The Way of the Pragmatic Strategist (2)

Tradecraft of the Pragmatic Strategist
* Always know what time it is. (Chrono device metaphor- Always carry a watch.)
* Always know where you are at (Compass and Map metaphor- Always have a balanced plan of a grand goal and specific objectives
* Always have a situation plan (Notebook and Pen metaphor- Always carry a notebook of strategic notes and tactical specifics)
* Always keep strategic plans confidentially (Black Briefcase metaphor)- Keep grand agenda and strategic network confidential!
* Become internal!!!
* Always be subtle and indirect. . Directness is selectedly used when needed.


Strategic Practice of the Pragmatic Strategist
* Once a year, read a set of Strategy and Leadership classics to remind oneself of the strategic fundamentals.
Recommended books are: JTJ, Six Strategies, Sunzi AoW, Dao De Jing, ZGL "Way of The General", Book of Five Rings and 36 Strategems.


More details on how to be how to become pragmatically efficient.
Stand don't sit (Mozart and many great creators stand, create and viewed things from top down or keeping the data in front of them).

View your gameplan in terms of a map from top down. Know what is the outcome, what is the next move for each macro point leading to the outcome, what point to wait and determine how does the three essentials/extremes (or sanji) function at each macro points.

By keeping the data in front of you, it becomes easy to look for patterns and connections.

Drink a ton of warm water;
To maintain a healthy body, one must maintain a good temperature. Drinking warm water (& good tea) is the 1st move.

Know clean, well-lited places that are quiet and isolated from the maddening crowd for focus purposes
Good places are remote rooms at bookstores and libraries.


Spend less time on-line
* Create history, don't view history.
* Have informational alerts come to you.
As mentioned earlier, "general information" has a tendency to be seasonal and worthless for those who are not consciously aware of how it can help them.

Never watch reruns of bad movies and TV shows without a purpose.
Being entertained is one thing. Learning something new is the focus of a pragmatic strategist.


Tactical Essentials
"Good Generals love extreme weather"
Good Generals knows he has prepared his team to complete their goal regardless of the surrounding circumstances. @ this same time, the unprepared and poorly lead teams would fail.

They trained their team to prepare well, carry lightly, leave early, travel quietly (while strolling on the critical path of least resistance) and "arrive promptly and ready".

"Always carry good quality tools that is functional to the mission at hand."
In field level, carry quality and functional tools that're palm sized.


Tactical Specifics
"Always carry a quality and durable bag with multi-pockets"
All of the traveling consultants and implementers I ever met carried a bag with multi-pockets. They always knew where everything are placed.


Remember that the pragmatic strategist always focus on the tactical specifics (to completing the task at hand) while mind the goal.

Proper Preparation is the key. When a professional is properly prepared, he is ["good to go"].

/// This is the Way of the Pragmatic Strategist

More to come on Tactical Specifics. ...