of the blade.

Beside on some of the earlier points, you have concluded that the hilt of the sword could be heavier than the blade.

Assessing the Sword By Physical Swordplay

Some novices or ranked amateurs would occasionally grab the bladed implement, look at it with a glance, feel the weight and the blade and started to "sling and fling" the blade geometrically a few times before stopping and deciding whether to procure it or not. Others just visually assess the blade, and concluded the possible quality of the sword before ever touching it or bargaining for it.

/// # We preferred to methodically and mindfully assess  any quality item that is exotic, exclusive and esoteric.  Beside evaluating the sharpness and the weight of the blade, we have always examine whether the sword is properly balanced by checking whether the pommel supports the rear of the hand, is able to counterbalance the blade's weight while also inspecting the quality of the scab that covers the tang.   # /// 

Before handling the sword, you were already warned about its extreme sharpness. The risk consequence of playing with this implement is quite obvious.

Your deep training in most categories of swords and the act of unifying your mind-body, qi and spirit gave you the skill to mindfully manipulate this sword with zero effort by carefully holding the sword in stillness while focusing on the outpoint of the sword, before any physical motion begins.  (You could read more on this subject matter by visiting our friends at Cook Ding's Kitchen. They have a stronger internal martial art background than we do. ... They are the specialists. We are just the martial arts newbies. )  ... 

There is more to this particular category of Chinese sword play than the action of drawing, cutting/thrusting and sheathing the blade. The constant practice of this "mindful aware-driven" exercise has enabled you to implement purposeful movements in your sword play and motion were not wasted. 

After a period of experimenting, you began to compare the experience of playing with this sword with the previous experiences of playing with the other similar swords. That requires a unique skill.   Those who have tangible martial art skills and experience, know what we are discussing. 

Mindful Practice
While some result-driven sword players are lucky that they are able to mindfully concentrate on their breathing, their balance and their rhythm, we preferred to focus our attention to the following five quality principles (or factors) while doing anything relevant:   

• Centering the body; 
• Relaxing the body; 
• Connecting the whole body to the ground;
• Calming the body; and 
• Feeling the body in a "whole/complete" perspective.

Whether you are assessing the quality of the sword or the quality of food, comparing and contrasting the various factors from each experience is how one profits in our information economy.  ... This is a deep psychological practice that requires many hours of continuous preparation. 

Back to the topic of sword, you might ask the following question, "whether the quality of this experience matches the value of this exotic sword?"

Side Notes 
After that experience of 120 seconds of swordplay, you have realized that this sword by itself dominates nothing. It only comes alive through your skillful manipulation.  . . .  Playing with a sword or any object does not build character.  It reveals the essence of the swordplayer.  ... In some instances, each action is an unified extension of the mind, the body and the spirit. . . . Mastery of real skills requires a sound and solid direction and many quiet sessions of mindful and insightful practices.

By watching the second video, one realized that good sword play with the jian is about being strong while being supple. 

The best swordplay in any chaotic situation is not to remove it from the sheath. 

In my case, i usually preferred the utilization of an exotic pen over a sword in certain situations.  Our other associates preferred the balance of both implements. 

Comment From The Compass Desk 

So how do you profit from this post? ... 

Because of the speed of the technology and the basic emotional behavior pattern to decide immediately, some members of the masses have a tendency to be deceived by obvious frauds.  ...  Whether you are assessing the purchase of a sword, an automobile or a sandwich, do you realistically assess the quality of any items before buying it?  ... The extra step could de-accelerate the act of immediate gratification. Ensuring that the deception has a hidden negative affect. That might have a value price of lost time and lost resources.  ... So, who do you trust?  Trust yourself.  ... Assess, Position and Influence.  ...

Look at the act of strategic assessment as one ounce of prevention.  

"One ounce of prevention is equal to one pound of cure."

"A snitch of time saves nine."

The constant saving of time and financial resources creates a gradual profit gain.

The avoidance of many "trial and error" sessions and the possibility of macro negative risk-consequences could occur by being strategically mindful in one's decision to assess.  

Playing the game of constant upgrade is something that we could not avoid, Getting constantly deceived is a game that one wants to avoid. From our own experience, learn the practice of assessing is quite beneficial in understanding the certainty of a scenario..  ... But it takes time to do it.  ... This view does not correspond with those ADD people who have the need for immediate gratification.

One only assesses when he/she cares about their own current situation and do not trust the projected certainty of their grand situation. (Compass Rule 101)... Think about it.  ... 

Psychology is Strategy  

One's psychological view of a situation determines their strategic objective and their approach.  The possession of the means and the quality of the modes are two factors  that determine whether the person has the essential substance to solve the objective is the tangible challenge. 

Macro Assessment Pointers 

• Reading and recognizing the criticalness of one's grand situation and beyond. 
• Knowing the configuration and the connectivity of the situation before deciding on the factors that influence the situation.
• Performing various degrees of scenario modeling before deciding.

If the current situation is insignificant and stable, pointer #2 and pointer #3 become immaterial.

Theoretically, it is that simple.  ...  Tactically, the mastery of those three pointers usually required a large range of concentration and practice.  Do you have it?   If so, are you willing to improve on those skills?

Do you really display a serious sense of care and concern on your daily habits and tasks or any relevant task/objective?. ... 

Assessing anything relevant means that one must be methodical by style while being mindfully aware of the influences that affected him or her, the terrain and whatever is beyond those points. 

We do not expected anyone to immediately understand this post and those three mentioned pointers. Because of the velocity and the veracity that are affecting our society, some people might be harshly influenced to mindfully understand the essence of this material one day. 

Think about it.  .. .Good luck. ... 

# # # 

Side note: There are more specific steps to assessing a Chinese double edged sword. We will publish it in our future "Strategic Assessment" book.   For more information on learning the basics of swords, please visit sword forum.  It is a great place to learn about swords.  ... Some of us are occasional visitors of that informative site. 

Red Auerbach's 57 Strategies ( A Note for the Basketball Fanatics {Especially the Boston Celtics Fans} )

Many years ago, an associate who is a Boston Celtics basketball fanatic, gave us  this interesting book from the great Arnold "Red" Auerbach.  It is titled "Basketball for the Player, the Fan and the Coach." 

On page 189,  the book lists  "57 Strategic Moves," which Auerbach prefaces with this disclaimer: "How many of these you consider ethical or unethical depends entirely on your organization. I am merely listing them as things that can happen." Among the possible moves are:

• When a player notices an official's indecision as to an out-of-bounds ball, he should run over and pick it up with the full confidence that it is his.
• If the opposing team has a high scorer, keep reminding the other players of their uselessness because the scorer takes all the shots.
• Grabbing or pulling the pants or shirt of the opponent can be very aggravating.
• When the other team is given possession of the ball from an official's decision, don't throw the ball directly to an opponent. The ball should be thrown rather slowly to the official. This will give your men time to get set on defense.
• Place the scorer's and timer's table near your bench.
• Wait until the other team has started warming up and then request their basket. This request must be honored away from home.
• Faking injuries is used for many reasons . . . 
• Some players may agitate their opponents by incessant chatter, refusing to talk to them at all, or even ridicule

From our experience, gaining the subtle advantage of creating strategic momentum is the essence of these tactics.. Maintaining the strategic momentum throughout the game is the tangible key to a imtegral victory.

Scripting this category of plays in your gameplan is easy. Preparing the principals to implement it, is the challenge.

 "Whenever there is pressure to win on any coach or team you will find men deviating from what is considered the way of good sportsmanship. It is up to the player himself to decide what is 'dirty' and what is 'tricky.' " - Red Auerbach

Comments From The Compass Desk

Some of our associates who have coached competitive basketball and other sports, explained to us on the variations of these deceits and tricks of one-upmanship and how they are implemented in certain situations.  It is up to the coach and the enlightened referees to prevent these tactics from being a distraction

Becoming prepared and being  aware of these possibilities from the practice  session to the end of the game are the keys to preventing your competitor from implementing this unethical approach..

Click here for other unique strategic rules that you could use for certain competitive situations.. 

In summary, the grand objective of the mentioned tactics is to gain any tactical advantage from the "warming up" session of the game to the final seconds of the game by misdirecting the competitor's attention from the actual game.   ...  Conceptually, successful strategists have always try to prevail over their competition with the least amount of effort while flying under the competition's radar. ... Realistically, someone usually have suffered some level of abrasion.  ... Achieving this plateau of minimum effort, means that one must learn how to assess their competition strategically. 

Win if you can, lose if you must, but never let your competition prevail over you through unethical subversion.

Compass Rule

Where the attention goes, the energy flows.   Always protect your energy.

Side note 

This book sold over 600,000 copies, not counting the Russian, Polish and Italian editions.

///

Profiteering in the Chinese Economy (Humor)

( source: Winextra )  

Side note: There is no truth whether this crime was ever committed.

During a robbery in Guangzhou, China, the bank robber shouted to everyone in the bank: "Don't move. The money belongs to the State. Your life belongs to you."

Everyone in the bank laid down quietly. This is called "Mind Changing Concept” Changing the conventional way of thinking.

Comment: The robber sold the Big Picture of understanding the importance of carefully making the right choice to the bystanders within the bank.  

When a lady lay on the table provocatively, the robber shouted at her: "Please be civilized! This is a robbery and not a rape!"

This is called "Being Professional” Focus only on what you are trained to do!

Comment: The robber depicts his alleged "professional" image to the audience in hope that everyone understood that he and his partner were only there for one grand purpose.

When the bank robbers returned home, the younger robber (MBA-trained) told the older robber (who has only completed Year 6 in primary school): "Big brother, let's count how much we got."

The older robber rebutted and said: "You are very stupid. There is so much money it will take us a long time to count. Tonight, the TV news will tell us how much we robbed from the bank!"

This is called "Experience.” Nowadays, experience is more important than paper qualifications!

Comment:  The older robber believed that his perception of experience was the golden rule.

After the robbers had left, the bank manager told the bank supervisor to call the police quickly. But the supervisor said to him: "Wait! Let us take out $10 million from the bank for ourselves and add it to the $70 million that we have previously embezzled from the bank”.

This is called "Swim with the tide.” Converting an unfavorable situation to your advantage!

The supervisor says: "It will be good if there is a robbery every month."

This is called "Killing Boredom.” Personal Happiness is more important than your job.

Comment: The supervisor quietly understood the factors behind the current circumstance for transforming an unfavorable situation (to others) toward his own advantage. 

The next day, the TV news reported that $100 million was taken from the bank. The robbers counted and counted and counted, but they could only count $20 million. The robbers were very angry and complained: "We risked our lives and only took $20 million. The bank manager took $80 million with a snap of his fingers. It looks like it is better to be educated than to be a thief!"  ... This is called "Knowledge is worth as much as gold!"

Comment: The robber concluded that their perception of reality was a minuscule of the reality of their grand settings.

The bank manager was smiling and happy because his losses in the share market are now covered by this robbery.  ...  This is called "Seizing the opportunity.” Daring to take risks!  ... So who are the real robbers here?

Comment: By being calm, the supervisor mindfully saw the opportunity to utilize a chaotic situation to their vantage.  He utilized the results of one event to concealed his previous move and his next move. (This approach is similar to "Waiting at Leisure While Waiting for The Enemy" Stratagem from the 36 Stratagems essay. 

Comments From The Compass Desk
With the foreknowledge of the after effects of their situation, would the two robbers have committed the crime?  We quite doubt it.  The probability of them securing that intelligence is quite low. Most people rarely ever think past their current objective. Because of their possible financial plight, these robber would have executed their plan regardless of the circumstances.

The masses have a tendency of perceiving most situations with generalities, without ever knowing the specifics of the  view is a minuscule of the reality (the Big Tangible Picture) that prevails over the grander setting.  They are frequently focused on the immediate gains without knowing the negative after-effects.  ... This category of behavior rarely changes because of their need for immediate gratification.

How to Stay Ahead of The Curve 

When being mindful of the connectivity behind the Big Tangible Picture of their setting, one could become attentive to the possibilities of the on-coming opportunity.  (Side note: It requires a mindful practice of calming the mind, body and spirit.)

Without any understanding of the risk consequences, the practice of "immediate perception is reality" has prevailed over the masses of "unmindful" amateurs. These people just want that one ignition key applicational solution. Understanding how things are connected within the grand terrain and beyond is a waste of their time.  They are always living for that moment.

The exception are the few mindful observers who occasionally possessed the advantage of time, resources and the grand understanding of their current situation and beyond, that enables them to capitalize on some of the possible opportunities.

The Compass Practice

The customary Compass practice is to focus on one's current objective while being mindful of the "matrix of connectivity factor" that quietly operates within one's grand terrain.  You do know how to do that.  Do you?

Disclaimer

We do not endorse the commitment of any crime with this unique strategic practice. 

#

The Sign of The Times: Predicting the Demise of Detroit

Updated: 07.26.2013

In a past post, some members of the Compass360 Consulting group predicted the bankruptcy of Detroit. It was not a magnanimous call.  Based on our understanding of the Big Tangible Picture, we identified a certain pattern and performed a process of skip logic. ... To us, it was quite obvious.   

We would not be surprised that many of the smart Wall Street Insiders knew that this occurrence was coming.   ...  Including us, many of the Wall Street Insiders were waiting for a certain sequence of events  to unravel. 

The Domino Factor
Moody  started the ball running by downgrading the credit rating of Chicago.  

"On Wednesday, Moody's Investors Service slashed its credit rating for Chicago, the third-largest U.S. city, by three notches to A3, citing concerns about growing pension liabilities, a problem faced by thousands of municipalities across the country.   ..."  - Moody.com

It  immediately influenced the state's financial manager (for the city of Detroit) to file for bankruptcy.  However, the public unions were going to sue the state to prevent the financial manager from filing for bankruptcy, for the purpose of preserving their pensions. The filing happened just hours before the unions were ready to file their lawsuit.

A state court judge immediately stopped it under the reason of unconstitutional. We surmised if there was a possibility that there was a political motive behind it. 

The After Effects, The Possible Blowbacks and The Potential Next Moves
The after-effects also affected the muni-bond market.  Click here for a WSJ view of it.

If  the Detroit bankruptcy becomes the bellwether for some of the various financially troubled cities across the United States. in terms of dealing with certain public sector unions. They might be in ruins. 

Side note: Earlier 2013, the California city of Stockton filed bankruptcy.

We have not taken some time to perform the next stage of scenario modeling.  Click here for another person's presumption of Detroit's next challenge. 

Comments From the Compass Desk
We presumed that the chief decision makers on both sides (the state of Michigan and the unions) have performed some level of scenario modeling.   

At this moment, the probability of this  "blue" city will be receiving financial assistance from their brethem in the Fed government is minimum.  Even their state governor agreed with it.  ...

The Compass Solution
One anticipates by studying the configuration of one's terrain, the order of factors and the structure that integrates the key factors.  Then, plan ahead,  wait and drink some tea. 

In the information economy, the successful strategists are always aware of the Dao of their grand setting and beyond.  They are capable of anticipating by comprehending the matrix of connectivity behind their setting.

While the neophytes are always looking at the trees and the average strategists are moderately focused on the forest.  Other than viewing the forest,  the successful strategists are always focused  on the tides that affect their situation, not the waves. 

The secret is how one focuses on the current state of the situation while being mindfully aware of the next possible change. 

The Compass Prediction
It is only a matter of time where the law enforcement for certain cities will be privatized (at least 60%) .