The Opening Plays Script Book Project Is Still In Play

Source: publicdomainpictures.net

While we have been busy with our own personal projects, the opening plays book project is still in motion.  

We originally wrote the book with an assortment of principles from the Chinese strategic classics. 

That section was removed because we believed that it might confuse the "non-strategic" neophytes.

At some point of time, we might release it through this blog.

The new and improved book includes a section that compares the process of calling opening plays script to the analogy of the game of chess and the game of poker.   

So much to do.  ...

Succeeding in the Info Economy: Assessing a Problem With the Phoenix Checklist

The Phoenix Checklist provides context-free questions that enable you to look at a problem from many different angles. Sometimes, problems aren’t as easy to understand as they may seem at face value—especially problems that are inherently multi-faceted. These questions will help you clear ambiguities and pinpoint the unknown unknowns associated with a problem.

 The Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) developed this framework.

 The Phoenix Checklist is comprised of two components:

• A list of questions used to define problems
• A list of questions to define the plan to solve the problems

Here is the Phoenix Checklist in its entirety:

 THE PROBLEM

1. Why is it necessary to solve the problem?
2. What benefits will you receive by solving the problem?
3. What is the unknown?
4. What is it you don’t yet understand?
5. What is the information you have?
6. Is the information sufficient? Or is it insufficient? Or redundant? Or contradictory?
7. Where are the boundaries of the problem?
8. What isn’t the problem?
9. Should you draw a diagram of the problem? A figure?
10. Can you separate the various parts of the problem? Can you write them down? What are the relationships of the parts of the problem? What are the constants of the problem?
11. Have you seen this problem before?
12. Have you seen this problem in a slightly different form? Do you know a related problem?
13. Try to think of a familiar problem having the same or a similar unknown.
14. Suppose you find a problem related to yours that has already been solved. Can you use it? Can you use its method?
15. Can you restate your problem? How many different ways can you restate it? More general? More specific? Can the rules be changed?
16. What are the best, worst and most probable cases you can imagine?

# Side note: 
The Sunzi's Victory Temple method is one way to identifying the answers to those questions.

THE PLAN

1. Can you solve the whole problem? Part of the problem?
2. What would you like the resolution to be? Can you picture it?
3. How much of the unknown can you determine?
4. Can you derive something useful from the information you have?
5. Have you used all the information?
6. Have you taken into account all essential notions in the problem?
7. Can you separate the steps in the problem-solving process? Can you determine the correctness of each step?
8. What creative thinking techniques can you use to generate ideas? How many different techniques?
9. Can you see the result? How many different kinds of results can you see?
10. How many different ways have you tried to solve the problem?
11. What have others done?
12. Can you intuit the solution? Can you check the result?
13. What should be done? How should it be done?
14. Where should it be done?
15. When should it be done?
16. Who should do it?
17. What do you need to do at this time?
18. Who will be responsible for what?
19. Can you use this problem to solve some other problem?
20. What are the unique set of qualities that makes this problem what it is and none other?
21. What milestones can best mark your progress?
22. How will you know when you are successful?

# In addition to the Phoenix Checklist, here are some other questions to aid with the problem definition and solving process:

1. Are there other paths to the end I’m looking for? Write down the obvious way to get from where you are to where you want to go. Then ignore it. Come up with as many other paths as you can think of for getting there.
2. Can I change any of the variables? List all the variables you see (how much time it takes, who is involved, whether to do something yourself or hire someone to do it, etc.) and play with changing them. What effect could that have?
3. What information do I need? Sometimes problems exist because we don’t have enough information to solve them. Identifying what information you need and what information you’re missing gives you a starting point to change that.
4. How many solutions can I come up with? As you think of more solutions to a problem, you may increase the likelihood of thinking of one that is optimally effective.
5. How would ______ solve this? If there is someone who is known for solving things like this, ask yourself how they would solve it. What unique perspectives would that person have that would enable them to solve the problem?
6. How many problems am I encountering here? There are many situations where what seems like one problem is actually a variety of problems bundled together. When you are trying to solve more than one problem at any given time, you are making things far more difficult than they need to be. Instead, take the time to identify each individual problem that you are facing. Tackle one problem at a time and then move onto the next.
7. What seem to be your main obstacles to reaching the goal? Think of getting from where you are to where you want to go as a process flow. Map out a step-by-step ideal process flow of how you could get there. Then look at that process and identify the obstacles. Where are those obstacles?
8. How can I improve this process? Instead of looking at it from a problem perspective, look at it as a process improvement exercise. What steps and processes can you make easier and faster to perform? How would you accomplish this?
9. Who has done this before? If someone else has already invented the wheel, don’t bang your head bloody trying to create it again. Who else has been up against the problem you’re encountering? Can you talk to them? Read about how they approached it.
10. How could ____ relate to my problem? What are some concepts that you could associate with the challenge that would most likely produce useful connections and insights?

 Reference:

1. Michalko, M. (2006) Thinkertoys: A handbook of creative-thinking techniques (2nd edition). Available at: https://www.amazon.com/Thinkertoys-Handbook-Creative-Thinking-Techniques-2nd/dp/1580087736/ (Accessed: 12 February 2017).

Source: Idea genius




Click here for previous "Phoenix Checklist" posts.

The Current Status on Our "Opening Plays Script" Book Project

(updated on 12.02.16)

While being busy working on this book and other projects, we have included a chapter on how to utilize the Opening Plays Script to other competitive terrains.

# 
Whether one is running a 15 play script or a 25 play script, the smart strategist must develop plays to perform the following functions:

•  Identifying the primary intent of the defense;
•  Gaining positive yardage; and 
•  Staging and Shaping the opposing team to become reactive;

#
We will also cover the differences between  using a 15 plays script and a 25 plays script 

# 
More to come.  ...

The Trademark of the Bill Walsh's Script: Anticipating Ahead

(updated on 8.28.2016)

A few weeks ago, Eddie DeBartolo, the former owner of the S.F. 49er was inducted to Pro Football Hall of Fame and received a helmet gift from Bill Walsh's son.

On the helmet was an inscribed message from Bill Walsh that congratulated him on his entry to the Pro Football's HoF, “Congratulations, I knew you’d get in eventually.” 

Bill Walsh signed the helmet before his passing (2006), and it had been waiting for Mr DeBartolo's eventual induction. 

Possessing foresight and scripting each and every individual strategic moves were some of the many trademarked moves of Bill Walsh as a world class sport strategist. 

Click here and here for more information on this story. 

Progress on The "Opening Plays Script" Book Project

(updated)

Q: What are the difference between a checklist and a script?

A:  While the implementer of a checklist operates on the premise of near-predictability while focusing on greater efficiency, consistency and safety, the strategist uses a script of pre-scripted tactical plays to capitalize on a grander opportunity while assessing the tendencies and the deficiencies of the opponent's defense. 


Status
We are still working on the Scripting Book project. 

Due to other priorities, we have not finished "the second to the final" draft of the book.
  

Following is an abridged listing of what the book will encompass:

• the strategic basics of the opening plays script;
• the technical basics of the opening plays script;
• the different type of opening plays;
• how to assess the competing defense;
• how to transposed the assessed data into the various types of opening plays; and
• how to influence the opponent's defense with the opener script. 

We would not consider writing this book is rocket science or brain surgery unless you are a Dodger fan.  However, the time and the effort that it takes to delineate the specificity for developing the multi-facet opener plays is always the challenge.

Bill Walsh's Standard of Performance

Source: Getlighthouse.com

Bill Walsh was a Super Bowl coach for the SF Forty Niners between 1979 -1988. He leaded them to three successful Super Bowls for those ten years.    

Coach Walsh was quite innovative and was also the architect of the West Coast Offense system. 

#

Following is a listing of quotes from his book- The Score Takes Care of Itself :

“I came to the San Francisco 49ers with an overriding priority and specific goal – to implement what I call the Standard of Performance.

“When you know that your peers – others in the organization – demand and expect a lot out of you and you, in turn, out of them, that’s when the sky’s the limit.”

“It was a way of doing things, a leadership philosophy that has as much to do with core values, principles, and ideals as with blocking, tackling, and passing: more to do with the mental than with the physical.

“While I prized preparation, planning, precision, and poise, I also knew that organizational ethics were crucial to ultimate ongoing success.

“It began with this fundamental leadership assertion: Regardless of your specific job, it is vital to our team that you do that job at the highest possible level in all its various aspects, both mental and physical (i.e., good talent with bad attitude equals bad talent).

“There are also the basic characteristics of attitude and action – the new organizational ethos – I tried to teach our team, to put into our DNA.

“Of course, for this to happen the person in charge – whether the head coach, CEO, manager, or assembly line foreman – must exhibit the principles.”

"Scripting was a most effective leadership tool in fair and foul weather. In a very calculated way, I began calling the plays for the game before the game was played."

"The more thorough, the more extensive, the more rehearsed, the better you perform under the pressure of any situation that calls for an immediate decision. ...”

“When you prepare for everything, you’re ready for anything.”

"I was always consumed with the X's and O's of football. It was like a chess game to me. I could see 22 people in my mind when I closed my eyes. I can see exactly where they are, exactly where they are going. If it's not part of your nature, you're never going to make it big. "

- Bill Walsh's, for an AIM's Investment Funds commercial (a part of Investco Funds Group) in 2002

#

Following is a listing of comments on Coach Walsh from his peers:

"Bill's thought process was, 'I'm going to take advantage of what you do well.' He was doing a lot of substituting, getting certain matchups. It was fascinating."

- Tony Dungy, Former NFL head coach, who played for Walsh's 1979 Niners team

" ... The biggest thing to come to mind is just how comprehensive his knowledge was. Most people think of Bill Walsh and the West Coast offense, but it was the organization, the personnel evaluation, how to deal with players -- Bill was really the first to start players' programs. Every interactive aspect of the entire organization is what Bill was such a master of. ..."

- Brian Billick, Former Baltimore Ravens head coach and co-author of Walsh's book, "Finding the Winning Edge"

"One of the most important things I learned being around Coach Walsh was that nothing happened because of luck. He planned for every situation and every eventuality. We had an answer for every blitz, every coverage and game situation, because we were challenged to prepare. .." 

- David Shaw, Stanford coach, who played for Walsh at Stanford  

"He would lock himself in a room on Monday night, turn on classical music, and he would create plays. Like a great composer. Alone. And design all the plays."

- Ernie Accorsi  Former GM of the New York Giants, Cleveland Browns and Baltimore Colts

The way we begin games with a "First 15." I firmly believe that this was in line with Bill's love of boxing. This is the idea of starting games by probing your opponent with a variety of plays like a boxer would "stick and move."

- David Shaw

Source: NFL


The Script: The Perfect Leadership Tool

" ... By 1980, the script of Walsh’s opening plays had grown from five plays to twenty-five plays, allowing his team to visualize days before the game how they’d attack their opposition. By the time it matured in San Francisco, Walsh’s offense seemed to be a step or two ahead of its opposition, able to set the tone of the game, take full advantage of the liberalized passing rules and keep the defense off-balance. … ‘American’s Team’ was the most imitated club in football during the seventies. The Cowboys used computerized scouting, and the rest of the league eventually followed suit. The Cowboys used a multiple offense with lots of shifts. The Cowboys based much of their defensive philosophy on computerized tendencies identified from an opponent’s previous games; the rest of league based on computer-generated tendencies identified from an opponent’s previous games.

But Walsh’s twenty-five-plays script subverted all of that. You couldn’t plan for the 49ers because the 49ers didn’t have an identifiable sets of biases on first or second down and they possessed such versatile running backs that they were equally effective running or passing on third down.  .."

Source: More than a Game: The Glorious Present--and the Uncertain Future--of the NFL    By Brian Billick, Michael MacCambridge    Pg 125-126

Other Notes 
During our spare time, our associates are still focused on completing our Scripting Book project.  It has passed the 70% mark. 

Following is an abridged listing of "possible" topics that the book will cover:

• the basics of our Assess, Position and Influence model;  
• the conceptual bridge between our Assess, Position and Influence (API) process model and the script;
• the basics of a starter script (aka. the first 25, openers, drive starters, etc.);
• the basics of a well-developed scripted play;
• the basics of staging and shaping the competition with the integration of orthodox tactics and unorthodox tactics.
• the art and science of "scenario planning and modeling"; and
• the technical differences between our Assess, Position and Influence (API) model and John Boyd's Observation, Orientation, Decision and Action (OODA) model.

Side Notes    
We are still deciding on whether it is necessary to transpose the basics of the Sunzi's "Victory Temple" Paradigm into this book.

Click here and here for more quotes from Coach Walsh.

# # #

Assessing the Basics of the Hurry Up, No-Huddle Offense (HUNH)

(updated at 13:18 hr)

"Speed is the essence of war. " - Art of War

Some amateur strategists have believed that "moving efficiently and fast" is a guarantee to a good win.   One could presume that their translation of Sunzi told them this is the way to win.

Running the Hurry Up No-Huddle (HUNH)
The no huddle hurry up process is the hot trend in offensive football. The audience loved to see the thrill of scoring first and fast.

Unlike the scripted starter plays approach, the scoring could be slow. 

It focuses on the down, the distance, the ball position and the focus on exploiting the competitor’s co-efficient deficiency. The choice of plays are limited per drive because the specific plays that are designated to exploit a certain set of targets, are repeated. 

Unlike the premise of the methodical scripted approach, the "ebb, flow and go" approach of the no huddle approach does not always build the consistency of rhythm and momentum within the offensive  team, especially against the elite defenses. 

Waiting for the big play is the tactical approach for the chosen ones who usually exist for the thrill of the moment.  

Creating the big play is the trademark of those successful strategists who can identify and exploit the various deficiencies of the opposing defense. 

The Benefits of the HUNH

Following is an abridged list of the benefits:

• Unbalancing opposing defense by playing the game of "...can you play faster and can you outlast me?"
• Increasing the number of scoring opportunities;
• Fatiguing the sub-par conditioned players of the opponents’ defenses
• Preventing the defense to properly huddle between plays
• Preventing the defense from efficiently substituting situational players
• Preventing the defense from efficiently changing their defensive formations and tactics (i.e., stunts, coverage, etc.),  
• Dehydrating the opponents’ defense where playing under a hot climate setting;
• Converting the practices into a conditioning session where no energy is wasted;
• Preparing your defense in defending other teams’ no-huddle offenses; and 
• Causing the offense to be more responsive while forcing the "unprepared" opposing defense to be reactive;

Pedal to the Metal 
Regardless whether the offense scores first, fast and repeatedly, the defense returns to the field quickly within a short time. 

Creating chaos and havoc is the name of the game.

In the beginning of the season, the risk reward of the HUNH approach exceeds the risk consequences.  The defense becomes tired at last quarter of the season. The risk consequence becomes the relevant factor esp when the players are fatigued and tired. The fatigue usually increases the probability of injury. 

One cannot win any championships without a sound and solid defense. Playing the game of outscoring the opponent could only last so long.  Offense thrills the fans but defense wins the championships.

Sooner or later, the elite teams with quality defensive talent will balance out speed of the no huddle offense approach.   (Example: For the last two years, University of Alabama has finally caught up with University of Auburn's no huddle offense while running their own version of the No-Huddle.)

Zero Sum Gain
For every positive, there is a negative. 

The challenge with this approach is that the players on both sides of the line of scrimmage, must be conditioned and organized to move efficiently and fast and that the defense must be prepared and ready to return to the field within 60 seconds if the offense is not able to maintain the possession of the ball.

As mentioned before, the defense becomes quite tired and fatigued at the end of the season.

The Reality of No Huddle Offense
The current California Berkeley football team also utilized a no huddle offensive approach (aka. "Bear Raid"), was able to score a great number of points but was only able to defeat teams with "low-quality" defense personnel.  

Once they competed against the elite teams, the entire Cal's team started to fall apart.  

Any football offensive and defensive approach works if the recruitment of quality players is possible. 

One of Cal's greatest challenges was the recruitment of quality players who could meet their academic standard.

Strategy and tactics only work if one has the correct type of players,

Another Weakness of the HUNH Offense
Click here on Steve Smith's (of the Baltimore Ravens) perspective of the "Hurry Up No Huddle" offense.

Side note: The Compass Formula
The quality of personnel (players) establishes the quality of formations (the tactical approach). The quality of formations drives the quality of plays. 

Formations and specific plays do not win games.   Players do.   Organizing the players and coordinating their actions in a synchronized mode are the real challenges for most coaches.

Slowing Down the Pace 

In terms of offensive approach,  some of us preferred the methodical approach of running 15-25 opening plays that is designed to understand the "strategic efficiency" state of the competitor.  This innovative tool was devised by Bill Walsh, the late SF 49ers coach of the 1981, 1984 and 1988 Super Bowl Champions.

The Walsh's Approach
Click here if you are interested in learning the basics of Walsh's opening plays script (aka. the starter script).

The basic premise of the starter script is to identify the various deficiencies of the opponent through the usage of 25 offensive plays that the opposing defense has never seen before. .

Its true objective is to transform the results from the starter plays into intent-driven adjustment plays.

Life is Fleeting for Those who Cannot 
Captain and Control Their Destiny

Coaches and their offensive approaches do not win games if the players are not willing to adjust.

Ask any of the former players of the Philly Eagles if that is true.  ... Chip Kelly became the victim of his own approach. (As of the 20th of January 2016, Mr. Kelly was introduced as the new head coach of the San Francisco 49ers.)

It works great in colleges because of the near-unlimited number of players that are available where in the professional ranks, most of the players are not willing to sacrifice their bodies for the entire season especially if they do not feel if it is possible to reach the playoffs.

In summary, the offensive play caller who is not tactically creative and is not willing to adjust to the players, will discover that the field team are not wanted to play for him. 

Side Note 
The neophyte fans just wanted to see high scoring games while the hardcore fans preferred to see a defensive struggle type of game where the total score is below 31 points  and the differential of points is 3 points.  

To the hardcore fans, remember that the neophyte fans are the majority of the audience and they do pay the bills.  Accept the reality.  

- More to come -

The True Motive Behind Scripting The Starter Plays

One of the grandest traditions in the game of coaching football is the practice of scripting one's offensive starter plays, for the purpose of identifying the motives and the methods of their opposition. 

The originator of this moderately simple but innovative practice was Bill Walsh, the architect of the West Coast Offense and the former head coach of the San Francisco Forty Niners between 1979-1989.  

Beside the implementation of the script, Walsh also innovated the short-range passing attack portion of the West Coast Offense and the ratiocination for building a world class organization.

Under the leadership of Coach Walsh, the San Francisco Forty Niners won three Super Bowl Championships.  Some members of his football family have also won Super Bowls and many college bowls.

Click here on the brief history and the technicalities for scripting the starter plays

The Psychology of Scripting the Starter Plays
Before knowing the true motive behind scripting the starter plays, the smart strategist must know the following target points for scripting the starter plays: 

• the technical weaknesses of the opposing defense (field players and sideline players);
• the confirmation of the tactical deficiencies of the opposing defense; 
• the identification of situational proclivity of the defensive playcaller;  
• the approach for staging the opposing defense for adjustment plays and 
• the staging of plays that would exploit their true inefficiencies.

By performing the above five points, the successful strategist is able to influence the opposing defense to be reactive.   

With the right play and the proper execution, this "real time" process enables the offensive coordinator to know when to call the game-changing play.  

(More to come.)

The Intricacies of Scripting Plays  
To properly develop the script of starter plays, the offensive coordinator must have the drive to knowing each and every technical deficiencies of the defense and possessed the mindset to measure and manipulate the defensive play caller and the defensive team who are operating on the field.  

When the script is working, the offensive coordinator and his scouting team begin to notice the confirmation of the targeted defensive player's base tendencies in various tactical situations (i.e., the "down and distance" situations, etc.) and their reactions to certain offensive formations, alignments, shifts and motions.

The Question of the Day

One of the unique challenges of running a scripted play while adjusting to the constant shifting of the defensive line and the constant threat of delayed blitzes and multiple blitzes from different directions. As a strategic thinker, do you know how to capitalize on that?

Side Notes
Connecting the principles from the Sunzi's essay to the process of scripting is a metaphysical challenge for the amateurs. Having the drive to seeing the Big Tangible Picture while possessing the technical foundation of strategic thinking is the key to building a good starter script.

The alpha fundamental to becoming successfully competitive is to properly assessing the strategic situation while performing one or more of the following points:

• Building the starter script and the master script of plays on the strengths and the weaknesses of players on both sides
• Implementing the starter script properly;
• Knowing when to adjust to and from the starter script; and 
• Convincing the offensive team to believe in the tangibility behind it.

The Final Note
We will publish our "Scripting" book sometime in the future.

Succeeding in the Info Economy by Understanding the Big Tangible Picture

(Updated on 04.11.15)

One of our associates has a small tendency of losing track of the Big Tangible Picture (BTP) whenever the stress becomes overwhelming.  In some occasions, So he takes a few days off and visits his favorite fishing hole. 

That fishing hole is a solitary locale that allows him to hear his thoughts and his own rants . There are usually no digital devices or any people near him. 

This setting of tranquility enables him to think through his many situations and an assortment of questions. 

Following is an abridged list of those questions:

• What tangible bodies of water should he be fishing at?
• What are the risk benefits, the risk challenges and the risk drawbacks for fishing at that specific body of water?
• What types of fishes could/should he catch?
• What are the risk benefits, the risk challenges and the risk drawbacks for catching that fish?
• To lure a big fish, what type of bait does one needs?
• Is his fishing line strong enough to hold the fish?
• Does he need a team?
• If so, what is the  common interest in attracting the right team?
• How does he attract the right team?

At the end of the day, this associate re-reads Jiang Tai Gong's Six Secret Teachings.   

During the reading process, he makes the effort to compare the essence of that classic to Sunzi's Art of War.  (I presumed that some of you have already done that and will be publishing a book on that topic soon.)

The Compass Principle  
The quantity of relevant answers is proportional to the tangibility of The Big Tangible Picture (BTP).

The quality of the answers is always proportional to the probability of the fisherman's success.

The type of fishes that one pursues, is usually based on their feel for risk.


Side Note 
Fwiw, there are more questions to this list. We will elaborate on the other questions in a  future post. Some of these questions, could be found on somewhere in this blog. Good luck in finding them! 


Comments From The Compass Desk
Going to a quiet watering hole is the first phase of the process.   Once the relevant answers are known, the next step is assessing it in terms of strategic efficiency.  

Positioning ahead by developing the script. That is the next phase. 

Enjoy your day!

Succeeding in the Information Economy Through Scripting (Some Minor Notes From Our Scripting Book Project)

" ... By 1980, the script of Walsh’s opening plays had grown from five plays to twenty-five plays, allowing his team to visualize days before the game how they’d attack their opposition. By the time it matured in San Francisco, Walsh’s offense seemed to be a step or two ahead of its opposition, able to set the tone of the game, take full advantage of the liberalized passing rules and keep the defense off-balance. … ‘American’s Team’ was the most imitated club in football during the seventies. The Cowboys used computerized scouting, and the rest of the league eventually followed suit. The Cowboys used a multiple offense with lots of shifts. The Cowboys based much of their defensive philosophy on computerized tendencies identified from an opponent’s previous games; the rest of league based on computer-generated tendencies identified from an opponent’s previous games.

But Walsh’s twenty-five-plays script subverted all of that. You couldn’t plan for the 49ers because the 49ers didn’t have an identifiable sets of biases on first or second down and they possessed such versatile running backs that they were equally effective running or passing on third down.  .."

Source: More than a Game: The Glorious Present--and the Uncertain Future--of the NFL    By Brian Billick, Michael MacCambridge    Pg 125-126

Other Notes 
During our spare time, our associates are still focused on completing our Scripting Book project.

Following is an abridged listing of topics that the book will encompass:

• the basics of our Assess, Position and Influence model.  
• the conceptual bridge between our Assess, Position and Influence process model and the script;
• the basics of a starter script;
• the basics of a good scripted play;  
• the art and science of "scenario planning and modeling"; and 
• the technical differences between our Assess, Position and Influence (API) model and John Boyd's Observation, Orientation, Decision and Action (OODA) model.

More to come.

Side Notes    
We are currently still deciding on how to transpose the basics of the Sunzi's "Victory Temple" model into this book.

Succeeding in the Info. Economy with Sunzi's Six Principles and the Bill Walsh's Starter Script

(updated on 02.20.15)

Mark McNeilly, who is a very smart marketing strategist, an insightful military historian and an adjunct professor at University of North Carolina, wrote a pair of books on applying the strategic concepts and principles from Sunzi's Art of War to the business realm and to modern warfare.

The essence of his two books are based on six meta-principles, that summarized the 200+ principles of Sunzi.

Following is the list of those six principles:

1. Win all without fighting: Achieving the objective without destroying it

2. Avoid  Strength, Attack Weakness: Striking where the enemy is most vulnerable

3. Deception and Foreknowledge: Winning the Information War

4. Speed and Preparation: Moving Swiftly to Overcome Resistance

5. Shaping the Enemy: Preparing the Battlefield

6. Character-Based Leadership: Leading by Example

- SunTzu and The Art of Modern Warfare

#
His first book demonstrates how his six principles were successfully used in various business situations.   ...  It is a good book for those who are strategically-minded. We highly recommended his books on Sunzi (Sun Tzu) and George Washington. These books are great reading especially during a long weekend.

#
Our Compass Project 
In terms of planning a field operational strategy, we concluded that McNeilly's six principles are quite indispensable when or if one possesses relevant strategic experience and ultra-class strategic assessment skills.

During our research, we have carefully looked at it and transformed those six principles to a macro set of meta-principles by connecting it to other principles from other arcane Chinese classics.  Then we connected it to the famous Bill Walsh's Starter's Script and other unique but strategic models.

The Six Strategic Principles of Compass A/E  Process Model 

1.  Ready. Aim. Fire
To achieve the path of least resistance, one focuses their resources and their efforts toward the origin of the competitor's inefficiency while deciding on when to exploit it with zero to minimal impact to one's own team's. This step can be achieved when one knows the configuration of their Big Tangible Picture (BTP).

2. Focus. Focus. Hocus Pocus 
Focusing one's strengths toward onto the weaknesses of the competition with the tactical "pretext" option while avoiding the influence of the competition.

3. Know Early. Act Now
Knowing the strategic reality of the competition in each tactical situation and capitalizing on their inefficiency.

4.  Be Quick. Don't Hurry 
The strategically prepared, urgency-driven team accelerates forward to the target especially in an up-tempo no huddle mode especially when the comprehension of the technical weaknesses behind their opponent's inefficiency is fully recognized. 

5.  Stage and Shape the Competition 
Implement a sequence of tactics that influences the competition to behave in an absolute mode in a specific game situation before the "game-changer" tactic is ever implemented.

6. Lead by Deed 
By successfully following the PACE guidelines of the script and implementing the scripted tactical plays, the team starts to execute properly. The incremental momentum gain becomes possible when the team believes in their own execution, their teammates, the strategy (the motive and the methods) behind the script, the field strategist and the backroom strategists.

When the execution of the script works, the entire team becomes confident in the wisdom, the credibility, the benevolence, the courage and the discipline of the principals behind the script development.

Psychologically, the continuity of this momentum gain creates wins. Conclusively, the continuity of this positive practice generates more streaks of positive wins.

#
Strong and smart leadership and the mastery of this well-devised scheme-based tool usually play a significant role in a winning culture.

copyright 2013-2015: Compass360 Consulting Group, All Rights Reserved.


Some More Notes on the Compass Book Project
Our book integrates the basics of Bill Walsh's Starter Script and the principles from Sunzi, Jiang Tai Gong, and other successful strategists and demonstrates how to utilize it in a chaotic strategic situation while being mindful of when and how the competition adjusts to the implementer's script.

It also utilizes our Assess, Position and Influence model that is a conceptual superset of Colonel John Boyd's Observation, Orientation, Decision and Action (OODA) strategic methodology.

More to Come

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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..