Miscellaneous Notes: A Pragmatic Strategic View For Those Who Are Operating One Move At a Time

For those who live day by day, lacking emotional intelligence and operating on emotional instinct.  Read the following 12 pointers 

1. We admitted we were powerless over _____ – that our situation had become unmanageable.
2. Came to believe that a something greater than ourselves could restore us to ______ .
3. Made a decision to turn our will and our lives over to the care of that power as we understood Him/her/it.
4. Made a searching and fearless inventory of our situation.
5. Admitted to ___ , to ourselves and to another human being the exact nature of _____.
6. Were entirely ready to have something remove all these defects in our situation.
7. Humbly asked for methods to remove our shortcomings
8. Made a list of persons/situations where we had screwed the pooch, and became willing to amend them all.
9. Made direct amends to such people wherever possible, except when to do so would injure them or others.
10. Continued to take inventory and when we were wrong promptly admitted it (and amended the situation).
11. Sought through reflection to improve our conscious contact with ____ as we understood ___, looking only for knowledge and the power to carry that out.
12. Having had an awakening as the result of these steps, we tried to carry this message to others and to continue practice these principles in all our affairs.

A Pragmatic Approach for Developing a Strategic Approach 
For each strategic step, there are many tactical means to complete that specific step. There are different levels of success/effectiveness for different people.  What works for one person, might not work for another.

Without tactics (the methods to implement the strategy), the neophytes are retired.  This is the same for tacticians who operate without a framework.

Side Note
Click here for an interesting Harvard Business Review article. The topic is on  the basics of executing a strategy.  

Gone Fishing While Thinking A Few Moves Ahead

In an uncertain economy, the perceptive and experienced fisherman (strategist) always knows the risk factors for that body of water that he is preparing to fish at.

While there is near zero risk in a pond, the risk amplifies as the body of water increases.  Where in the ocean, the variability of risk can change at a whim.  

The weather occasionally plays a significant role in altering the movement of the ocean.

Beside the obvious preys that live in this body of water, there are predators too.


The Compass Principle of Recognizing the Terrain
The size of the terrain is usually proportional to the quantity of risk-rewards and risk-drawbacks.

The Dao of Strategic Positioning
To position ahead of the competition (or the situational curve), the perceptive strategist usually anticipate the risk factors for that situation by recognizing the risk benefits, the risk challenges and the risk drawbacks for each of the projected approaches is the initial step.

Completing the risk challenges properly and promptly, does not always mean that one would be many moves ahead of the curve. One has to comprehend the strategic configuration of the situation in terms of the matrix of connectivity and the seasonal cycle, before ever knowing how many moves ahead that he or she will be positioned at.

Whenever our latest project is completed, we will only then discuss more on this unique strategic topic.  

Do You Know Whether You are Three Moves Ahead of Your Competition?

Scoopwhoop.com

In life, most competitively-aware amateur strategists are always asking whether he/she is one step ahead or one step behind while the professional strategists are always focused on being two moves ahead.  

Regardless of the amateur's perspective of the gameboard is somewhat different and uniquely unrealistic, the outcome that originates from the endgame is what counts.

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There are different ways to predict the number of moves that one is ahead of the competition.  ... Some people have employed a variation of the "Measure Theory" for the purpose of understanding the strategic state of their situation.  ...    They measured the situation with their process model before ever deciding whether it is possible to beat the odds.

Once the projected quantity of "moves ahead" is established,  The next step is to establish the First Move Initiative. 


Defining the Three Moves Ahead 
To be one move ahead of the competition, one must know their own objective and the specifics of their tactical approach. It is usually based on the assessed circumstances of their situation.

Two moves ahead means knowing the competition's counter move to your move

Know whether the competition has the leadership qualities and the strategic foundation to counter your move, is being three moves ahead.  

This scenario works if the quality of information is current and complete. This state of information makes the situation slightly predictable and semi-static for that moment.

There are other perspectives for predicting whether one is multiple moves ahead. We will discuss more on this matter in a later post. 

Succeeding by Anticipating Two Moves Forward while Implementing Half a Move Ahead.

“The amateurs have been always asking themselves whether they are one move ahead or one move behind in their game while the ultra-class professionals are always quietly focused on thinking or anticipating two moves ahead while implementing half a move behind."  - Anonymous Weiqi Player

One could achieve that practice when one is able to mindfully comprehend the strategic state of their position and how it connects to the rest of the gameboard.


Some people tells me that thinking two moves ahead is a good policy. None-theless, a good policy does not always mean that people actually implement that practice.


The Sunzi's Victory Temple Model 
“These are the ways that successful strategists are victorious. They cannot be spoken or transmitted in advance. ... Before the confrontation, they resolve in their conference room that they will be victorious, have determined that the majority of factors are in their favor. Before the confrontation they resolve in their conference room 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)

So, do you know what are the advantageous (strategic and tactical) factors that enables you to anticipate one to two moves ahead of the competition while implementing half a move forward? 


Comments From The Compass Desk
To the amateurs, being two moves ahead means too much work for them.  ... Most people do not even wanted to think two moves ahead because it will disrupt their "drug taking" session while observing their favorite sport team getting whipped by an underdog. 

Study the configuration of the Big Tangible Picture (BTP) does require time. After many mindful practices, one might be able to see the answer before the question.

Those who knows, rarely tell. 

Clue: A small segment of the answer can be found in Sunzi's essay. The other parts of this perspective are located in an assortment of Chinese strategy classics. If this esoteric skill is important to your endeavors,  you could begin your research now.   ... 

(Or, start searching through this blog for more clues.   Good luck and enjoy the feeling of the search.  ... .)

One more clue:  Collecting the different translations of Sunzi 's essays might not help you. 

Minor Jottings
Some people believed that they are participating in a terrain that is similar to a "chess" game.   The problem is that they are really employing the "one move at time" approach like a checker player.  ... 

Realistically, this approach does not work against ultra class professionals. 

That is another competitive illusion of the information economy.