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.

What is Strategic Power? (1)

 

The gist of strategic power is to exploit the advantages conferred by the tactical balance of power. Increase the opposition's excesses, seize what he loves. Then we, acting from without, can cause a response from within. 

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

The strategic configuration of power is visible in the onrush of pent-up water tumbling stones along. The effect of constraints is visible in the onrush of a bird of prey breaking the bones of its target.Thus the strategic configuration of power of those that excel in warfare is sharpy focused, their constraints are precise. Their strategic configuration of power is like a fully drawn crossbow, their constraints like the release of the trigger.

Intermixed and turbulent, the fighting appears chaotic, but they cannot be made disordered. In turmoil and confusion, their deployment is circular and they cannot be defeated.  

Gone Fishing (from the View of Jiang Tai Gong)

From our observations, the successful fishermen (or strategists) have regularly decided on what bodies of water to fish from and what categories of fishes that they wanted to catch while knowing the risk benefits and the risk consequences of their strategic choices before ever making their next move. 

This unique skill can be achieved by knowing the configuration of their Big Tangible Picture (BTP). The possession of this strategic advantage enables one to get to the projected endpoint with minimum resistance (i.e., near-zero emotional inertia, minimal encounter with any on-coming entropy, etc.) .  ... 

You do know how to read the configuration of your Big Tangible Picture (BTP). Do you?

To really understand the configuration of their Big Tangible Picture, click here to understand who is Jiang Tai Gong. In China, he was known as "The Father of Strategic Studies."

Other Thoughts
If you are burned out and looking for a new view,then leave your desk. Visit a local fishing hole and do the obvious.  ...  Relax and center yourself.   ... You can also practice your Baguazhang set.  Once "centerness" is achieved, scripting your gameplan is the next step.

Comments From the Compass Desk
We have been busy with our various Compass projects and our Compass Scripting project.  Thanks for coming by.  We will be updating the blog soon.   Have a good Wednesday.

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Persistence is the Name of the Game

Source: JenniferDawnBrody.com

What usually enables the successful strategist to prevail over the daily challenge of their endeavor?

"It is persistence which wins many challenges. And persistence is strictly a matter of force of will. ... Sometimes, the outcome of a competition is not decided by the first strategic move or even the third. ... Rather, fortitude is involved. Force of will is persistence. If one does not lose their sense of self, he or she will persist and their strategic power will not diminish. ... On the contrary, it will endure after their body has wasted away." - A Nameless Strategist

Understanding the configuration of one's Big Tangible Picture (BTP) and beyond, is the starting step. .We presumed that you know how to do that!?  ... Do you? 

Comments From The Compass Desk
From our experience, the will to prepare is greater than the will to win.  Do you know why?

Succeeding in the Competitive Economy by Implementing Strategic Power

A Golden Eagle Killing Wolves

(updated on 09.30.13, 19:19 hr)

"Nature, red in tooth and claw" - Tennyson.

Click here for an interesting set of photos on how an golden eagle attacks and kills a sika deer. 

"The eagle excels in its craft by awaiting events in the situation without making any movement. When he sees that he can be victorious, he will arise; if he sees that he cannot be victorious, he will desist. Thus it is said that he does not have any fear, he does not vacillate. Indecisiveness and doubt do not play a role in any of his actions.

"As a hunter, he does not lose an advantage when he perceives it or be doubtful when he meets the opportunity. The eagle follows the flow of time and does not lose an advantage; the skillful, he is decisive and have no doubts. He strikes like a sudden clap of thunder, which does not give time to cover ears; strike like a flash of lightning, which does not give time to close the eyes. ... Those who oppose him will be destroyed; those who come near will perish. Who can defend against such an attack?"   

Inspired by The Six Secret Teachings 

Sunzi's Approach to Pursuing an 
Opportunity and Timing an Attack  
"... If the army's attack is like a whetstone thrown against an egg, it is due to the vacous and substantial ... The strategic configuration of power is visible in the onrush of pent-up water tumbling stones along. The effect of constraints is visible in the onrush of a bird of prey breaking the bones of its target. Thus the strategic configuration of power of those focused, their constraints are precise. Their strategic configuration of power is like a fully drawn crossbow, their constraints like the release of the trigger.

Intermixed and turbulent, the fighting appears chaotic, but they cannot be made disordered. In turmoil and confusion, their deployment is circular, and they cannot be defeated.  ..."
- Art Of War 5

To attack an competitor, one must understand the following essential points that usually reigned over any competitive situation:

• the strategic disposition of the competitive terrain;
• the strategic disposition of each competitor within the competitive terrain;
• the opportunity and the timing point of the competitive terrain;
• the opportunity and the timing point of the competitors; and
• the reality of the situation.

Comments From The Compass Desk
To properly utilize the concept of strategic power, the successful strategist always assesses the configuration of a situation by understanding the connectivity of the relevant components that operates within it.

Then the successful strategist positions himself and his team toward a strategic disposition that offers them a path of minimum cost and maximum efficiency. 

Then the influencing of the target begins by the implementation of his planned and prepared actions.

We will touch more on this unique topic in a future post.

How to Profit in the Information Economy: Achieving the Strategic Power (or the Strategic Advantage)

(updated on 08.08.13 18:00 hr)

After a few boring but unique posts on applying martial arts concepts and tactics from the field level, we are now returning to the topic of the art and science of competitive strategy and tactics. 

Side note 
For what it is worth, some martial artists do not understand what is strategy or cannot stay focused past the two projected moves while drinking too much liquor. In a cerebral situation, they have behaved strangely. 

In the case of some desktop strategists, most of them can't even combat their way out of a paper bag. ... They occasionally spent too much time talking about irrelevant matters, presenting idealistic solutions without ever assessing their settings, gulping diet drinks and rarely ever completing any tangible objective.  On the field, some might begin to sweat profusely while whistling a song from their book of hymns.  They just can't stay centered.

Whether one is a spirited martial artist or a competitive strategist,  he or she must understand what is Shi. It is pronounced as "Zhi".  Some people referred to it as strategic power. Others have referred it as strategic advantage.


Strategic Power (Strategic Power)

Shi has no single, comprehensible translation. Some has described it as strategic- or positional-advantage, or potential energy. Others have referred to it as "cultivating the influence of the present on the future".  The conceptual origin of Shi has been traced back to the fourth century BC political-social/quasi-religious classic- Dao De Jing.  This essay emphasizes on an indirect approach to confronting conflicting changes by the means of understanding the state of change while maintaining one's virtue.  It later gained a more military-specific development starting with Sunzi and Jiang Tai Gong.

The consummate metaphor for shi is water that flows downward. Through the laws of physics, it gains momentum and ultimately overcomes everything in its path. This action becomes one of the softest and yet powerful forces in nature.  (It is impossible to defeat gravity. ...)

The antithesis of Shi is Li. This approach is based on matching one's strength to their competition.  To most people, "Li" is  typically a more obvious, simplified  and coherent approach than the greater subtleties of the shi approach. 

Those who demand immediate gratification preferred the "Li" approach. 

Compared to Shi, Li is a vertical-focused strategic-advantage  that is the fundamental to the advancement of western civilization itself—from capital investment and production to the endless pursuit of innovation and freedom. While pursuing these advantages, the "idealistic" chief decision makers barely understand the initial costs and the after-effects of their decisions.

Grinding toward a goal without ever recognizing the details behind the configuration is not a promising approach for the underdog.


Applying Shi (Go) to the Gameboard
The most clearest example of shi at work is the ancient Chinese board game weiqi (pronounced “wai-chee”). The Japanese calls it Go.  This simple yet most complex and methodical of all board games, where each competitor (one with black stones and the other with white) strive to surround the most territory on a square grid. The obvious initial strategy of most novice players is to pursue the corner areas for the purpose of gaining immediate points through the act of surrounding.  

The below example in this picture depicts a typical "Li" approach that situates the player of the white stones in a great disadvantage.

Based on the positional score, white is currently quite ahead in terms of tangible territory. But black has already established a strategic advantage and the intangible edge by directing into the center to control the rest of the gameboard. Black is employing the indirect and circuitous "shi" strategic approach, seeks future opportunistic potential, rather than applying direct force like the chess player who is gamed on total annihilation. Although white has the immediate advantage of 13 points and black has zero score. But black is strategically positioned for an eventual victory because it has an one stone lead on the eight other tactical locations on the board.  

The future-based shi usually triumph over the present-oriented li unless their components within their foundation are somehow dismantled.

The strategic priorities for black are: 

• becoming patient while avoiding contentment and 
• staying focused on gaining more territorial points while encircling the competition.

The implementation of this meticulous approach requires a profound understanding of the Daoist concept of how a current loss ultimately leads to a future win.  

A View From The Dao De Jing
If you want to shrink something, you must first allow it to expand.
If you want to get rid of something, you must first allow it to flourish.
If you want to take something, you must first allow it to be given.
This is called the subtle perception of the way things are.

The soft overcomes the hard. The slow overcomes the fast.
Let your workings remain a mystery. Just show people the results.
- Dao De Jing  36

Nothing in the world is as soft and yielding as water.
Yet for dissolving the hard and inflexible, nothing can surpass it.

The soft overcomes the hard; the gentle overcomes the rigid.
Everyone knows this is true, but few can put it into practice.

Therefore the Master remains serene in the midst of sorrow.
Evil cannot enter his heart.
Because he has given up helping, he is people's greatest help.

True words seem paradoxical.
- Dao De Jing 78

Remember that the tortoise sometimes defeats the rabbit in a marathon.

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The Compass A/E Solution

copyright 2009-2013: Compass360 ConsultingGroup

Strategic power can be achieved if he/she knows how to assess the competition. Then positioning of oneself to capitalize on the positive opportunities through planning and preparation begins. Influencing starts by seizing those big opportunities with a mindful understanding of the possible on-coming changes.

The ambitious novices believed that Shi is a long-range strategic approach. It could be adjusted toward a certain short term strategic situation by comprehending the configuration of their Big Tangible Picture (BTP) in terms of the myriad of probabilities and the various possibilities.  Possessing the time and the proper resources to capitalizes on the given opportunity is the challenging step for most chief decision makers. 

Our future white paper focuses on the pragmatic approach of achieving immediate strategic power in a competitive setting through the application of Assessing, Positioning and Influencing .

If you are interested in knowing more about this topic, please contact us. 


# Side note 
Idealistically, the conceptual approach of "shi" makes sense. Having the self leadership, the tactics, the resources, the technology and the strategy to make it happen, is quite difficult.  

Gaming and Gambling in the Non-Efficient Economy (Disney's Style)

(updated at 09:00 am)

As some Disney executives have just learned, simple strategic factors do not always guarantee a easy win.  ... I would not be surprised if these gambling executives live on the philosophy of "Going Big or Going Home."

In this non-efficient economy, the successful strategists who do not have the deep pockets of Disney or the Elite 1000 companies, must cautiously read the configuration of their grand competitive situation before creating the proper "mix and match" scenario.

The Process 
There are many variations of the "Five Critical Strategic Factors" (the matrix of connectivity, the cyclical phase  of the situation, the strategic state of the situation, the efficacy of leadership and the effectiveness of the process-driven logistics) that are in play.  ...  To prevail in a pseudo transparent competing situation, the chief decision makers regularly probe for the best tactical match-up.  (Based on the Sunzi's The Art of War essay, we preferred to categorize this step as the tactical imbalance of strategic efficiency. Sawyer translation refers to it as the tactical imbalance of strategic power. )

Some chief decision makers have occasionally performed a scenario modeling session to determine whether they have the strategic efficiency (or the strategic power) to prevail over their competition. ... Whether they properly employ the right scenario modeling scenario process, is a different situation. 

Following is an abridged list of questions that the Disney executives could have asked themselves, before deciding on releasing the film:

1. What is the usual social psychological state of the audience for that specific time period?  ..  
2. What other films would they be competing again?
3. What are the current trend of political, economic and social influences that could benefit or hurt this film?
4. Other than the named superstars, what is the other value that would attract the audience to this movie?
5. Based on the answers from the previous questions, does the match-up favored your film or your competitor's films?
6. If it was an even parity situation, what are the technical specifics that could give us the strategic power (strategic advantage) over the other competing films?

For competing purposes, what list of scenario modeling questions do you usually utilize?  

Other Scenario Modeling Questions

• How do you verify and validate the quality of intelligence behind the given choices? 
• How are you estimating the factors behind your advantage?

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Entertainment

How Disney's Bean Counters Will Bury 'The Lone Ranger'

Here’s the recipe for making a summer blockbuster: Buy a proven franchise, lock down one of the most coveted release dates of the year, and spare no expense to get an A-list actor, producer, and director. Unfortunately for studio executives, that’s also the recipe for a flop, as the team behind Walt Disney’s (DIS)The Lone Ranger is realizing all too clearly this morning.

The highly anticipated film didn’t even take in $30 millionin theaters this weekend, which is pretty low considering the spectacle’s $225 million budget—a sum no doubt inflated by Johnny Depp, star producer Jerry Bruckheimer, and award-winning director Gore Verbinski. It’s as if the Miami Heat spent lavishly on its three marquee athletes and failed to make the playoffs. Based on an 80-year-old radio series, the film failed to draw young viewers, didn’t impress critics, and may have a tough slog at theaters outside the U.S., given its Wild West setting.

“That’s particularly frustrating given the time, energy, and cost, and when it feels like you have the ingredients to succeed,” says Dave Hollis, executive vice president for sales and distribution at Disney.

In the weird accounting of the entertainment industry, the cost of making a film is marked as an asset. A big paycheck for a star such as Johnny Depp goes on the balance sheet right next to real estate holdings. When it looks like those investments won’t pay off, the company is forced to take a writedown, such as the $200 million lump Disney took on John Carter early last year.

Disney says it is too early—even “reckless”—to be discussing a writedown on The Lone Ranger, but it already has a pretty good idea of how much money it will lose (or gain) on the film. Based on how past films have performed, studios use early box office results to estimate each subsequent window of revenue: the rest of the film’s run in theatres, DVD, and video-on-demand sales, revenue from paid-TV outlets such as HBO, and finally cable and broadcast networks buying the rights to show the film.

Wall Street analysts, meanwhile, are doing the same thing. Lazard Capital’s Barton Crockett says Disney might take a $190 million writedown on the film. A Cowen & Co. analyst puts the loss at $150 million, according to The Hollywood Reporter.

Bloomberg Industries analyst Paul Sweeney says Disney will know its final return on The Lone Ranger in the next couple of weeks, though he doesn’t think a writedown will be announced before the company’s next earnings release on Aug. 6.

So why does Disney take such big gambles on major motion pictures? Because the payoff can be enormous, and it can afford to take its chances. Studio entertainment made up just 13 percent of Disney revenue last quarter and less than 5 percent of its operating income. Most of Disney’s business these days comes from its TV properties, including an 80 percent stake in ESPN, followed by its parks and resorts.

If Disney’s studio executives green-light a massive hit such as its seminal Pirates of the Caribbean, they trigger a lucrative chain of sequels, toy sales, and amusement park rides. If they roll out a stinker like John Carter, the flop virtually disappears on financial statements.

Disney may write down more than $100 million on The Lone Ranger, but it still has almost $5 billion of film and TV costs listed as assets on its recent financial statements.

“It’s a hit or miss business,” Sweeney says. “One year you’re going to have Titanic, and the next year you’re not.”

source:  http://www.businessweek.com/articles/2013-07-08/how-disneys-grave-diggers-will-bury-the-lone-ranger?campaign_id=yhoo

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Questions From the Compass Desk

• To compete in our non-efficient unpredictable economy, are you performing any relevant strategic scenario modeling sessions?  
• Do you know what variables and what factors to look for?
• If you are a reader of Sunzi the Art of War (AoW), how do you assess "The Big Tangible Picture" of your setting?  
• Do you know how to estimate its configuration?
• In an extreme competitive setting, what would you do if your competitor's were going to thaw your plans?
• Do you have the courage and the resources to counter-move him/her? 

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Proper Assessment Prevents Poor Planning and Preparation

Failure to plan is to plan for failure. 

To properly compete in a complex setting, the possession of a plan does not always guarantee a win or a strategic advantage.  

Sunzi's Art of War (AoW) essay states that the successful strategist is usually victorious when he/she knows the configuration of their grand settings.  Some of our other non-strategy associates felt that the act of assessing strategically is too much work and is totally overrated. They preferred to participate in the "fun and exciting" activities from the seat of their pants. This perceived gamble reinvigorates the thrill of operating under a risk. 

As long as their own trust fund is never touched, they will pursue it.  =)) 

Assess 
The first step is knowing the approach for assessing their situation and the approach for building a plan that is based on their assessment. 

Having that key information about one's own grand settings, occasionally enables the successful strategists to pinpoint that rare path of least resistance. Portion of that key information is a cyclical pattern of motives and methods. Understanding these habits and these tendencies is one of the many steps of how they amplify their strategic power (strategic advantage). 

The standard of assessment enhances one's planning and preparation. The quality of assessment usually determines the quality of plan.

In a past post, we have discussed about our process of assessing a situation through the utilization of those strategic and tactical factors. The pseudo AoW experts do not know what are those factors.  They are usually too busy preaching to their followers to focus their time and their effort on getting to their destination without ever understanding the configuration of their terrain. ...  In a highly competitive terrain, what is the probability of these lemmings  surviving?

The Sunzi Perspective
“These are the ways that the 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)

Following is the Sunzi's tactical approach for strategic assessment:

1. Measuring the dimensional factors of their situation; 

2. Estimating the potency of their measures; 

3. Calculating the efficacy in terms of the positives and the negatives; 

4. Balancing the order of the measured factors through the use of the "Victory Temple Protocol"; and

5. Predicting the probability and the possibility of victory.

-  Art of War 4

The Li Quan Perspective
"Those who excel in warfare contend for advantage with others only after determining through temple calculations that they will be successful. Attacking the rebellious and embracing the distant, toppling the lost and solidifying the extant and uniting the weak and attacking the benighted are all manifestations.  The interior and exterior becoming estranged, as in the case of the Shang and Chou armies, is what is referred to as having determined victory through temple calculations before engaging  in combat.  According to T'ai-yi Tun-chia assessment method, anything above sixty a majority, anything below sixty is  a minority.  ... In all these  cases, victory and defeat are easily seen. "
- Li Quan's  T"ai-pai Yin-ching

Based on the "completeness" of one's assessment, the successful strategist determines the strategic efficiency of their situation. it indirectly enables one to understand whether it is possible to prevail over their competitor.

The Reality
One cannot arrive to a viable strategic position in a chaotic setting if their assessment and their scheme are invalid. The result consequence is usually a combination of exceeding the timeline and the operating budget. One should not be surprised if their end result does not meet the expected performance standard.

To prevail in your competitive terrain, our recommendation is that the budding strategist should learn how to assess their situation before choosing a possible high-risk move. 

In a high risk, unpredictable terrain, the risk consequence for not assessing is   grinding and grounding oneself toward a state of zero gain.


Position 
The capable and experience strategists who always assessed their grand setting, know how to construct a force multiplier within their terrain.  (Some people referred it as "strategic power" or "strategic advantage.")  ... This  specific process can be defined as a strategic version of bricolage. ... The challenge is always having the courage and the drive to implement it.

The Clue to Constructing a Force Multiplier

When you hear the hoof beats, do not look for the horses. 
Focus on the zebras. 

The quantity of the quality components within one's terrain and the connectivity between them are what determines the possibility of constructing the force multiplier.

While another portion of this base concept can be found in the first set of quotes in chapter five of the Art of War, you can also find the macro clue from reading the Master Ghost Valley (MGV) essay, Jiang Tai Gong Six Secret Teachings and Huang Shek Gong's Three Strategies. 

A conceptual portion of the MGV book can be found in the Li Quan's translation. We will talk about more about this specific topic in a future post.

Side Note
For what it is worth, the opportunity to build a force multiplier is not guaranteed for each and every time. It is depended on the deep configuration of that opportunity.  One needs to be capable of connecting the dots.  Click here for one good example.

Comments from The Compass Desk
If you are participating in a highly competitive terrain, follow these three simple steps: 

• Assess the grand setting; 
• Position oneself by planning and preparation; and 
• Influence the settings with the implementation of the scheme while being mindfully aware of the target's strategic state.

If the influence loses its potency, restart the Compass Cycle. Repeat your assessment of your grand terrain carefully.  Be aware of the possible deception.

Assess. ... Position.  ... Influence.  ... 

Follow those steps.  ... You will not regret it.  Good luck!

The Dao of Profiling a Decision Maker (and Other Strategic Matters)

Floridasportsman.com

Side note: Enjoy this humorous note on strategic decision management from our circle of associates 

Once there were a group of medical professionals who went duck hunting. It was consisted of an internist, a psychiatrist, a surgeon, and a pathologist.

The internist was up first and takes aim. A duck flies by. He looks up and thinks, "hmm... could it be a goose, a gander, a duck? how about a swan? an eagle, a hawk? No! It is not likely but still possible. What about another waterfowl? Hmm..." After a moment, the duck was out of the range in one breath. 

It was now the psychiatrist's turn.  Five seconds later, a slew of ducks flew by. His thoughts were like this - "there is a duck - I know it - but does the duck know that I know that it's a duck?"  A few seconds later, this duck disappears.

The surgeon was up next and takes aim. Before a bird was even clearly in sight, he shot his gun. ... It was a loud BANG! In the distance, something dropped from the sky. The surgeon turns to the pathologist and says "Go tell me what that is".

Side note: 
There was an anesthesiologist who was invited to this event and told everyone: "I would rather not go. If you kill a duck, you'll all blame me at the end. ..."

Wikipedia

Epilogue
It was the pathologist's turn to shoot.  For the last five minutes, a  heavy wind have been blasting through the terrain from left to right. After looking at his watch, he quietly checked on the wind direction and speed again and began to wait.  15 minutes later, the wind slowly died.

The pathologist walked 25 feet to the left of their location, looked at his watch and waited for the next thirty minutes while his party of hunters were silently watched him.    

A light breeze slowly began to blow from left to right again.  ... The pathologist blew his duck call thrice and  positioned himself in a ready posture behind the tall grass.  He stood silently still, breathing deeply while quietly focusing his attention on the far right side of the horizon.  

Within five seconds, two flying ducks immediately appeared from the far right side of the horizon.  The breeze immediately became stronger and immediately slowed down their flight's momentum.  Within a split second, he exhaled, pulled the trigger twice and successfully shot both ducks.

Hrs before their gathering, the pathologist studied the configuration of the hunting terrain by focusing his time on knowing the climate for that day, the daily and seasonal wind patterns, the different types of flying birds,  the flight tendencies of each bird (esp. the ducks), the best vantage point  and other unique datapoints. 

Regardless of the situation, the successful strategists usually utilized all of the relevant information to their advantage.  The Art of War and The Six Secret Teachings  referred this action as a part of the strategic power analogy.  We humorously referred to it as "The Compass Spin." 

Comments From the Compass Desk

Ask yourself, which profile describes you?  ... Using the medical analogy, are you the internist (the guesser who is focused on getting the reductive answer), the psychiatrist (the deep thinker who ponders on a situation and occasionally does not make the prompt decision), the surgeon (the high-end gambling expediter who does not know the particular end in the mind), the anesthesiologist (another high-end strategist who does not like to make risky decisions) or the pathologist (the person who precisely knows the hows and the whys of any situation before making the timely move)?  Or are you a combination of any of those five profiles?

Look around you. There are many decision makers who have behaved in those modes.  Can you connect with them?

The Final Point
Before executing your grand process of ready, aim and fire, assess your setting, position yourself ahead of the situation and influence your target with timely execution.
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The Dao of the Unorthodox (Surprise) Approach or Play #6: The No-Huddle

The success of New England Patriots no-huddle offense can be based on Tom Brady the Pat's QB understanding of their competitor's tendencies in certain situations.  

Side note: We are presuming that this Belichick senior advisor who specializes in exotic strategic activities, is the "brain trust" behind that specific task.

Their no-huddle approach is based on the following steps

• Calls a specific formation (with a base set of tactical plays) from the line of scrimmage; 
• Reads the defensive reaction of the competition; and 
• Responds by adjusting the routes to the reaction.

Primary receivers run their designated route or the alternative route while secondary receivers either execute their "check and release" routes. Proper observation of the competitor's defensive alignment is the key to their adjustment.

This "read and respond" approach only works if the play caller's team have prepared themselves by mastering the entire set of relevant scenario adjustment plays for each formation.

Notes from the Compass Desk

The no-huddle approach has been used in the military and the other professional sports.  It is only a matter of time that certain business organizations utilize a similar approach to dominate their marketplace.

Knowing the objective and the approach for defeating a competitor is slightly easy.  The first step is knowing the tendencies of the competition.  Understanding the tendencies allows one to know the objective of one's competitor.  

Building the executable means that connected the modes to the approach is the other key to building one's strategic power.

You do know how to do both tasks.  Do you?

The Question of The Day

In an uncertain setting, the successful strategists use their Big Tangible Picture, to predict an advantageous situation. Technically, it could propel them into a possible “two step” gain over the competition.  ...  After a long moment  of contemplation, they implemented a “half step ahead” solution. ... Do you know why?


(The post has been updated.)

Using Strategy as a Lever

The following is from : Wikipedia : Lever

In physics, a lever (from French lever, "to raise", cf. a levant) is a rigid object that is used with an appropriate fulcrum or pivot point to either multiply the mechanical force (effort) that can be applied to another object or resistance force (load), or multiply the distance and speed at which the opposite end of the rigid object travels.

This leverage is also termed mechanical advantage, and is one example of the principle of moments.

A lever is one of the six simple machines.

Early Use:

The earliest remaining writings regarding levers date from the 3rd century BC and were provided by Archimedes.

"Give me a place to stand, and I shall move the earth with a lever" is a remark of Archimedes who formally stated the correct mathematical principle of levers (quoted by Pappus of Alexandria).

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Q: Do you have the strategic position that enables you to move your competitor?

Q: Do you know how to recognize a particular situation that enables you to stay ahead of the curve?

Understanding the Competition Game in the Info Economy

One's Team Crisis is Another Team's Opportunity

Many weeks before the playoffs, injuries began to dismantle the core structure of the Detroit Red Wings team. Nashville immediately capitalized on this opportunity.

At the end, the Red Wings lost to Nashville.  Their management must decide on staying on course with their system or adjust it? ... If you were their general manager, what would you do?

Competing in the Information Economy

In the competitive side of our information economy, the best competitors always know what is the state of their competition. They know their objectives, their approach, their means, etc.

Those who claimed that they are not doing it, are playing the "smiling tiger" game.

Summary

Most organizations usually do not have the contingency plans and the resources to maintain especially when chaos have permeated through their grand setting. Once their strengths have diminished and the weaknesses become pertinent.  The outcome is usually obvious.

Seeing the Dao of Everything

"In planning, never a useless move.

In strategy no step is in vain. .." -Chen Hao

In the "Year of the Dragon", President Obama (and his team) made the right political move to visit San Francisco's Chinatown. ... The President presented his brand of leadership by establishing the act of credibility with some of his vast voter base. He methodically displayed the courage of leaving his car and began the process of "meeting and greeting" with some of the residents of San Francisco's Chinatown while picking up some Chinese food. This act of being benevolent, also displayed the image of wisdom to the Chinese residents. ...

# Update: The above act is a political flavor of implemented strategic power. Do you know why?

Source: KTVU

Exemplary leadership is about properly demonstrating an assortment of actions relating to wisdom, credibility, benevolence, courage and discipline to the right people at the right time. ... Smart political leaders of all sorts who are mindfully aware, usually performed this deed quite well.

Seeing the Dao of their settings usually enables one to shape their grand terrain and its "connecting" secondary terrains. ... One who consistently connects these dots, will eventually succeed in the information-based opportunity economy.

Remember, macro coincidences are usually scripted.