Zhang Liang (The Collaborative Strategist)

One of my favorite strategists in ancient Chinese history is Zhang Liang (ZL), a great strategic thinker during the late Qin dunasty and the early stage of Han dynasty/

ZL was a collaboration strategist who listened to everyone regardless whether they were his allies or opposition in the royal court. If he used their advice and gave them full credit. Zhang Liang knew when to give everyone's face.

Zhang Liang didn't care if he was wrong. The only thing that counted was tne completing the goal. The end justify the means.

To be the collaborative strategist, Zhang Liang was open on telling the significant ppl what the goal was about and what was its strategic guidelines.

ZL was the "Ideal" Chinese Machiavelli where he politely gave future allies a positive situation for them to gain and later, present a deal that they can't refuse. Also gave ppl more credit than what they desired. Those who undesirely got it, was obligated to do what he asked later.

He was also the Master of "Understating the Obvious and Focusing on the Subtles"

Zhang Liang's metaphor f. his top down approach is "The Bridge" and was called the ["Zhang Liang's Plan"] (aka. Calculations or Traps). It's about "... developing bridges from his strategic network and beyond. ..."

There's a subtle meaning behind "The Bridge". If you're interested, drop this Cardinal a comment and it will be added to the next note.

Like all top down thinkers, ZL operate and control from a remote mountain locale, where he controlled the flow of his strategic network.

Zhang Liang's "1000(s) miles plan" approach was based on collaborating w/ every power players that stood on the critical path leading to the target. He developed a grand secret network of expeditors and intelligence gatherers that enable him to know where the opposition was at any point of the game and what was their next move. He always reward those who assisted in his mission.

ZL was a reader of JTG's Six Strategies. My presumption is that most power players succeeds in the grand goal by understanding the big picture by connecting the specifics . This's what the JTG Six Strategies emphasizes on. While field operators with their knowledge of Sunzi's AoW are limited to asborbing too many tactical principles.

The structure of JTG's strategic mindset is based on understanding the big picture first, then the broad orientation, the specifics and finally tactical situation protocols.

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Strategist Rule of the Grand Game: "Always enter and exit (into and from the game) one season than one season late." ---

(i.e., Zhang Liang left Xiang Yu to join Liu Bang when there was no chances f. being promoted. Knew when to leave Liu Bang when his popularity became greater than the emperor.)

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From my reading of Zhang Liang, learned the following set of Cardinal rules:
* Focus on quietly maintaining the connections between all specific objectives and the ops ;
* Focus on the the importance of cyclical thinking;
* Be the bearer of good news;
* Only Announce macro events that has been completed successly;
* Focus on the importance of collaborating with trust and commitment;
* Subjugate the dominant paradigm;
* Constantly develop a "quiet" strategic network from the 1st circle and beyond;
* Always have ["worthy"] prodigies that can carry your work;
* Teach the prodigies the essentials and specifics; (The prodigies had to learn how to connect the specifics to the grand goal on their own);
* Prepare your prodigies "good to go";
* Always know where your target's at and what's their next move;
* Always stand next to the throne of the client;
* Always know when to enter and when to exit; and
* Always start as a "respected" consultant and exit as a "respected" advisor.

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Conclusion:
Zhang Liang was a successful strategist who politely listened to the significant players. Regardless of the situations, he focused his team on hitting the target, while minding the grand settings.

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One more note: This Cardinal advocates the reading of all nine classics with greater emphasis on JTG Six Strategies, Sunzi AoW, and Wuzi.
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