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Chapter Three
Attack By Stratagem |
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Win without Fighting
Strength against WeaknessAlways
Beware of "High-Level Dumb"
Obey Fundamental Principles |
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At every level of any operation, strategy is indeed "war on a map"it is the "plan on paper." Strategy deals with the allocation of resources to the battle. In On War, Clausewitz says that strategy sets the point where, the place when, and the force with which the battle is to be fought. |
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In his book Strategy, B. H. Liddell Hart explains the objective of strategy. "The true aim is not so much to seek battle as to seek a strategic situation so advantageous that if it does not of itself produce the decision, its continuation by battle is sure to achieve this." |
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The first rule in strategy is to pay painstaking attention to the needs and wants of the customer and your organization's ability to fulfill those needs. This analysis includes every step from design through delivery and after-sale service. Only after a thorough analysis of your ability to meet the customer's needs do you check with competitive realities to determine the viability of your strategy. Great strategy never reacts to the competitor; instead, strategy defines the opportunity in terms of the customer and then considers the situation in the competitive environment. Strategy must also consider the depth of corporate resources, effect of government regulations, environmental concerns, and currency fluctuations. |
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Strategy is not a competitive game. "Do more, better, faster" is not a strategy. Strategy focuses on adding real value to the customer. Strategy does not seek confrontation; instead, it seeks to achieve objectives with minimum combat. |
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Great strategies arise from intense discussion and deliberation that take into account internal strengths and weaknesses and external threats and opportunities. This thorough analysis provides insights that can identify important strategic turns. |
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